Royals
Mike Pelfrey and two Twins relievers combined for a six-hit shutout as Minnesota salvaged its three-game series in Kansas City with a 3-0 win over the Royals.
Pelfrey (1-0) scattered five hits and two walks, while Casey Fien and Glen Perkins each tossed a scoreless inning of relief to finish off the shutout.
“I tried to keep them off the base paths…because these guys are good,” Pelfrey said of the Royals.
Brian Dozier went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the victors.
Jeremy Guthrie (1-1) labored through five innings, allowing three runs on six hits and six walks as the Royals had their three-game winning streak snapped.
“I’ve only had six walks three times to my recollection,” said Guthrie, a 12- year veteran. “I wasn’t in command tonight.”
All of Minnesota’s runs came with one out in the first inning. After an errant pickoff attempt left runners at second and third, Dozier and Kennys Vargas both laced run-scoring singles. Trevor Plouffe worked a walk to load the bases, and Guthrie nicked Oswaldo Arcia on the elbow to force in a run.
Guthrie limited the damage by getting Kurt Suzuki on a 6-4-3 double play, then survived another bases-loaded jam in the second when Torii Hunter tried stealing home. Guthrie was facing the left-handed hitting Vargas in the windup as Hunter broke for the plate. Salvador Perez caught Guthrie’s quick throw as if it were a pitch-out and tug Hunter just before the plate.
Still, the three runs were enough.
The Royals left two on in the first inning, grounded into double plays in the second and third and left the bases loaded in the fifth when Eric Hosmer grounded out to first.
They tried rallying in the eighth, something they have done plenty of times this season, but Arcia made a running catch on the warning track to strand Hosmer at third.
Perkins tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to record his third save.
