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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals 6/29/2009</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
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		<lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:45:53 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:45:53 GMT</pubDate>
		<generator>RUWT?</generator>

		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Olivo, Hochevar lead KC to 4-2 win over Twins]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) -- Miguel Olivo didn't think Luke Hochevar
struggled. He didn't believe the Royals missed some early
chances against Nick Blackburn. That triple he hit in the
seventh inning? Single all the way.

Either Olivo was being a contrarian or wasn't watching the same
game as everyone else. Whatever it is, the guy sure did some
damage to the Minnesota Twins.

Olivo homered, tripled and drove in two runs, Hochevar overcame
some shaky moments in seven scoreless innings and Kansas City
beat the Twins 4-2 on Monday night to end a five-game home
losing streak.

Fresh after a day off, Olivo had three of Kansas City's 12 hits,
finished a double short of the cycle and called a solid game
behind the plate, guiding Hochevar through some early trouble to
help the Royals get a much-needed win at home.

"As you start approaching midseason, I think he felt a little
bit more refreshed from what his body has been going through,"
Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "I think the day off really
helped him and it was good to get that kind of production from
him."

Olivo scored Kansas City's first run on an error in the second
inning, then helped break open a close game by following Alberto
Callaspo's leadoff homer in the sixth with his 12th of the
season. Olivo finished off the three-hit night with a
run-scoring triple in the seventh, chugging around the bases as
the ball rolled all the way to the wall.

So what did he have to say after his big night? Not much, other
than disagreeing with nearly everything he was asked.

"I see the ball and hit it. That's it," he said.

Despite what Olivo did or didn't see, the Royals did miss some
early chances against Blackburn (6-4).

The right-hander gave up an unearned run in the second inning -
thanks to Michael Cuddyer's wild throw from right field - and
allowed at least one baserunner in every inning he pitched.
Blackburn worked out of a tough jam in the fifth, surviving two
outfield flyballs with a runner on third then striking out Mark
Teahen with the bases loaded.

He wasn't so fortunate in the sixth.

Callaspo, once considered nothing more than a slap hitter, led
off the inning by hitting his fifth homer of the season just
over the wall in right. Not bad for a guy who opened his career
without a homer in 441 at-bats.

Olivo followed with his homer to put the Royals up 3-0 and
Blackburn didn't come out for the seventh after allowing three
runs and 10 hits.

"I was a little off early, but made pretty good adjustments
late," said Blackburn, who gave up four two-out hits. "The two
home runs were just bad pitches."

Hochevar (3-3), despite Olivo's proclamation, struggled with
fastball command early, allowing eight hitters - four on walks -
to reach base in the first three innings. He worked through the
traffic, though, holding the Twins hitless in six at-bats with
runners in scoring position.

The right-hander retired 10 straight after a leadoff double by
Cuddyer in the fourth inning and didn't come out for the eighth
after allowing two hits.

"My fastball command wasn't there and I just had to make the
adjustment, go to my other four pitches until my fastball
command came back," Hochevar said.

Justin Morneau, who hit a three-run homer in a win over St.
Louis on Sunday, followed Hochevar's exit with his 18th homer, a
two-out, two-run shot off John Bale that cut Kansas City's lead
to 4-2. But that was it for the Twins. Joakim Soria closed out
the combined five-hitter, striking out the side in ninth for his
10th save in 12 chances.

Minnesota finished 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and
had errors on two relatively benign plays.

"We've been playing pretty good, but we just had a clunker here
tonight," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who was ejected in
the sixth inning for arguing about a ball he thought hit Jason
Kubel's foot. "We just didn't make enough plays out there."

NOTES: Twins 3B Joe Crede was scratched from the lineup as a
precaution due to back stiffness. ... Royals RHP Gil Meche,
who's had trouble with a dead arm his past two starts, will make
his scheduled start on Wednesday after throwing in the bullpen
without trouble. ... The Royals signed RHO Chad Orvella to a
minor-league contract and assigned him to Double-A Northwest
Arkansas. Orvella played 69 games with Tampa Bay from 2005-07,
but sat out last season with a shoulder injury.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/104726-Olivo-Hochevar-lead-KC-to-4-2-win-over-Twins</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/104726-Olivo-Hochevar-lead-KC-to-4-2-win-over-Twins</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:13:20 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Twins-Royals Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By DAN PIERINGER
STATS Writer

Minnesota (38-38) at Kansas City (31-42), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The Kansas City Royals stopped a three-game losing streak on the
road by winning the finale of a six-game trip. Ending their skid
at home could be tough with the Minnesota Twins coming to town.

The Royals look to halt a five-game home losing streak Monday
night when they open a three-game series against the AL Central
rival Twins, winners of all three of their series at Kauffman
Stadium last year.

Kansas City (32-42) suffered three straight road defeats before
capping its trip with a 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday.
The Royals were held to four runs or fewer in every game during
the trip but used a strong outing from Zack Greinke to get back
in the win column in the finale.

The Royals hope to build on that victory at home, where they've
given up an average of 10.6 runs during their current slide.
It's their longest skid in Kansas City since they dropped six in
a row from Aug. 30-Sept. 11, 2007.

"It's definitely tough coming into the clubhouse after every
game when you play like that," pitcher Gil Meche said after the
team's 12-5 loss to St. Louis in its last home game last Sunday.

Kansas City didn't fare much better at home against Minnesota
last year. The Twins held the Royals to 26 total runs while
winning seven of the teams' nine meetings at Kauffman Stadium.
They've won four straight series there dating to 2007.

Minnesota (39-38) has also won three consecutive road series
overall after taking two of three at St. Louis over the weekend.
Justin Morneau hit a three-run home run in the first inning to
lead the Twins to a 6-2 victory Sunday.

Morneau went 5 for 13 with a home run, two doubles, three RBIs
and two runs scored as Minnesota dropped two of three home games
against Kansas City in the teams' first series from May 1-3.

Royals right fielder Jose Guillen went 6 for 12 and drove in six
runs for the Royals in that series, while left fielder David
DeJesus went 5 for 13 with four RBIs and three runs scored.

Guillen and DeJesus are both 3 for 7 lifetime against Minnesota
pitcher Nick Blackburn (6-3, 3.11 ERA), who will start the
series opener.

Blackburn gave up four runs and a season-high 11 hits in a 4-3
loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday, and made a throwing error in the
eighth that allowed the go-ahead run to score in his first
defeat since May 5.

Blackburn is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three career games - two
starts - against the Royals, all Twins victories.

Luke Hochevar (2-3, 5.87) gets the start for Kansas City. The
right-hander took a perfect game into the fifth inning Wednesday
and held Houston to two runs and three hits in seven innings
overall. The Royals won 4-3 in 11 innings.

Hochevar gave up five runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-1 loss in his
only previous start against Minnesota on May 29, 2008.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/104575-Twins-Royals-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/104575-Twins-Royals-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:36:34 GMT</pubDate>
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