Royals 1 - 7 Twins
Final
  for this game

Nolasco aims to slow down Twins' bats

Apr 12, 2014 - 1:11 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Ricky Nolasco hopes to take advantage of some prodigious Minnesota Twins run support on Saturday afternoon when they host the Kansas City Royals in the second of a three-game series at Target Field.

The Twins reached double-digit runs for the third time in 2014 in Friday's opener, a 10-1 win.

The team was 15th in the American League in runs scored last season.

Nolasco could certainly use that support, as he has been knocked around in a pair of starts thus far this season, allowing five runs on 10 hits in a loss to the Chicago White Sox on March 31, and was dinged for five more runs in four innings against Cleveland on Sunday.

He has never faced the Royals.

Kansas City replies with workhorse right-hander James Shields, who allowed just one run in seven innings of the Royals' 5-1 loss to the White Sox in his most recent start on Sunday.

In his last eight starts against the Twins, however, Shields is 4-2 with a 3.35 earned run average and has allowed two or less earned runs in six outings.

On Friday, Chris Colabello knocked in three runs, Kurt Suzuki drove in two and the Twins pounded Bruce Chen en route to the big win. Josmil Pinto added a solo homer and Trevor Plouffe went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for Minnesota, which had lost its previous nine at Target Field dating back to last season.

The Royals had also won seven straight in Minnesota.

Kyle Gibson (2-0) made sure those streaks came to an end by limiting Kansas City to one run on five hits and four walks over 6 1/3 innings.

Chen (0-1), meanwhile, did not make it out of the fourth and was charged with six runs on seven hits for the Royals, who were coming off a 4-2 homestand.

Kansas City went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, with its only run coming via Billy Butler's RBI groundout in the first.

The Royals dominated their season series with the Twins last year, winning 15 of the 19 meetings while posting an 8-2 mark in Minnesota.








  • KANSAS CITY: 1
    MINNESOTA: 7
    Final

    Apr 12 4:46 PM


  • Lorenzo Cain double to left scored Alex Gordon with two out. Runner on second and Alcides Escobar due up.

    Royals 1, Twins 7  Top 5, 2 OutsApr 12 3:30 PM


  • Joe Mauer one-out, three-run Home Run (1) to right center scored Aaron Hicks and Brian Dozier. Trevor Plouffe due up.

    Royals 0, Twins 7  Bot 2, 1 OutApr 12 2:49 PM
  • 28
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 12 roots

    Royals 0, Twins 7  Bot 2, 1 OutApr 12 2:49 PM


  • Brian Dozier reached first on Mike Moustakas's fielding error scoring Josmil Pinto and Kurt Suzuki with one out. On the play, Aaron Hicks advances to third and Brian Dozier advances to second. Runners on second and third and Joe Mauer due up.

    Royals 0, Twins 4  Bot 2, 1 OutApr 12 2:49 PM
  • 16
    roots
    RUWTbot Took away 6 roots

    Royals 0, Twins 4  Bot 2, 1 OutApr 12 2:49 PM


  • Aaron Hicks walk scored Jason Kubel with none out. Bases loaded and Pedro Florimon due up.

    Royals 0, Twins 2  Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 12 2:41 PM


  • Brian Dozier lead-off Home Run (4) to left. Joe Mauer due up.

    Royals 0, Twins 1  Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 12 2:19 PM


  • KANSAS CITY: 0
    MINNESOTA: 0
    Top 1, 0 Outs

    Apr 12 2:11 PM
  • 22
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 22 roots

    Royals 0, Twins 0  Top 1, 0 OutsApr 12 2:11 PM

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