Final
Thome homers again and Twins top Royals 10-3
Sep 8, 2010 - 4:07 AMVideo
MINNEAPOLIS(AP) -- Jim Thome has found a band of brothers in Minnesota. He's showing off his big swing like the oldest sibling.
Thome hit another towering homer, Delmon Young drove in four runs and the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 10-3 on Tuesday night to take their largest AL Central lead in 10 days.
Francisco Liriano (13-7) raised his second-half record to 7-0 in 10 starts, giving up seven hits and two runs in seven easy innings. J.J. Hardy had three RBIs for the Twins, who scored six times in the third against Brian Bannister (7-12) and moved 4 1/2 games ahead of Chicago in the division race.
"You hope the good times last as long as they can," Thome said.
The White Sox lost to Detroit 9-1, ending their seven-game winning streak. The Twins have won five straight, 10 of their last 12 and 33 of 45.
"They're not leading this division for nothing," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "They're a good team that swings the bat. They catch the ball. They throw strikes."
Thome has likened his new team to a family, smiling his way through his first season playing for his former division rival.
"We're all genuinely rooting for each other," he said.
The Royals lead the majors with 53 one-run games, just ahead of the Twins' 49. After one-run decisions in eight of their last nine games, winning six of those tight ones, the Twins were eager for a breather. That's exactly what they got, thanks to Young and Hardy at the bottom of the lineup.
Manager Ron Gardenhire was able to take some of his regulars out early, and newly recalled relievers Glen Perkins and Pat Neshek worked an inning apiece.
"It's a great feeling to go out there and not have that much pressure on you," said Liriano, who reached his career high in wins.
After tailing off following his torrid July, Young bounced back in a big way. Thome? He's been steady all season long.
Just seconds after the White Sox score flashed final, he went deep in the sixth inning on a 3-2 count to make it 10-2. This was Thome's 22nd homer of the season, estimated by the team's media relations staff at 452 feet. It tied him with Frank Robinson for eighth place on the career list with 586.
"He keeps hitting it farther and farther and farther," Young said.
The ball soared over right field and past the American flag, traveling to almost exactly the same place his estimated 480-foot shot landed in Monday's game against the Royals. Thome has four home runs in his last three games.
After a little prompting from the Target Field crowd, Thome stepped out of the dugout and waved to the fans.
"It's fun to watch, and it's a tough act to follow," Young said.
For the sake of performance, perhaps, but not in terms of production. With Thome on base ahead of him in the second, third and fourth innings following two walks and a hit batsman, Young doubled, singled and doubled. He established career highs in doubles (40) and RBIs (97).
Josh Fields hit his first homer for the Royals, Alex Gordon made a hit-stealing diving catch in left field, and Jesse Chavez pitched two hitless innings of relief. But that was about all the Royals had to be happy about. They fell to a season-high 24 1/2 games out of first place and a season-high 24 games under .500 (57-81).
Right-hander Luke Hochevar gave up five hits and three runs in three innings - including the moon ball by Thome.
"That pitch is definitely not where I was trying to go with it," Hochevar said.
Bannister lasted only 2 2-3 innings. All seven runs against him scored with two outs, with Jason Kubel, Young and Hardy delivering the RBIs in the third. This was his first start for the Royals since Aug. 2, missing time with a rotator cuff injury. He's struggling with his off-speed pitches.
"You're just not going to beat a good team at this level throwing fastballs, especially a below-average one," Bannister said. "I haven't been able to throw a cutter for months."
NOTES: Matt Tolbert hit his third triple in four days for the Twins, playing 3B again for Danny Valencia. Gardenhire wants to be cautious with Valencia's hamstring, and he might not be back until Friday. "I don't want this to turn into something where he really goes out there and pops it, and then we're done for the year," Gardenhire said. ... Royals prospect Clint Robinson finished his season for Double-A Northwest Arkansas with a Triple Crown, just the third winner in Texas League history. The 25-year-old native of Jefferson City, Mo., a 25th-round draft pick in 2007, hit .325 with 29 homers and 98 RBIs.
- Twins 10, Royals 3 - FINAL
KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Blanco cf 5 0 1 1 0 1 5 .244
M Aviles 2b 5 0 1 0 0 0 4 .289
B Butler 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .313
K Ka'aihue 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .190
W Betemit dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .299
J Fields 3b 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .385
A Gordon
Sep 7 10:50 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY GREGOR BLANCO SCORED JARROD DYSON
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G BLANCO ON FIRST, Y BETANCOURT ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 3
MINNESOTA 10 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M AVILES (.290, 1-FOR-4)
Royals 3, Twins 10 Top 9, 0 OutsSep 7 10:47 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JIM THOME (22) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN THE
6TH OFF LUKE HOCHEVAR.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 2, MINNESOTA 10
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: D YOUNG (.304, 3-FOR-3, 4 RBI)
Royals 2, Twins 10 Bot 6, 0 OutsSep 7 10:03 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY FRANCISCO LIRIANO ALLOWED JAI MILLER TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, Y BETANCOURT ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 2
MINNESOTA 9 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M AVILES (.289, 0-FOR-2)
Royals 2, Twins 9 Top 5, 0 OutsSep 7 9:40 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY DELMON YOUNG SCORED JOE MAUER AND ORLANDO HUDSON
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D YOUNG ON SECOND, J THOME ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1
MINNESOTA 9 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J HARDY (.264, 1-FOR-1, SF, 3 RBI)
Royals 1, Twins 9 Bot 4, 0 OutsSep 7 9:31 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JOSH FIELDS (1) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 4TH OFF FRANCISCO LIRIANO.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1, MINNESOTA 7
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: A GORDON (.233, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 1, Twins 7 Top 4, 0 OutsSep 7 9:14 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY MATT TOLBERT SCORED J.J. HARDY
SITUATION: 6 RUNS IN, M TOLBERT ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
MINNESOTA 7 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: D SPAN (.268, 1-FOR-2)
Royals 0, Twins 7 Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 7 9:05 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY J.J. HARDY SCORED DELMON YOUNG AND JIM THOME
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, J HARDY ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
MINNESOTA 6 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: M TOLBERT (.230, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Twins 6 Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 7 9:02 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DELMON YOUNG SCORED MICHAEL CUDDYER AND JASON
KUBEL
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, D YOUNG ON FIRST, J THOME ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
MINNESOTA 4 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J HARDY (.261, 0-FOR-0, SF, RBI)
Royals 0, Twins 4 Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 7 8:59 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON KUBEL SCORED DENARD SPAN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KUBEL ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
MINNESOTA 2 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: M CUDDYER (.274, 0-FOR-1)
Royals 0, Twins 2 Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 7 8:54 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY J.J. HARDY SCORED JIM THOME
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D YOUNG ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
MINNESOTA 1 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: M TOLBERT (.233, 1 HR, 14 RBI)
Royals 0, Twins 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsSep 7 8:38 PM
Related News
- Photographer: Twins' Sano grabbed, tried to kiss her in 2015 Dec 28
- MLB looking into assault allegations vs. Twins' Sano Dec 28
- MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Duke, Zach Dec 27
- Twins sign LHP Duke to 1-year deal Dec 26
- Left-hander Zach Duke, Twins finalize 1-year contract Dec 26
- MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Rodney, Fernando Dec 16
- Twins officially sign RHP Rodney Dec 15
- MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Rodney, Fernando Dec 15
- Reports: Twins, RHP Rodney agree to one-year deal Dec 14
- MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Pineda, Michael Dec 14
- Twins sign ex-Yankees RHP Pineda to two-year deal Dec 13
- Twins sign recovering RHP Michael Pineda for 2 years, $10M Dec 13