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Twins win in 10 with Valencia's RBI single

Apr 13, 2011 - 4:15 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Danny Valencia's single scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th frame, as Minnesota edged Kansas City, 4-3, in the first test of a two-game set at Target Field.

"You have to battle in that situation," said Valencia. "I probably went up there a little too jumpy. I'd like to see a couple pitches. I got in a quick hole, but was able to get a fast ball up in the zone and get a hit."

Valencia's game-winning single into right-center field followed Jason Kubel's towering drive with two runners on that took Jeff Francoeur to the right- center field wall. The ball went into Francoeur's glove but fell out as he turned his body, resulting in a long single to load the bases.

Robinson Tejeda (0-1) surrendered the loss, while Dusty Hughes (1-0) pitched a scoreless 10th for the win.

Michael Cuddyer, who came into the game with three hits on the season, finished 4-of-4, Kubel had a pair of hits and scored a run, while Luke Hughes finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in for the Twins, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Wilson Betemit went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Mike Aviles drove in a run for Kansas City, which saw its two-game winning streak come to an end.

Both starters pitched well despite not factoring in the decision. Brian Duensing gave up three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and two walks over six frames, while Jeff Francis continued his rejuvenation with the Royals, yielding three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk over seven frames.

"Bottom line, we want to come out and win the game. We were right in it until the end, and certainly little things you can look at, but we have to come back tomorrow," said Francis.

Minnesota scored the game's first run in the third, as Alexi Casilla swiped second and scored on Joe Mauer's sacrifice fly.

The Royals took the edge in the fourth as Billy Butler walked, took third on Francoeur's double and cruised home on Betemit's infield hit. Aviles' sacrifice fly put the visitors in front.

Francis left a few balls up in the zone and paid the price in Minnesota's fourth-inning at-bat. Cuddyer lined a single to left, Kubel crushed a double past Francoeur in right then Valencia walked to load the bases with one out. Hughes did just enough with a fastball on outside half, punching it just over the second baseman for a two-run single and a 3-2 lead.

Neither team mounted much of a charge until the top of the seventh when several defensive lapses put the Royals in position to take the lead. Alcides Escobar beat out a roller to third that Valencia couldn't cleanly transition in time to throw him out. Chris Getz followed with a bunt that Duensing fielded and threw wildly down the first-base line, allowing each player to move up a base. Melky Cabrera slapped a single off Duensing toward the shortstop, as Escobar scored to tie the game with runners on the corners and nobody out.

Jose Mijares replaced Duensing and struck out Alex Gordon then Matt Capps entered and induced a Butler pop out for the second out. The hard-throwing hurler then reared back and blew one past Francoeur for the third out.

Minnesota put together a solid scoring opportunity in the ninth as Valencia worked a leadoff walk and moved up a base on Jim Thome's one-out single. However, Denard Span and Mauer flied out to send the game to extra innings.

Game Notes

Betemit is batting .400 on the young season...Francis sports a 2.61 earned run average over his first three starts...Minnesota won 13 of the 18 meetings between the two teams last season.