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Twins take third straight from Royals

Jun 5, 2011 - 4:26 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Michael Cuddyer homered and drove in two runs as Minnesota took down Kansas City, 7-2, in the third installment of a four-game series.

Alexi Casilla tied a career high with four hits and posted two RBI, while Ben Revere added two hits and knocked in a run for the Twins, who have taken the first three games in the set.

"I've been working hard because I wasn't hitting," Casilla said of the work he put in to erase his slump. "My hitting mechanics were bad. I was trying, every day, something new."

Nick Blackburn (5-4) worked five innings before departing with an apparent back injury, but yielded only seven hits and two runs for the win.

Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur notched an RBI each for the Royals, who have dropped six of eight. Luke Hochevar (3-6) was tagged in defeat for 11 hits and six runs over six-plus frames.

The Twins broke open a close game with a three-run seventh.

Rene Rivera began the surge with a bunt single and Matt Tolbert followed with a double. Revere's single brought in Rivera, then Casilla singled to plate Tolbert for a 5-2 game.

That was it for Hochevar, who gave way to Louis Coleman. Cuddyer stepped in and laced a single to left to bring in Revere and the Twins went up 6-2. Minnesota failed to break the game open despite loading the bases with two outs after Jason Repko fanned swinging.

"I'm not catching very many breaks. I really don't know what to say about it. Just some hits in perfect spots," Hochevar said about not being able to finish the seventh inning.

Cuddyer began the ninth with his seventh homer of the season for the deciding five-run margin.

After Blackburn's exit, four relievers combined to limit Kansas City to one hit in the final four innings.

Tolbert began the third with a double and scored on a one-out double from Casilla, but the Royals struck back with two in the home half on a Hosmer RBI single and a Francoeur sacrifice fly.

Minnesota got two runs back in the sixth to take a 3-2 advantage. With runners on second and third, Danny Valencia's grounder to first plated one man and Delmon Young followed with an RBI infield single.

Game Notes

Blackburn improved to 4-0 in his last seven starts...After dropping four straight meetings, the Twins have evened the season series with the Royals at four wins each...Francoeur recorded his 500th career RBI...Casilla's other four-hit game came on September 3, 2007 against Cleveland.