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Cain, Royals top Twins

Jul 22, 2012 - 3:38 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Lorenzo Cain went 3-for-4 with three RBI on Saturday and the Kansas City Royals topped the Minnesota Twins, 7-3, in the middle test of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Alex Gordon had three hits, including an RBI single, and scored twice, while Yuniesky Betancourt knocked in a pair of runs for the Royals, who snapped a two-game skid. Mike Moustakas and Billy Butler contributed two hits apiece in the victory.

"I feel like I had some good at-bats tonight, jumping on some pitches and able to put some good swings on them," Cain said. "I'll definitely take this any night. I'm feeling good right now."

Luis Mendoza (4-6) allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings to notch his first home win of the season. Aaron Crow tossed the final two innings to pick up his second save of the year.

"He's got good stuff and everything," Twins outfielder Ben Revere said of Mendoza. "It just seems like lately we hit him good, but just right at everybody."

Joe Mauer, Chris Parmelee and Jamey Carroll drove in runs for the Twins, who have dropped three of their last four games. Scott Diamond (8-4) was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs on 10 hits in six innings.

With the contest tied at two, Kansas City took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth. Gordon and Alcides Escobar ripped back-to-back base hits and Cain drove home his second run of the game with a single. Salvador Perez was then intentionally walked to load the bases and Moustakas reached on an error by Parmelee, which allowed Escobar to score.

The Twins got a run back in the seventh on an RBI double by Carroll, but the Royals put the game away with a run in the home seventh and two more in the eighth.

Butler ripped a one-out single in the KC seventh and scored via a double to center by Cain. Jeff Francoeur started the eighth with a double and scored on a Betancourt double before a Gordon single plated pinch-runner Chris Getz to cap the scoring.

Earlier, Kansas City took the lead with a run in its first at-bat. Gordon started the inning with a single and Escobar reached base via a fielding error by Alexi Casilla. After Butler grounded into a double play, Cain came through with an RBI single up the middle.

Moustakas led off the Kansas City second with a base hit and Eric Hosmer singled two batters later. Betancourt then ripped a single back up the middle to plate Moustakas for the 2-0 lead.

The Twins got back into the game with a pair of runs in the fourth. Revere laced a triple into right to start the inning and scored on a groundout by Mauer. Josh Willingham and Ryan Doumit followed with consecutive hits before Parmelee rolled into a fielder's choice to score Willingham.

Game Notes

The Royals and Twins paid tribute to the past on Saturday as both squads wore uniforms of the Negro Leagues. Kansas City sported the uniforms of the Kansas City Monarchs, who won 13 league titles between 1923-1955, and a pair of Negro League World Series in 1924 and 1942...The Twins donned uniforms representing the 1909 St. Paul Colored Gophers...Kansas City went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base.