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Gomez sparks Twins past Royals

Apr 5, 2008 - 4:40 AM By Anthony Maggio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Kansas City Royals manager Trey Hillman said it was because John Bale is too good of an athlete. Bale suggested he needed more fielding work.

Regardless of the answer, a ground ball off Bale's glove was the third-inning spark that ultimately ended the Royals' undefeated season as the Minnesota Twins pulled out a 4-3 victory.

Rookie Carlos Gomez tied a career high with three hits and Joe Mauer scored and drove in a run for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Mauer's infield single was the first of three consecutive hits in a two-run inning that saw the Twins tie the score and steal the momentum after three early Royals runs.

"If (Bale) doesn't touch that ball, (shortstop Tony Pena) makes that play pretty easy," Hillman said. "It's a double-edged sword in that situation because you want your pitchers to go after everything they can get. Johnny, sometimes he's a little too good of an athlete, too good with his reaction. That ball nicked off his glove and things went down a note from there."

It wasn't all good news for the Twins, either.

Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau followed with singles to plate Mauer, but Cuddyer suffered a dislocated and lacerated right index finger while sliding into third base on Morneau's hit, forcing him to leave the game. Jason Kubel replaced him and scored on Delmon Young's groundout.

X-rays on Cuddyer's finger were negative, but he was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game. Denard Span was called up from Class AAA Rochester to replace Cuddyer on the roster.

"He probably won't be able to throw for at least two weeks," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said of Cuddyer.

The Twins took the lead with the final run of the game in the fourth inning on a leadoff double from Mike Lamb and back-to-back sacrifice bunts from Matt Tolbert and Adam Everett - the latter a suicide squeeze.

"I never would've thought that squeeze in the fifth would've been the deciding run," Royals designated hitter Billy Butler said. "I thought there would be a little more scoring on both ends, but pitching came through for both sides down the stretch."

Scott Baker (1-0) bounced back from a sore back and a bout with the flu this preseason and a rough first two innings to get the win.

Jose Guillen drove in Joey Gathright, and Butler plated Mark Grudzielanek in the first inning, and John Buck drove in Mark Teahen following a leadoff double in the second for a 3-1 lead, but Baker retired 11 consecutive hitters from there.

Grudzielanek ended Baker's consecutive outs streak in the sixth inning, but was doubled off first on Guillen's line drive to second base to end the inning.

Baker left after giving up a two-out single to Ross Gload in the seventh inning, finishing with three runs allowed on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

"I always try to get to that point where I catch my second wind," Baker said. "They were aggressive swinging the bats early in the count and I was able to execute my pitches and get some quick outs."

Bale (0-1), who was making his first major league start since September 18, 2003, while with Cincinnati, gave up four runs on 10 hits while striking out two.

"I felt pretty relaxed out there," Bale said. "I felt pretty relaxed all spring. I tip my hat to them - they hit some well-placed balls."

Twins reliever Pat Neshek retired the four batters he faced and Joe Nathan worked around a two-out single from Butler in the ninth for his second save.

Gomez doubled, scored and stole two bases to take the early major league lead in that category with four.

"He's incredible," Baker said. "If I played like he did I would be dead after the game. He wears you out just watching him."

Grudzielanek and Butler had two hits for Kansas City, which fell to 3-1 this season after sweeping the Tigers in Detroit to start the season.