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Hosmer leads Royals past Twins

Jul 16, 2011 - 4:41 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Eric Hosmer's two-run home run in the ninth inning helped the Kansas City Royals take a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins in the second of a four-game set.

In the ninth with Matt Capps (2-5) on the mound, Melky Cabrera led off with a walk and then stole second. After Capps got the next two outs, Hosmer clubbed a pitch over the wall in dead center for a 2-1 lead.

"He threw a cutter there and I was able to get some good wood on it," said Hosmer. "When I looked up I saw it was over the wall and it was a big sigh of relief."

Joakim Soria came on for the ninth and got into a jam. Jim Thome led off with a single and, after Danny Valencia flied out, Delmon Young singled to put men on first and third. Pinch-hitter Luke Hughes then hit a weak dribbler back to the mound that Soria scooped with the glove and flipped it to home as Matt Treanor tagged out pinch-runner Matt Tolbert. Tsuyoshi Nishioka then grounded out to end the game and give Soria his 16th save of the season.

Hosmer's ninth home run of the season made a winner of Tim Collins (4-4), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Luke Hochevar went seven innings in the start and was charged with just one run on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in helping the Royals snap a two-game slide.

"We need to have a good second half and show people we can win," said Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur. "If we do that, we'll have the momentum coming into next year and good things will happen."

Ben Revere went 2-for-4 and scored the only run for the Twins, who had won their previous two. Nick Blackburn was superb in the start, going seven innings and giving up just four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

"Both guys pitched well tonight and unfortunately we couldn't get the win," said Minnesota first baseman Michael Cuddyer. "That was a disappointing way to lose the game."

The fourth inning saw Kansas City get a one-out single from Alex Gordon, but he was picked off at first. Billy Butler then doubled, but Hosmer grounded out to end the frame.

Minnesota's only run of the game came in the fourth. Revere led off with an infield single and stole second. Alexi Casilla moved Revere to third on a groundout and Joe Mauer was intentionally walked. After Cuddyer popped out and with Thome at the plate, Hochevar tossed a wild pitch that allowed Revere to score for a 1-0 lead.

Kansas City didn't get a man past second base until the home run in the ninth while Minnesota stranded six runners after the fourth inning.

The sixth inning saw Revere hit a one-out triple to right, that saw him barely making it to the base after stumbling and falling between second and third. After Casilla grounded out for the second out of the inning, Mauer was again issued an intentional pass. Hochevar then got Cuddyer to strikeout out swinging to end the threat.

Game Notes

Minnesota leads the season series with Kansas City, 6-5...Minnesota stranded eight and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position...Mauer, who went 0- for-1 with three walks in the game, had a 16-game hitting streak against the Royals stopped.