Twins 1 - 4 Royals
Final
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Royals seek to snap home slide in meeting with Twins

Jun 5, 2013 - 2:26 PM (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals try to put the brakes on their franchise-worst 11-game home losing streak on Wednesday when they play the middle test of a three-game series versus the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City's home woes continued on Tuesday, as Ryan Doumit paced the Twins' offense with a solo homer and two RBI. Josh Willingham added an RBI single for Minnesota, which has won three in a row and seven of eight.

"I'm just getting back to basics," Doumit said of his fourth homer in seven games. "After a slow start I watched some video and just tried to get back to simplifying things. As far as the team's concerned, we're getting great pitching and timely hitting. That's the key to success."

Samuel Deduno (2-1) tossed six-plus scoreless frames for the visitors. The right-hander gave up four hits while striking out five.

Meanwhile, Kansas City starting pitchers continued to struggle. Luis Mendoza (1-3) allowed three runs on seven hits to go with three walks over 4 1/3 innings.

Starting pitchers for the Royals are now in a stretch of 18 consecutive games without a winning decision. The club has gone just 3-15 during that span.

Hoping to change that on Wednesday will be righty Jeremy Guthrie, who is 5-3 with a 3.84 ERA, but has lost his last three decisions. Guthrie did not get a decision on Thursday in St. Louis, but pitched well, surrendering two runs and eight hits in six innings of a 4-2 win.

Guthrie beat the Twins earlier in the year and is 5-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 10 games (8 starts) against them.

Minnesota will counter with righty P.J. Walters, who has won both of his starts this season. Walkers defeated Milwaukee on Thursday, limiting the Brewers to four runs in six innings.

Walters lost his only other start to the Royals and was hit hard, as he surrendered six runs in just four innings of that one.

The Royals swept the Twins earlier in the year and held Minnesota to just five runs in the three-game series.






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