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Royals rock Garza in first game of doubleheader

Aug 31, 2007 - 11:21 PM By Brian Hall PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Minnesota Twins righthander Matt Garza's struggles at home continued.

Entering winless at the Metrodome with a 6.36 ERA, Garza gave up three runs to Kansas City in the first inning and two more in the sixth as the Royals posted a 9-4 triumph over the Twins in the opener of Friday's doubleheader.

The first game was a makeup of the one canceled between the two teams due to the Interstate 35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis on August 1.

The Royals scored three runs on three hits and a walk in the first. Ross Gload and Emil Brown lifted sacrifice flies and rookie Billy Butler added an RBI double.

Garza, who is 0-8 lifetime at home, and 0-3 this season, recovered after the tough first inning but fell apart in the sixth. He made wild throws on two consecutive sacrifices - the second going wide of third base to allow two runs to score - and was lifted shortly thereafter.

"They helped us and we took advantage of it," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "We started off better than normal. We have been struggling at times to score early."

Garza (3-5) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs - four earned - nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

"Not worried about it," Garza said of his home record. "I'm eventually going to win here one time. Just keep pounding it out."

Counterpart Kyle Davies (2-3) also was not sharp but kept the Twins' struggling offense at bay. The righthander yielded three runs - two earned - and four hits in five innings, striking out five in improving to 2-0 vs. Minnesota this season.

"I accomplished what I wanted to," said Davies, who was optioned to Class AA Wichita after the game. "It makes it a lot easier when you get that kind of cushion to pitch under."

Brown delivered an RBI single in the third to open a 4-1 lead for Kansas City, which broke open the game with five runs in the sixth.

The first two runs scored on Garza's throwing error, and after Matt Guerrier came on, Esteban German lofted a sacrifice fly and Gload belted a two-run homer.

"They made a couple of mistakes, and the gates just opened up a little bit after that," Brown said. "When we had a chance to get them, we kept going after them."

Torii Hunter got the Twins on the board in the first with a solo home run, his 27th of the season. Minnesota drew within 4-3 in the fourth with two runs but missed a chance for more.

Jason Kubel singled home Justin Morneau and the Twins later loaded the bases with none out. Davies retired the next two batters, but Jason Tyner hit an infield single, scoring Michael Cuddyer and extending his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.

Davies struck out Jason Bartlett to end the threat.

"We pretty much screwed this one up," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.

The Twins scored their final run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Mike Redmond.