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Twins conclude set with Royals

Jul 31, 2014 - 2:35 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin Correia tries to avoid his 14th loss of the season on Thursday when the Minnesota Twins close out a three-game set with the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Correia's nightmare season continued on Friday against the Chicago White Sox, as he was ripped to the tune of seven runs (6 earned) and 10 hits over four innings to fall to 5-13 on the year to go along with a 5.06 ERA.

"That's two bad starts in a row," said Correia, who hasn't made it past the fourth inning in either of his two starts since the All-Star break. "I need to get on another good run here."

It doesn't figure to get any easier for him on Thursday, as Correia is 0-5 in nine starts versus the Royals with a 4.91 ERA. He's also pitched to a 7.08 ERA in four starts at Kauffman.

Kansas City will counter with righty Yordano Ventura, who is 7-8 with a 3.63 ERA. Ventura did not get a decision on Friday against Cleveland, as he allowed four runs (3 earned) and six hits in 6 1/3 innings of his team's 6-4 win.

Ventura lost to the Twins earlier in the season in his only other start against them.

Kansas City evened this series at a game apiece on Wednesday, as Alex Gordon provided the go-ahead RBI double in the Royals' 3-2 win. Gordon finished 3- for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI, while Salvador Perez and Mike Moustakas each hit an RBI double for the Royals, who bounced back from a 2-1 loss in the series opener on Tuesday.

Jason Frasor (2-1) earned the win after recording a strikeout to get the Royals out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. Starter Danny Duffy gave up one run on four hits and six walks in 5 2/3 innings.

"Frasor was huge coming in with the bases loaded to get us out of that jam," said Royals manager Ned Yost.

Josh Willingham homered and Danny Santana drove in a run for Minnesota, which had its two-game win streak come to an end. Starter Phil Hughes (10-8) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits over six frames.

Minnesota owns a slight 6-5 edge over Kansas City in the season series.