Bruce Chen Impoldes as the Twins Defeat the Royals 11-5

Wade Davis has given up five runs all year. Bruce Chen gave up six runs in a disastrous tenth inning alone, as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Kansas City Royals 11-5 in ten innings.

Unlike the pitcher’s duels of the past couple of nights, the offense started early against both Jeremy Guthrie and Twins starter Tommy Milone. The Twins got two runs in the top of the first on an RBI groundout and an infield single by Oswaldo Arcia. Predictably, as they have all series, the Royals came right back, using RBI singles by Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez to tie the game at 2-2.

Guthrie and Milone appeared to have settled in after that point, until the top of the fourth. Then, the Twins struck once again, as Jordan Schafer and Brian Dozier each had RBI singles with two outs, giving the Twins a 4-2 lead. Once again, the Royals came back, as Christian Colon drove in Lorenzo Cain in the bottom of the inning. The Royals tied the game in the fifth, as Alcides Escobar led off the inning with a triple to right that Arcia slipped while attempting to field, scoring on a base hit from Billy Butler.

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Again, the Twins came back to take the lead. Chris Parmalee walked, took second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a double by the troublesome Schafer to go ahead 5-4. However, the Royals just refused to go away, as Alex Gordon homered to lead off the bottom of the seventh, tying the game once again. It felt as though the Royals were in for another magical finish.

Instead, disaster struck in the top of the tenth inning. Bruce Chen was brought in, making his fourth appearance in August. The inning started well, as Chen struck out Kennys Vargas on three pitches, but that was the highlight of the inning. Arcia tripled to deep center on a ball that Jarrod Dyson was unable to locate after it hit off the wall, and two walks loaded the bases. Eduardo Nunez hit the ground ball that Chen needed to get out of the inning, but it went through the middle for an RBI single. Schafer continued to plague the Royals, hitting the next pitch for a two run single and the rout was on. Two out doubles by Brian Dozier and Kurt Suzuki plated three more runs, and the Twins took an 11-5 lead. Glen Perkins pitched a scoreless inning to preserve the lead, sending the Royals to the 11-5 loss.

Chen was hammered in his inning of work, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks, striking out one. Gordon, Butler and Perez each had two hits in the loss.