Kansas City Royals Down Minnesota Twins 7-1

After the insanity of the past weekend, it is great to have a nice, calm baseball game once again. Fortunately, the Minnesota Twins were the perfect guests, as the Kansas City Royals got an excellent start from Edinson Volquez en route to a 7-1 victory.

In the rematch of Wednesday’s game featuring the Twins and Royals, Volquez once again faced off against Kyle Gibson. Again, the Twins jumped out early, only this time, the Royals usually stellar defense failed. A walk and a base hit put runners on first and second with no one out in the top of the second. Eduardo Escobar followed with a ground ball to first that looked like a potential double play ball, but Eric Hosmer‘s throw was off line, allowing the Twins to push the game’s first run across the plate. Volquez managed to escape further trouble, but the damage had been done.

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Fortunately, the Kansas City Royals were able to figure out Gibson during this outing. Alcides Escobar, back in the lineup for the first time since The Slide, doubled to lead off the bottom of the third. After a groundout moved him over to third, Gibson uncorked a wild pitch allowing Escobar to score, tying the game at one apiece.

From there, one could sense that it was a matter of time until the Royals took the lead. That moment finally happened in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Royals took advantage of the Twins own miscues. Mike Moustakas reached on an error to start the inning, and after a walk, scored on Kendrys Morales‘ double to give the Royals the lead. Another wild pitch and a sacrifice fly added two more runs, and the Royals suddenly had a 4-1 lead.

The Royals tacked on a few insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game out of reach. Moustakas doubled to lead off the inning, and after a sacrifice bunt, scored on a base hit by Morales. Salvador Perez singled to put runners on first and second, and after a strikeout, Paulo Orlando came to the plate. Once again, Orlando did what he does – lace a triple to add the final two runs of the game, giving the Royals a 7-1 victory.

Volquez earned the win with the Royals first start of more than six innings since his last outing. He gave up the one run on five hits, walking one while striking out five Twins. It was the type of outing that the Kansas City Royals bullpen needed.

Orlando went 1-3 with a walk and the two run triple. That triple, his fifth, now gives him more triples in seven games than Billy Butler has in his 1179 game career.

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