Cain, Gordon Lead Royals To 7-3 Win Over Twins

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Scott Diamond's second time against the Kansas City Royals did not go nearly as well as the first.

Diamond gave up a season-high 10 hits and four runs in six innings as the Minnesota Twins lost 7-3 to the Royals on Saturday night

In a June 30 victory over the Royals, Diamond yielded two runs and six hits in eight innings.

"I really don't want to second guess a lot of the pitches I threw tonight," Diamond said. "I threw the ball well. The results don't match up. That's the way it goes sometimes.

"The last time I faced them they hit balls right at guys. It can go either way, but, I'm not going to second guess."

The Royals led off the first five innings with singles. The Twins turned five double plays, including four in the first five innings.

"It definitely can get a little frustrating, but it's part of the game," Diamond said. "I was able to calm myself down and get some double plays. It seemed like every single leadoff hitter was on base.

"It was frustrating. I felt like I made some good pitches. Maybe I tried to do too much. I was executing. Things just didn't go my way."

The Royals finished with 16 hits, including three each by Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain, who matched his career high with three RBIs.

"It was a tough night," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It honestly reminded me of our Metrodome days with a lot of chopping hits, a lot of slap hits. They were very aggressive, did a good job putting the ball in play. I thought Scotty did a good job. He had a good breaking ball."

Twins center fielder Denard Span left after seven innings when he was not feeling good.

"I kind of felt out of it," Span said. "I was light-headed, just kind of dizzy and wasn't feeling good for the majority of the game. I didn't want to do something to hurt us so I came out. It's probably the worst I've felt all year. Hopefully I'll be fine tomorrow."

Cain delivered run-producing singles in the first and fifth innings and he had an RBI-double in the seventh.

Gordon started the first inning with a single and scored on Cain's two-out single.

Mike Moustakas opened the second with a single to center, went to second on Eric Hosmer's single and scored on Yuniesky Betancourt's two-out single.

Jeff Francoeur and Betancourt doubled for the first Kansas City run in the eighth. Gordon singled home Betancourt for other run in the inning.

Aaron Crow worked two spotless innings to log his second save.

The Twins made it 2-all in the fourth. Ben Revere started with a triple to the right-field corner and scored on Joe Mauer's groundout. Josh Willingham, who singled, scored the other run of the inning on Chris Parmelee's fielder's choice.

The Royals took a 4-2 lead in the fifth when they were aided by an error by Parmelee at first base. Cain singled Gordon home with the first run of the inning. When Parmelee failed to handle Moustakas' hard bouncer, Alcides Escobar scored.

The Twins got a run back in the seventh when Jamey Carroll's double scored Parmelee.

NOTES: With the Royals losing 14 of 18 entering Saturday, Yost called a team meeting before the game. "We just talked about a few things," Yost said. "Team meetings for me are kind of private affairs between 25 guys and the coaching staff. I'll just leave it at that." ... The Twins placed 1B Joe Morneau on the paternity list and recalled Parmelee from Triple-A Rochester. ... The Royals optioned LHP Francisley Bueno to Triple-A Omaha. ... Hosmer was dropped to the eighth slot in the Royals' batting order for the second time this season. Yost has used 11 players in the eighth hole. ... RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who was acquired in a trade Friday with Colorado, will make his first Royals start Sunday. The Twins will start rookie RHP Samuel Deduno.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)