Twins at Royals (Game 1)
The Kansas City Royals entered June eight games under .500 and can climb into second place in the American League Central on the first day of July as they host the Minnesota Twins for a day-night doubleheader on Saturday. Eric Hosmer launched a three-run homer as Kansas City took the series opener 8-1 on Friday, moving within one game of the Twins for second in the division and three behind first-place Cleveland.
Hosmer is 8-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak while Mike Moustakas belted his 21st homer Friday as the Royals improved to 17-9 since June 1 and scored eight runs for the second time in three contests. The Twins started their 11-game road trip by sweeping three from Cleveland but have dropped four of five since, giving up a total of 27 runs in the losses. Friday's setback was just Minnesota’s second in nine contests against Kansas City this season and the team managed just three hits, including Miguel Sano’s run-scoring single that increased his total to 19 RBIs against the Royals in 2017. Joe Mauer went 0-for-3 in the series opener after registering multiple hits in five of his previous eight contests.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (7-2, 2.98 ERA) vs. Royals RH Luke Farrell (NR)
Berrios gave up four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings at Boston on Monday to suffer his second setback of the season. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican allowed two or fewer runs in six of his first eight starts this season before the loss and has registered 60 strikeouts in 60 1/3 frames. Whit Merrifield is 2-for-4 with a double versus Berrios, who went 0-1 with a 7.90 ERA in three starts against the Royals last year.
Farrell makes his major-league debut after permitting two runs over 14 innings to record victories in his last two outings with Triple-A Omaha. The 26-year-old Northwestern product, who is the son of Red Sox manager John Farrell, is 7-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts) with Omaha - striking out 77 batters in 82 1/3 frames. The 6-6 Farrell, a sixth-round pick of Kansas City in 2013, is 24-25 in 96 minor-league contests (77 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins CF Byron Buxton is 2-for-26 against the Royals this season and 1-for-20 in his last seven games overall.
2. Kansas City recalled LHP Eric Skoglund and optioned RHP Jake Junis to Triple-A Omaha.
3. Royals SS Alcides Escobar is 11-for-22 over his last six games, raising his batting average from .201 to .223.