Twins at Royals (Game 2)
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: 8:35 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Felix Jorge (NR) vs. Royals RH Jason Hammel (4-6, 4.75 ERA)
Jorge will be recalled to make his major-league debut after shining at Double-A Chattanooga, going 8-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 14 games while recording 61 strikeouts and 22 walks in 85 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old Dominican went 12-8 with a 2.69 ERA between Single- and Double-A in 2016. “His slider is coming along and his changeup is pretty good,” Chattanooga manager Jake Mauer told MiLB.com of Jorge. “But for me, when he’s really good, it is all about commanding the fastball.”
Hammel is unbeaten in his last six turns but ended a streak of four straight quality starts in a no-decision last time out against Toronto as he permitted two runs over five innings. The 34-year-old South Carolina native walked three against the Blue Jays after issuing one free pass in his previous four outings. Max Kepler (3-for-4, one double) has caused trouble for Hammel, who was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts versus Minnesota in April and is 2-2 all-time against the Twins.
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.