Twins 10, Royals 1
Chris Colabello had three RBIs and Kyle Gibson pitched 6 1/3 solid innings as Minnesota defeated visiting Kansas City.
Trevor Plouffe went 3-for-4 and scored twice and Josmil Pinto homered as the Twins halted a three-game losing streak. Colabello and Kurt Suzuki both delivered two-run doubles as Minnesota smacked out 11 hits.
Gibson (2-0) allowed one run and five hits before departing, and relievers Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak combined for 2 2/3 hitless innings. Terry Steinbach served as Minnesota’s manager and will do so again on Saturday while Ron Gardenhire is away to attend the funeral for 27-year-old Michael Hirschbeck, the son of umpire John Hirschbeck.
Colabello singled in a run in the first and scored on Jason Kubel’s triple off Bruce Chen (0-1) as the Twins took a 2-1 lead. Pinto led off a five-run fourth inning with a homer to left-center field with Joe Mauer’s run-scoring single and Colabello’s double to left serving as the inning’s other highlights.
Suzuki’s double in the seventh increased the margin to 9-1. Plouffe added a run-scoring single in the eighth to complete the offensive assault.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Chen was charged with six runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. … Minnesota will place OF Josh Willingham (wrist) on the 15-day disabled list prior to Saturday’s game and will recall RHP Michael Tonkin from Triple-A Rochester. … Royals 2B Omar Infante returned to the lineup after being hit in the jaw by a pitch on Monday and went 1-for-3 with a run scored.