KANSAS CITY ROYALS (64-77) at MINNESOTA TWINS (59-83)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 – TARGET FIELD – MINNEAPOLIS, MN

WINNING PITCHER: Smith (5-7, 4.94)

LOSING PITCHER: Diamond (11-7, 3.46)

SAVE: None

FIRST PITCH: 7:11 pm              GAME TIME TEMP: 93, winds from S at 20 mph                TIME OF GAME: 2:56                     ATTENDANCE: 28,993

HOME RUNS: Hosmer (14, off Burnett, ninth inning, nobody on, two outs, 0-1 pitch, 356 feet to left field)

PITCHING LINES:

ROYALS NOTES:

• ·    The Royals recorded 10-plus hits seventh time in their last 10 games.
• ·    Will Smith set a season/career-high with seven strikeouts, passing his previous high of five, done four times previously this season…he also tied his season/career-high with 7.0 innings pitched…he snapped his three-game losing streak, winning for the first time since August 15 vs. Oakland.
• ·    Salvador Perez (2-for-4) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games…he is a .392 hitter (20-for-51) in 14 career games against the Twins…he is a .391 hitter (45-for-115) in 30 career games in September.
• ·    Lorenzo Cain (3-for-5) has hit safely in six straight games, batting .414 (12-for-29) in that span.
• ·    Cain’s, Alcides Escobar’s and Alex Gordon’s triples were the 32^nd and 33^rd and 34^th for the Royals as a team this season…they entered play second in the AL, behind Detroit’s 36…Escobar entered the day tied for fourth in the AL in triples with six.
• ·    Alex Gordon (1-for-5) is hitting .302 (19-for-63) against the Twins this season…he is hitting .300 (94-for-313) in 83 career games against the Twins…his 94 hits are his most versus any ML opponent, with Cleveland being second (75 hits).
• ·    The Royals defense turned two double plays tonight, giving them 150 for the season…they entered today second in baseball to the Twins (164).
• ·    The Royals had eight extra-base hits tonight, giving them 37 (24 doubles, five triples, eight home runs) in their last 10 games…they now have 46 extra-base hits against the Twins this season, 24 of them at Target Field.

TWINS NOTES: ­

• ·    The Twins snapped their three-game losing streak…they scored one run-or-less for the 24^th time this season.
• ·    Scott Diamond tied his season-high in hits allowed with 10, previously done on July 21 at Kansas City…he was dealt his third consecutive loss (in four starts) at Target Field, after starting the season 6-1 at home.
• ·    Jamey Carroll (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games, tying his career-high, previously done from September 17-28, 2008, with Cleveland…he is batting .400 (14-for-35) during the stretch.
• ·    Ben Revere (3-for-5) recorded his 38^th multi-hit game tonight, which ranks second on the club, behind Mauer (43).
• ·    Justin Morneau (2-for-3) is hitting .326 (77-for-236) in his last 62 games and .357 (20-for-56) in his last 17 games.