Royals at Twins
With their third straight series win already locked up, the Minnesota Twins attempt to complete a sweep when they host the Kansas City Royals on Sunday for the finale of their three-game set. Minnesota overcame a three-run deficit Saturday and posted a 5-4 victory to improve to 4-1 on its nine-game homestand.
Marwin Gonzalez highlighted a three-run fifth inning with a two-run homer and C.J. Cron snapped a 4-4 tie a frame later with an RBI double as the Twins recorded their 10th win in their last 12 at home. Mitch Garver failed to drive in a run Saturday, ending his five-game streak, but enters the series finale with hits in six consecutive contests. Ehire Adrianza on Saturday was unable to register a fourth straight multi-hit performance, going 0-for-2, but drew a walk to extend his on-base streak to 19 games. Kansas City suffered its 10th loss in 13 games as Whit Merrifield, who has hit safely in nine of his last 10 contests, went 4-for-5 with a homer for the second time this season (May 7 at Houston).
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jakob Junis (4-6, 5.35 ERA) vs. Twins LH Martin Perez (7-2, 3.97)
Junis is coming off a no-decision against Detroit on Tuesday in which he allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings. It was the first walk-free outing for the 26-year-old native of Illinois, who has won one of his last seven turns. Junis has yet to defeat Minnesota in his career, going 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five starts.
Perez is in the midst of his first rough patch of the season as he has gone 0-1 while surrendering 15 runs - 12 earned - on 18 hits and seven walks over 12 1/3 innings in his last three starts. The 28-year-old Venezuelan escaped with a no-decision against Seattle on Tuesday after yielding four runs on six hits and three walks in five frames. Perez has made three career starts versus Kansas City, going 1-0 while giving up five runs in 19 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins OF Byron Buxton (wrist) was kept out of the starting lineup Saturday but was available to pinch run and play defense.
2. Merrifield has gone 9-for-22 during his five-game hitting streak.
3. Kansas City OF Jorge Soler went 2-for-4 with a homer Saturday, giving him hits in five of his last six games - a span during which he has recorded three two-hit performances.