Royals rout Twins in Series Opener

Starting pitcher Jason Vargas #51 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the 1st inning of the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on June 30, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri.

(June 30, 2017 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America)

The Kansas City Royals (39-39) rout the Minnesota Twins (40-38) 8-1 in the opener of their four-game series. The Twins have now lost four of their last five games.

Minnesota’s SP Ervin Santana only gave up a walk in the first inning but Kansas City’s batters fouled him off many times to run his pitch count up to 26.

In comparison, Kansas City’s SP Jason Vargas needed just six pitches to get through the second inning.

The Twins opened the score in the third. RF Max Kepler drew a walk with one out and advanced to second base on a ground out by 2B Brian Dozier. 1B Joe Mauer walked next and 3B Miguel Sano followed with a single to drive in Max Kepler for the first run of the game.

Jason Vargas threw 25 pitches and more than doubled his pitch count to 48 after three innings.

The Royals took advantage of a terrible miscue from Ervin Santana in the fourth. With leadoff guy RF Jorge Bonifacio at first base Ervin Santana was facing CF Lorenzo Cain and had the chance for a double play. He overthrew Brian Dozier at second base and the runners ended up at the corners instead. To make matters worse, Eric Hosmer homered next and drove in three runs for Kansas City. It was his 10th long ball of the season.

Four subsequent singles from C Salvador Perez, DH Jorge Soler, SS Alcides Escobar and 2B Whit Merrifield generated an additional two runs to put the Royals up 5-1 after four innings.

Ironically, Ervin Santana could have had two outs with three pitches. Instead, he needed 27 pitches to end the inning and was charged with three earned runs.

In the sixth inning the Royals continued with the demolition of Ervin Santana. 3B Mike Moustakas hit a leadoff homer to give Kansas City a 6-1 lead. It was his 21st home run of the year.

With one out Alcides Escobar tripled and came home on a sacrifice fly ball from LF Alex Gordon to put the Royals up 7-1.

Ervin Santana (10-5) was relieved after 5.1 innings. He surrendered 8 hits, 2 walks and 5 earned runs while fanning 5. His ERA and WHIP increased to 3.07 and 1.09, respectively.

Jason Vargas (12-3) went 7 innings, allowing 2 hits, 4 walks and 1 earned run while striking out 4. He now has a 2.22 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP this season.

Kansas City scored one final run in the eighth. Mike Moustakas reached on a fielding error by RP Alan Busenitz to open the inning and moved to third base on a double from Jorge Soler. Alex Gordon hit a sacrifice fly ball next and drove in Mike Moustakas for a final score of 8-1.

Eight Royals players recorded a hit in this game and seven of them scored at least one run.

Eric Hosmer went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer. He is batting .304 and has 42 runs, 10 HR and 35 RBI this year.

Twitter: @ThomasKaunzner

Facebook: @fourthandgoalwithbasesloaded