Royals take series from Twins, hit halfway point one game over .500

Lorenzo Cain clutched a lineup card in his hands early Sunday morning, waving it in front of his locker as a collection of teammates peered over at the commotion in the clubhouse. The large white piece of paper featured the classic calligraphy of bench coach Don Wakamatsu. It told the story of the Royals’ victory over the Twins on Friday night.

In the hours before a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, Cain touted the keepsake. Never before in his eight years in the major leagues had he played in every game in June. His legs always required rest. His body never cooperated. But after starting all 26 games last month, he wished to remember the milestone.

“Cake and ice cream,” Cain said, smiling, his voice carrying across the room.

So there was a lineup card, the possibility of dessert, and one final gift on Sunday afternoon: His first day off since May 11.

Cain’s absence came as Royals manager Ned Yost fielded one of the most eclectic lineups of the season in the series finale against Minnesota. The offense savaged Twins starter Hector Santiago anyway. One day after splitting a grueling doubleheader, a cobbled-together lineup struck for 11 hits. An exhausted bullpen delivered five scoreless innings.

“The analogy is like you just get on a horse and you ride it until it drops dead,” Yost said.

The formula was atypical. Third baseman Mike Moustakas joined Cain on the bench. First baseman Eric Hosmer spent a day at designated hitter. Alex Gordon started in center field for just the second time ever, while utility man Ramon Torres spent his first day at third. This was all happening as left-hander Travis Wood, formerly an ineffective reliever for two months, made his first start since Sept. 19, 2015.

The result was a performance straight out of the genre of Yosted — the modern definition of the word: A decision that at first seems unwise but in time appears genius.

“You go into a game like this without two of your bigger stars, in Cain and Moose,” Yost said. “And (you) still felt really good about starting this game and winning this game.”

Shortstop Alcides Escobar finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs, raising his average to .373 in his last 21 games. Torres, batting .375 since arriving from Class AAA Omaha, collected another hit and scored a run. The bottom of the order complemented a three-hit day by Whit Merrifield and two by Hosmer as the Royals clinched a series victory, beating a division rival three times in four games.

“We’ve got a good lineup top to bottom, no matter who is in there,” Merrifield said.

By the late afternoon the Royals (41-40) had hit the halfway point in this 2017 season. How different do things look right now? On May 7, they sat at 10-20. One month later, they were 26-34 after a loss in San Diego. On Sunday, they pulled even with the Twins (41-40) for second place in the American League Central, just three games behind first-place Cleveland. They ended the day just a half-game out of the second wild-card spot.

The year has turned into every Royals season, sans the relatively smooth ride of 2015. In the end, baseball can be an unpredictable beast.

“I just can’t say enough of the way they all competed,” Yost said.

The Royals closed out a brief — but busy — four-game home stand, winning their sixth series in their last seven. As they packed their belongings inside the home clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, they were set to fly to Seattle for a three-game series before closing out the first half with three games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

On Sunday, a victory offered a source of energy for the trip. Wood allowed two runs in four innings while lasting 81 pitches. It was his heaviest workload in more than two years, when he operated as a swing man on the Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff.

Wood moved to the bullpen full time in 2016, helping the Cubs to a World Series championship. But he signed with the Royals in February in part because the organization offered the opportunity to start.

He failed to win a job in the rotation in spring training, and headed to the bullpen. Wood’s first months in Kansas City were dire and forgettable. His April was a disaster. His May wasn’t much better. But when injuries struck the rotation, and a series of young pitchers faltered, the Royals had a need. They turned to Wood, who had logged 9  1/3 straight scoreless innings in his last seven appearances.

“Just confidence,” he said of the improved performance. “Confidence and repetition.”

On Sunday, he offered four solid innings, receiving help from some splendid defense by Jorge Soler in left field. Wood began to tire in the fifth, finally allowing a walk. Still, his stamina was impressive. Wood threw just 11 pitches in his last outing. He hadn’t thrown more than 33 since June 4.

“I wish I could have gone deeper,” he said.

Once Wood departed, the depleted bullpen applied the clamps. Scott Alexander escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and lasted two innings, just one day after throwing 30 pitches. Peter Moylan pitched a scoreless seventh, handing the baton to Joakim Soria and Kelvin Herrera. The Royals improved to 4-8 against the Twins.

There was no Cain on Sunday, no Moustakas, either. There was a left-handed starter grinding through a humid afternoon. There was a short-handed bullpen. And there was also a victory and a happy flight to the Pacific Northwest.

“To win the series was big,” Yost said. “But it took a toll.”

Royals 6, Twins 2

This story was originally published July 2, 2017 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Royals take series from Twins, hit halfway point one game over .500."