Twins-Kansas City series preview

Three-Game Series At Target Field

Friday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM: RHP Dillon Gee (1-1, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Jason Hammel (6-10, 4.76)

Saturday, 6:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM: RHP Kyle Gibson (8-10, 5.59) vs. TBA

Sunday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM: RHP Ervin Santana (14-7, 3.27) vs. TBA

The Twins are 34-35 at home and have won seven in a row at Target Field, their longest home winning streak since a nine-gamer in 2010. … They are 8-4 against the Royals this season, and 5-1 at home. With two victories this weekend or in a four-game series at Kauffman Stadium next week, they can win the season series for the first time since 2012. They were 23-53 against Kansas City the past four seasons. … Santana is 6-10 with a 4.59 ERA in 23 starts against the Royals, the team he pitched for in 2013. … Gee is also an ex-Royal, but he has faced them only once, giving up one run over seven innings in 2013. … Gibson is 5-4 with a 3.79 ERA against Kansas City but hasn't recorded a victory in his past six starts against the Royals.

Kansas City has lost six of seven to fall 4½ games behind the Twins in the race for a wild-card berth. The Royals entered August two games out of the AL Central lead but went 10-18 to drop 11 games back. … They went 45 consecutive innings without a run this week, the AL's longest scoring drought since the 1906 Athletics set the MLB record at 48. … The Royals are considering changes to their rotation. RHP Ian Kennedy would normally pitch one of the days, but he posted a 9.57 ERA in six August starts and twice didn't make it out of the third inning. … 3B Mike Moustakas' next home run will be his 36th, tying him with Steve Balboni for the Royals' single-season record. … They are 29-35 on the road.

PHIL MILLER