Twins-Kansas City series preview
August 2, 2019 at 1:42AM
Friday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: LHP Martin Perez (8-4, 4.38 ERA) vs. RHP Glenn Sparkman (3-7, 5.25)
Saturday, 6:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Kyle Gibson (10-4, 4.10) vs. LHP Danny Duffy (5-5, 4.42)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Jake Odorizzi (12-5, 3.73) vs. RHP Brad Keller (7-10, 4.01)
Twins update
The Twins (66-42) had a 5-2 road trip and begin a 10-game homestand (three vs. KC, three vs. Atlanta and four vs. Cleveland). … They hit 52 home runs in July after 51 in June, 56 in May and 58 in March/April and are the first team in MLB history with three consecutive 50-homer months. They lead MLB with 210 home runs, 15 short of the club record. … The Twins have an extra-base hit in 63 consecutive games. The club record is 98 in 2009. … Perez gave up 11 runs in 11⅔ innings in consecutive starts vs. Kansas City in June. Odorizzi has given up eight runs in 10 innings in two starts vs. the Royals. … The Twins are hitting .196 in extra innings after Thursday's 12-inning loss at Miami.
Royals update
Kansas City (40-70) trails the Twins by 27 games in the AL Central. … C Martin Maldonado, RHP Homer Bailey and LHP Jake Diekman were traded in July. OF Terrance Gore, P Wily Peralta and IFs Chris Owings and Lucas Duda have been cut. … Sparkman gave up eight hits and eight runs in five innings vs. Cleveland on Saturday. … 2B Whit Merrifield is second in MLB with 138 hits. He's hitting .300/.356/.480. … RF Jorge Soler has 28 homers and 73 RBI. … SS Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder), the MLB leader with 31 stolen bases, is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Saturday but might not be ready yet. … Royals pitchers have the third-fewest strikeouts in baseball.
Chris Miller
about the writer
Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position, has died. He was 65.
