Twins-Kansas City series preview
July 2, 2021 at 2:08AM
All games on BSN, 830-AM
Friday, 7:10 p.m.
LHP J.A. Happ (4-3, 5.83) vs. RHP Brady Singer (3-6, 4.70)
Saturday, 3:10 p.m.
TBA vs. LHP Danny Duffy (4-3, 2.44)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m.
RHP Kenta Maeda (3-3, 5.56) vs. RHP Brad Keller (6-8, 6.67)
Twins update: The Twins (33-46) are coming off a three-game sweep by the White Sox in Chicago — the third time the Twins have been swept in a series this season. … The Twins are 5-5 against the Royals this season. The teams split four games in Kansas City June 3-6. … Happ hasn't lost in four career starts at Kauffman Stadium. He's 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA (10 innings) in his two starts vs. the Royals this season. … Nelson Cruz, who turned 41 on Thursday, has hit safely in 21 of his past 23 games. Cruz is hitting .386 since June 1. After batting .221 in May, he has raised his season average to .310.
Royals update: After winning the first game of a three-city road trip, the Royals (33-47) dropped the next nine games (two in New York, three in Texas and four in Boston). The Royals lost to Boston 15-1 on Thursday and were outscored 69-25 during the trip. They are the second team (joining Arizona) in the majors this season with two separate losing streaks of at least nine games. The Royals had an 11-game losing streak in early May. … 2B Whit Merrifield has hit safely in 27 of his past 30 games to raise his batting average to .287. Merrifield has 44 hits — the most in the majors — since May 29. Merrifield leads the AL in stolen bases with 22. … The Royals are 17-38 since winning 16 of their first 25 games this season.
JOEL RIPPEL
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