Twins thaw out with Royals

[Durango53]

AME: Minnesota Twins (10-8) at Kansas City Royals (5-14).

TIME: Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT.

Johan Santana has picked up right where he left off last season.

Santana will look to extend the longest unbeaten streak in the majors when the Twins open a three-game series with the struggling Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Santana has not lost a game since July 17, going 16-0 in his last 19 regular season starts. He allowed four earned runs and five hits in seven innings of the Twins' 5-4 win over the Royals on Wednesday, but did not receive a decision.

The defeinding AL Cy Young Award winner struck out 10 batters without allowing a walk and retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced despite learning just before the start that his wife had delivered the couple's second child.

"He handled it very well," said manager Ron Gardenhire. "You'd probably expect him to be a little bit lifted (by the news)."

Kansas City starter Jose Lima, who will face Santana again on Tuesday, allowed four earned runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings without getting a decision on Wednesday. Lima has not earned a win this season and has given up at least four runs in each of his first four starts this season.

The Royals lost their fifth straight Sunday, falling 4-3 to the major league-leading Chicago White Sox. Matt Stairs homered for Kansas City, which has lost four games during its losing streak by one run.

"It wears on you," reliever Andrew Sisco said. "It's tough to stay upbeat in the clubhouse, but we're right there. We've had one-run games in four of the last five. We just as easily today could be talking about a big win."

The Royals were swept in two games by the Twins last week, starting their current slide.

The Twins lost 6-4 to the Detroit Tigers on Monday for their fifth defeat in seven games. The game was a makeup for the first of two games postponed by a spring snowstorm Saturday and Sunday.

"This was not a very good game for us," Gardenhire said. "We took the lead, and then we kind of fell apart from there."

Justin Morneau drove in three runs for the Twins.

[Durango53]

After a long weekend and two losses in snowy Detroit, the Twins' road trip finally moves on to Kauffman Stadium, where they have a three-game series vs. the Royals.

Seeking his 17th straight victory, and his fourth in 2005, Johan Santana will pitch for Minnesota against Kansas City's Jose Lima.

Santana's 16-game winning streak remained intact after his seven-inning no-decision in a 5-4 Twins victory over Kansas City last Wednesday. He allowed four runs, all in the third inning, and five hits while striking out 10 -- but retired 13 of his last 14. He was also pitching less than an hour after learning his wife delivered their second baby -- a girl -- at an area hospital.

[Durango53]

STANDINGS: Twins - 2nd place, 5 GB, AL Central. Royals - 5th place, 10½ GB, AL Central.

[Durango53]

TWINS PROBABLE STARTER: Santana (3-0, 4.32 ERA). Santana is 6-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 21 career appearances, including 10 starts, against the Royals.

MIN: LHP Johan Santanahttp://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/276371.jpg
• 3-0, 4.32 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 5.14 ERA in 2005 vs. KC

KC: RHP Jose Limahttp://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/117769.jpg
• 0-2, 8.05 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 6.75 ERA in 2005 vs. MIN

ROYALS PROBABLE STARTER: Lima (0-2, 8.05 ERA). Lima is 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA in nine career appearances, including six starts, against the Twins.

[Durango53]

OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Twins - Jacque Jones, .396 avg.; Hunter, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs, 15 runs and 10 SBs. Royals - Mike Sweeney, .308 avg. and 15 RBIs; Emil Brown, 3 HRs; David DeJesus, 11 runs; Joe McEwing and Angel Berroa, 3 SBs.

[Durango53]

SEASON SERIES: Twins, 2-0.

[Durango53]

STREAKS AND NOTES: Twins - OF Jones has hit safely in seven straight games and in 15 of his 16 games this season. He is 4-for-10 (.400) with two home runs against Lima, including one in his only at-bat against him this season. ... Minnesota leads the majors with just 23 walks allowed. ... OF Hunter is 10-for-10 in stolen bases this season. Royals - The Royals' bullpen is 2-6 with one save in three opportunities. ... RHP Lima has allowed at least three runs in the first four innings of each of his starts this season. ... The Royals rank last in the AL with 69 runs.

[Durango53]

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Twins - 4-6 on the road; Royals - 2-9 at home.

[Durango53]

Player to watch
Jacque Jones is 4-for-10 (.400) with two home runs against Lima, including one this season. Jones has a seven-game hitting streak going and has hit safely in 15 of his 16 games this season.

[Durango53]

Quotable:
"Now we have to go to Kansas City and try to come out ahead on the road trip." -- Twins 1B Justin Morneau after two losses at Detroit

[Durango53]

Quick hits
Morneau had a two doubles, a home run and four RBIs in two games vs. Detroit. ... Minnesota leads the Major Leagues in fewest walks allowed with 23. ... Torii Hunter is 10-for-10 in stolen bases this season. ... Double-A New Britain RHP Colby Miller was named the Twins Minor League player of the week.

[Durango53]

On television
• MIN: FSN North
• KC: RSTN

On radio
• MIN: WCCO 830-AM
• KC: WHB 810-AM

[Timberwolf]

After a forgettable experience in Detroit this weekend where the games was snowed out and when the Twins got swept basically, Twins will try to get themselves on track against the lousy Royals in KC tonight for a three-game series.

KC is going through lot of tough times and watching them last week, you can tell that Royals team is lousy. There is no reason why they should lose two of three to those guys. Let's hope this springboards us back to the top and let's hope the Whiney Sux can get some losses going.

I know Johan's streak has been something and he will eventually has to lose, but I hope tonight is the night. We really need a pick-me-up from him today. Let's hope he gets it done.

Tonight is a rematch of both pitchers in the mound as Lima and Cytana faced each other last week at the Dome.

Cy-tana vs. Lima

[T-Wolves]

This outa be another easy sweep.

[Durango53]

ITS LIMA TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Time for Lima to get pounded!!!!!!! I hope..

[Durango53]

Lets go Matty!!!!!! Bases loaded!!!!!!!! ITS LIMA TIME!!!!!!!!!

[Durango53]

Man someday there has to be a change in how the Twins are hitting with bases loaded!!!!!

[Durango53]

Good play by Punto!!!!

[Durango53]

Come on Joe!!!!!! Get some runs in. Bases loaded

[Durango53]

Twins WIN!!!!!!

[Timberwolf]

That was a very good win. Twins needed this one badly. They can not start falling apart with the Sux winning every day. I am glad Johan and the Nathanator came through. Those two were fantastic.

Twins offense was not as good. Yeah they got the big hit, but they are still having problems scoring with runners on the base. I don't know what it is and I am getting tired of it. They gotta do better than this offensively. It was nice to see Lew come through at least. With that said, they clearly have to do better than this with runners in scoring position.

Justin Morneau has been a godsend. He has looked great since coming back on the DL. He is right now the guy coming from his white horse to save that lackdasicial offense.

Johan was great. What can I tell you? He was a lot better than he was in his last start. He was throwing strikes and working fast. His counterpart, Jose Lima did a very good job too despite the fact the Twins bailed him out in the first inning. It was really fun to see Johan and Lima pitch out there tonight.

The Nathanator was something else. He is everything that J.C. wishes to be. Joe was cranking it up and throwing strikes out there. He was just fantastic. He was so huge tonight.

It's so good to see the Twins win and it's even awesome that the CWS finally lost. I had to admit I have been cranky last week with the SouthSiders winning. When the White Sox win, I get really angry. I am going to enjoy this day.

To be 4 games out of first is darn good. I will sign up for this. It could be a lot worse. Hopefully, the Twins can start getting it going and the CWS start slowing down a bit.

[Durango53]

I think when Frank Thomas comes back the White Sox start to lose.