Duensing, Repko lead Twins past Royals 6-0
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By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Brian Duensing pitched eight sharp innings and Jason Repko snapped an 0-for-14 skid and drove in three runs, giving the Minnesota Twins a 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday and their first four-game sweep in almost four years.
The four-game win streak is a season best for the Twins, who've been struggling with eight players on the disabled list and were missing two of their best players, Justin Morneau and Denard Span, for the second day in a row.
Duensing (3-5) gave up six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in his longest outing of the season and avoided becoming the first Twins starter in four years to lose six straight decisions. The left-hander had five losses and two no-decisions since beating Cleveland on April 23.
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He was replaced in the ninth by Matt Capps.
Jeff Francis (2-6) was charged with four runs, one earned, while pitching seven innings and giving up six hits. Matt Tolbert, who had two doubles on Saturday night, had a two-run triple off Jesse Chavez in the ninth.
The Twins had not recorded a four-game sweep since winning four in a row against Oakland from July 12-15, 2007. They had not swept four from Kansas City since Aug. 3-6, 2006.
The slumping Royals managed only six runs in the four games and were shut out for the third time. They are 3-12 in their last 15 games.
Repko's first hit in 15 at-bats drove in two runs as the Twins took a 3-0 lead in the first inning with three unearned runs. Ben Revere, on first with a leadoff single, sped to third when rookie first baseman Eric Hosmer threw wildly to second on Alexi Casilla's attempted sacrifice bunt.
With runners at second and third, Michael Cuddyer popped out and Danny Valencia walked, loading the bases. One run scored on Delmon Young's fielder's choice grounder. Then Repko delivered a two-run single right up the middle that was just barely out of second baseman Mike Aviles' reach.
Luke Hughes doubled off Francis in the sixth inning and scored on Repko's RBI single.
NOTES: Kansas City manager Ned Yost said Joakim Soria is close to reclaiming his closer's role after two promising outings. ... The Twins are hopeful RHP Nick Blackburn, who left Saturday's game with a stiff back, won't miss his next start. ... Morneau was out with a sore left wrist and Span was nursing a stiff neck. ... Morneau's next game will be No. 1,000. ... Royals DH Billy Butler was 3 for 3 with a walk and Hosmer had a single to run his hitting streak to seven games.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
