MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — If this is Brian Dozier’s last month with the Minnesota Twins, it’s off to a strong start.

Whether he is helping boost the Twins back into the division race or merely increasing his trade value, Dozier has found his form at the plate.

Dozier hit a two-run homer, going deep for the second straight game to help the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Wednesday.

“About stats, talk to me in October. If they’re not there, then we’ll talk,” Dozier said. “I keep telling these guys, `Eight games: That’s not that much.”

Lance Lynn (7-7) recovered from a three-run homer by Salvador Perez in the first inning to win his second straight start for the Twins, who used the bottom third of their lineup to launch rallies in the second and the fourth against Burch Smith (0-1).

Max Kepler, Jake Cave and Bobby Wilson went 6 for 11 with five runs scored. Wilson, whose batting average fell to .114 last week, had two RBI and was one of three Twins with three hits, joining Dozier and Joe Mauer. Wilson, the backup catcher, is now hitting .169.

Dozier drove in a run with an infield single in the fourth. Then he sent his 15th homer of the season into the second deck above left field in the sixth inning against Enny Romero. Logan Morrison hit a solo shot one out later to pad the lead for Minnesota, which improved 6-1 on an 11-game homestand.

With the Twins trailing AL Central-leading Cleveland by 8 1/2 games when the day began, Dozier is among several prominent players on expiring contracts whose names are part of the annual July trade market speculation. Lynn is one of those, too.

“We don’t pay attention to it, so whatever happens happens,” said Lynn, who pitched to two batters in the sixth. “In this game I’ve learned that you go where you told, because they pay you. That’s just the way it works, unless you’ve got a no-trade clause.”

Only first baseman Joe Mauer has that.

“So everyone else can just wear it and do what they’re told,” Lynn said.

Mike Moustakas homered twice for the Royals, who took the Twins deep five times over the last two games of this series despite toting the fewest home runs in MLB. Kansas City has lost 23 of its past 27 games.

“Come in here and play hard,” Perez said. “One of the things everybody should think: That’s how we bring food to the table for our family. That’s our job.”

BULL DOZIER

Dozier’s production at the plate is lower than it has been in at least five years, but he has begun to warm up with a .375 batting average, three homers and eight RBI over his past six games. Only four of his home runs have come at home this season. He hit 127 homers over the previous four years, with 63 of those at Target Field.

“You just ride the wave. Sometimes they find the green grass, sometimes they find the seats, sometimes you’re walking back with your head down,” he said.

BURCH IS BACK

After 24 relief appearances this year, Smith made his first major league start since 2013, when he was with San Diego. Forearm and elbow injuries kept him from pitching in 2015 and 2016, and he spent last season with the Tampa Bay organization.

“It was definitely special. Today had been a long time,” said Smith, who gave up seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. “It meant a lot just getting the opportunity to do it again. I was feeling a lot of emotions going into that game.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Jason Adam was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take the spot of a discouraged RHP Ian Kennedy, who returned to the disabled list with a strained left oblique after an injury-shortened three-inning start on Tuesday night. Adam had been sent down the day before so Kennedy, who has gone 16 turns without a victory, could be reinstated.

Twins: RHP Addison Reed was placed on the DL with tightness in his right triceps, and RHP Alan Busenitz was recalled from Triple-A Rochester for the third time this season. … INF Ehire Adrianza is on track to come off the DL on Thursday, after missing 10 games with a strained left hamstring.

UP NEXT

Royals: Following a day off, rookie RHP Brad Keller (2-3, 2.52 ERA) pitches in the opener of a three-game series at Chicago on Friday night for his eighth start of the season. Former Kansas City RHP James Shields (3-10, 4.53 ERA) takes the mound for the White Sox.

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson (3-6, 3.59 ERA) starts a four-game series against Tampa Bay on Thursday night. LHP Blake Snell (12-4, 2.09 ERA) takes the mound for the Rays with the second-lowest ERA in league. Snell has won four straight starts with just two runs allowed in his past 28 2/3 innings.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Adalberto Mondesi had a three-run homer and a career-high four RBI, and the Kansas City Royals snapped a 10-game skid with a 9-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

The Royals scored more than five runs for the first time since June 4 and improved to 26-65 overall, percentage points ahead of Baltimore to avoid owning baseball’s worst record.

Mondesi went deep in the second inning and added an RBI single in the sixth. The middle infielder entered with just six RBI in 17 games this year.

Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy made his first start since landing on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. He pitched just three innings after experiencing a recurrence of left side tightness.

Kennedy was looking for his first win since April 7 but failed to qualify. The right-hander gave up two runs and five hits while striking out three. He has gone 16 starts since his last victory.

Brian Flynn (1-1) allowed one hit in four innings of relief to pick up the win.

Twins starter Aaron Slegers (1-1) allowed five runs and got just four outs in his second start of the year.

Brian Dozier drove in the game’s first run for Minnesota with a solo homer in the first. Eduardo Escobar plated the Twins’ second run with a single in the third.

BACHELORETTE HELPS OUT TWINS

Becca Kufrin, star of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” threw out the first pitch before Tuesday’s game. Kufrin, a Minnesota native, was at Target Field to help the Twins promote Eddie Rosario’s campaign for the MLB All-Star Game’s Final Vote.

Rosario is one of five AL finalists for the Final Vote spot, and the Twins have taken a page from the popular TV show by using the slogan “Accept This Rosie.” He caught the first pitch from Kufrin and offered her a rose.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (60-day DL, finger surgery) started Tuesday for Double-A Chattanooga as part of his rehab assignment. He allowed two runs on two hits and struck out six in five innings. Santana is expected to be moved up to Triple-A Rochester for his next rehab start Sunday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Burch Smith (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will be making his first start of the season after appearing in 24 games as a reliever. It will be the first major league start for Smith since 2013 with San Diego.

Twins: RHP Lance Lynn (6-7, 5.21) is coming off a start in which he allowed just one run in six innings against Baltimore. Lynn earned the victory in his first meeting against the Royals this year, holding Kansas City to two runs in eight innings back on May 28.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eduardo Escobar had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh to support Jose Berrios’ strong outing as the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Monday night.

Escobar plated Joe Mauer with a seventh-inning single as Minnesota took advantage of Kansas City’s struggling bullpen to win its fifth straight game.

Berrios (9-7), elected to his first All-Star game a day earlier, allowed one run on six hits in seven innings. He struck out eight while throwing a season-high 111 pitches.

Fernando Rodney allowed a walk and hit in the ninth but secured his 20th save.

Tim Hill (1-3) surrendered both runs and got just one out in relief after starter Danny Duffy’s six scoreless innings. The Royals started the game with a league-worst 5.29 relief ERA.

Duffy and Berrios nearly matched each other in a through seven innings as both teams couldn’t convert scoring chances.

The Royals were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and stranded five runners against Berrios. Minnesota was 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base against Duffy, who has a 3.07 ERA over his past nine starts after a slow start to his season.

The Twins had a runner reach third in three of Duffy’s six innings and failed to drive him in.

Berrios was named Minnesota’s representative for the All-Star game and demonstrated his credentials on Tuesday mixing in his low-90s fastball with a sweeping curve.

Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the third for the only run against Berrios.

YOST EJECTED

Kansas City manager Ned Yost was ejected in the fourth after Lucas Duda was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Will Little. Duda checked his swing, but apparently struck out on a called strike that appeared high and out of the zone.

It was Yost’s 43rd career ejection and the first of this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (60-day disabled list, finger surgery) is scheduled to start Tuesday for Double-A Chattanooga as he tries to work his way back to the Minnesota rotation. Manager Paul Molitor said Santana is likely to move his rehab to Triple-A Rochester for one start before the All-Star break and the team will decide on his future depending on the two starts.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (1-8, 5.11 ERA) will be activated from the disabled list to start Tuesday evening’s game in Minnesota. Kennedy has been out since June 29 with a left oblique strain. He has gone 15 starts without a win, the longest active winless streak in the majors.

Twins: RHP Aaron Slegers (1-0, 2.38) will make his second start and third appearance of the season on Tuesday. He earned his first major league win on July 5 with one run allowed in six innings against Baltimore.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — If the Boston Red Sox keep getting this kind of pitching and hitting, their first 100-win season in more than seven decades seems a lock.

Rick Porcello matched his victory total from last year, pitching seven effective innings, Andrew Benintendi had four hits and scored twice, and the Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Sunday.

The Red Sox hit .385, 45 for 111, and had 68 base runners in sweeping the three-game series. Boston has won six straight and 13 of 16 and own the best record in the majors at 62-29.

“One through nine, they’re all great hitters,” loser Heath Fillmyer (0-1) said after his first big-league start. “That’s probably why they’re in the position they are this year.”

The Red Sox haven’t won 100 games since 1946.

Porcello (11-3), who was 11-17 in 2017, allowed three runs on nine hits before leaving after 111 pitches. He struck out nine, matching his season high, and walked one. Craig Kimbrel got the final two outs for his 27th save in 29 chances.

Benintendi extended his on-base streak to 10 straight — six hits and four walks — before striking out in the eighth.

“I thought I was patient up there,” Benintendi said. “I was trying to get pitches I could handle and was able to do that.”

Drew Butera singled and Whit Merrifield doubled to lead off the Kansas City seventh, but Porcello stranded them by striking out Jorge Bonifacio and Mike Moustakas and retiring Lucas Duda on a fly ball.

“I went out there with the thought of taking him out,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after Merrifield’s hit. “I think with the lead and the conviction he told me, `I got it,’ we went hitter by hitter and he got them.”

Porcello persuaded Cora to let him get out of the jam.

“I just tried to make my best case for staying in,” Porcello said. “I felt like I was throwing the ball well. They got runners at second and third with nobody out and I felt like I could get out of it and limit the damage. I felt like it was my mess to clean up. Guys in the bullpen have been getting a lot of work lately and that was my job. Our offense did a great job of putting runs up and that should’ve been a shutdown inning. I wanted it and he gave it to me.”

Eduardo Nunez drove in two Boston runs with singles in the fourth and seventh. Mitch Moreland walked with the base loaded in the fifth and singled in a run in the seventh. Xavier Bogaerts also contributed an RBI-double in a three-run seventh.

Merrifield singled in a run in the ninth for his first five-hit game. Bonifacio drove in two KC runs with a third-inning double.

“Anytime you can get five hits, that’s a good day,” Merrifield said. “But a tough day for us as a team.”

Fillmyer allowed four runs, one unearned, on eight hits and three walks. He was filling in for Jakob Junis, who went on the disabled list with back tightness.

“I just try to minimize the mistakes. I think I learned a lot from it,” Fillmyer said. “Hopefully, the next start I can put together a few things and give them a little bit more.”

The Royals, who turned five double plays, lost their ninth straight to match their longest of skid this season and are 4-27 in their last 31 games. They are 38 games below .500 for the first time since ending the 2006 season 62-100.

ROYALS SIGN TEENAGE PITCHER

The Royals signed RHP Kaito Yuki, 16, from Osaka, Japan. He opted to sign a professional contract in lieu of going to high school.

ESCOBAR STREAK ENDS

Royals SS Alcides Escobar was not in the lineup after starting the previous 421 games, which was the longest active streak in the majors.

ROSTER MOVES

Red Sox: RHPs Ryan Brasier and William Cuevas were promoted from Triple-A Pawtucket. Brasier last pitched in the majors in 2013 with the Angels and spent last year in Japan. Cuevas was 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 starts with Pawtucket.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: DH J.D. Martinez was held out of the lineup after fouling pitches off his right foot and left calf on Saturday. “He’s a little banged up,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It made sense to stay away from him. We’ll give him one day and he’ll be back in the starting lineup tomorrow.”

C Christian Vazquez (broken right pinkie) went on the disabled list and will see a hand specialist Monday in Boston. LHP Brian Johnson (left hip inflammation) was placed on the 10-day DL.

Royals: Junis’s DL is retroactive to July 3.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3, 3.84) will start the series opener Monday against the Rangers at Fenway Park.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (4-8, 5.19 ERA) will start Monday in Minnesota as the club opens a six-game trip.

— Associated Press —