MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Kansas City Royals reclaimed first place with a resounding three-game sweep on the road of division rival Minnesota.

The Twins were beaten so soundly, well, they lost their shirt.

One of them, at least.

Alex Gordon hit a three-run homer, Edinson Volquez struck out six batters over seven innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Twins 7-2 on Wednesday, a night spiced up in the eighth inning by an ejection of Torii Hunter that prompted an equipment-throwing tantrum by the Minnesota star.

“You know what he’s trying to do. He’s trying to fire everybody up and get `em going,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “They’ve been in a little slow bat period themselves, and he’s trying to get everybody fired up and get `em going. It’s a bit entertaining.”

Hunter was heaved by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger for arguing a called third strike. Hunter had to be restrained briefly, before yanking off his elbow pad, shin guard and batting gloves and throwing them around the batter’s box area.

Then Hunter ripped off his jersey and hurled that over the first-base line, before retreating to the dugout.

“We have bad days, all of us, as hitters, pitchers. Even umpires have bad days, and he had one,” Hunter said.

Hunter has long been a fiery player, but his blow-up likely wouldn’t have happened had the Twins not been swept at home for the first time this season. Manager Paul Molitor was given his first career ejection during the conflict, too.

Was that satisfying to see for the Royals, who arrived at Target Field on Monday trailing the Twins by one game in the American League Central?

“No, I find satisfaction in winning baseball games. To get out of town sweeping the series, it’s a good feeling,” Yost said.

The Twins scored 11 runs while stumbling to a 1-5 record on this home-stand. They hadn’t been swept since the opening series of the season at Detroit.

Volquez (5-4) pitched the Royals to victory by reaching the seven-inning mark for only the second time in his last nine starts. He scattered seven singles, walking two.

“With our pitching staff, the way they’ve done it the past three games makes our offense feel comfortable even though we’re not scoring a lot of runs,” Gordon said.

The Royals went 2-9 over an 11-game stretch until Sunday. Now they’ve won four in a row.

“You’re going to have slumps throughout the season. It’s how you respond to it,” Gordon said. “We kept our heads up. It was frustrating at times, but we knew we were going to get out of it and play some better baseball, and that’s what we’re doing now.”

Kyle Gibson (4-4) found a groove after Gordon’s big hit, finishing six innings with six strikeouts while allowing five hits and two walks, but he had little help. Plouffe, whose triple in the seventh was Minnesota’s only hit against Chris Young the night before, homered off Luke Hochevar in the eighth.

Gibson had a 2.03 ERA in the five previous starts of his career against the Royals, and he was in command again.

Except for that first inning.

Eric Hosmer’s single drove in the first run. With two outs and a full count, Gibson left enough of a changeup over the plate for Gordon to drive it into the right-field seats for a 4-0 lead. The Royals stretched their lead with two of their three unearned runs in the seventh against J.R. Graham, including an RBI single by Mike Moustakas.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Kansas City: The Royals must decide on Thursday whether to keep Drew Butera or return Aaron Kratz as catcher Salvador Perez’s backup, when Kratz’s rehabilitation assignment for a foot injury expires.

Minnesota: Shortstop Jorge Polanco went 1 for 3 with a walk in his season debut and was charged with one of three errors by the Twins. He was returned to Double-A Chattanooga after the game. Outfielder Eddie Rosario is expected from paternity leave on Friday.

UP NEXT

Kansas City: The Royals start a three-game intrastate, interleague series against St. Louis after a day off. Yordano Ventura (3-5, 4.62 ERA) will pitch for the Royals on Friday, opposite Jaime Garcia (1-3, 2.67 ERA) of the Cardinals.

Minnesota: After an off day, the Twins travel to Texas for a three-game series. Tommy Milone (2-1, 4.55 ERA) will start on Friday for the Twins against fellow Wandy Rodriguez (3-2, 3.25 ERA) of the Rangers.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chris Young took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Salvador Perez homered to help the Kansas City Royals to a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

Young (5-2) left after giving up a triple to Trevor Plouffe with one out in the seventh for his only hit of the game. The 6-foot-10 right-hander struck out two and walked three to bounce back from a pair of ugly starts and put the Royals in a position to sweep the Twins on Wednesday.

Trevor May (4-4) gave up one run on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks in six innings for the Twins, who managed just the one hit and have scored five runs in their last four games.

On a night when San Francisco’s Chris Heston no-hit the Mets, Young looked prime to equal him as he carved up the slumping Twins lineup through six innings.

He faced the minimum number of batters through five innings, walked two in the sixth and finally yielded when Plouffe just missed an opposite field homer that bounced high off the big wall in right field.

Royals manager Ned Yost immediately pulled him, turning things over to the American League’s best bullpen to finish of Kansas City’s third straight victory. Franklin Morales and Kelvin Herrera kept Plouffe stranded at third and Greg Holland picked up his 11th save in 12 chances.

It should come as no surprise that Young didn’t let a couple of shaky starts get him down. He started this season with the Royals with wins in his first three starts, but had given up 10 earned runs over his previous two against the Yankees and Indians.

That was nothing compared to what he overcame just to stay in the big leagues. Young broke in with the Rangers in 2004 and also pitched for the Padres and Mariners. But his career was in jeopardy in 2013 after he had surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve disorder that gave him chronic pain in his shoulder and neck.

He recovered and went 12-9 with a 3.65 ERA for the Mariners last year to earn AL comeback player of the year honors before signing with the AL champions in March.

He got all the help he would need against the Twins in the first inning when Alcides Escobar led off the game with a double and scored on a single from Mike Moustakas. Perez added his ninth homer of the season in the ninth.

The Royals (33-23) can complete the three-game sweep of the Twins (33-25), who have fallen behind AL Central-leading Kansas City, on Wednesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy, who has been on the disabled list since May 17 with left biceps tendinitis, was scheduled to return to the mound on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

The Royals send RHP Edinson Volquez (4-4, 3.26) to the mound in the series finale to face RHP Kyle Gibson (4-3, 3.00). Volquez is 0-2 with a 4.13 ERA on the road this season. Gibson has given up a combined four earned runs on 13 hits in his two starts against Kansas City this season. He is 1-1 in those starts.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jason Vargas threw six shutout innings and Kendrys Morales hit a long home run against his former team to push the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

Vargas (5-2) gave up five hits and struck out two, Morales hit a two-run shot in the second inning and Eric Hosmer drove in another run in the eighth to move the AL champion Royals (32-23) ahead of the Twins (33-24) by percentage points for first place in the AL Central. Greg Holland got his 10th save in 11 chances.

Phil Hughes (4-6) had one of his strongest outings of the season for the Twins, but didn’t get enough from his offense. Hughes gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out three.

Eddie Rosario had two hits, including a solo homer for Minnesota.

— Associated Press —

By Jordan Wilson / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY — The Royals selected right-hander Ashe Russell from Cathedral (Ind.) High School in Indianapolis with the 21st pick overall pick on Monday night in the 2015 MLB Draft.

The Royals picked the farthest back in the first round since holding the 24th overall choice in 1986, coming off their 1985 World Series title. They have two other picks on Day 1 with the 33rd and 64th overall selections.

The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com preview show begins at 11:30 a.m. CT, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at noon.

At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Russell has the big frame of a Major League starter and touts a 92-95 mph fastball. He also frequents a low-80s slider as a secondary pitch with a combo that led to much success in high school.

“I try to work at a fast tempo to keep the hitters off-balance. I like to control the game at my own pace,” Russell said. “I think the thing the scouts like most is my slider. It’s a good swing-and-miss pitch, I would say.”

Lingering concerns with Russell is that he has yet to develop a strong changeup and he will need further development with his mechanics and control, but scouts indicate he counters with his athleticism and quick-twitch arm speed.

Russell did not attend any pre-draft workouts with Major League clubs.

“I did not get to any workouts due to my high school season back in Indy,” said Russell, whose high school team lost in its sectional championship game.

Russell was named the Gatorade Indiana Baseball Player of the Year for leading the Fighting Irish into the Class AAAA sectional tournament with a 4-1 record and a 1.23 ERA at the time in 34 innings through 21 games.

Russell is the first high school player the Royals have taken with their first pick since 2011 (outfielder Bubba Starling) and he is their fourth top-pick right-hander since 2006 — Luke Hochevar (No. 1 in 2006), Aaron Crow (No. 12 in 2009) and Kyle Zimmer (No. 8 in 2012). Russell is currently committed to the Texas A&M.

“It’s going to come down to family decisions, money, and I’m just ready to continue playing baseball in my career,” Russell said. “I’m happy it’s gonna be with the Royals.”