Carl Pavano has a World Series ring, plenty of pitching experience in October and even an All-Star game appearance.

The end of this mess of a season for the Minnesota Twins still mattered to the veteran right-hander, who wanted no part of 100 losses.

Trevor Plouffe’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning gave Pavano and the Twins a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, helping Minnesota stave off that dubious 100th defeat.

“It was a crazy game. I’m sure you guys understand what we had hanging over our heads. No one wants to lose 100 games,” Pavano said. “This year’s definitely been a disappointment for all of us, team-wise, but you’ve got to battle.”

Pavano (9-13) went the distance for the win, the first time he pitched nine scoreless innings since July 22, 2010. He gave up five hits and struck out three to help the Twins finish with two straight wins, their first consecutive victories since Aug. 31 and Sept. 2.

“You’re only as good as your last game, right?” a smiling right fielder Michael Cuddyer said. “There you go.”

Pavano even lobbied to take the mound for the 10th, as if he were Jack Morris pitching for the Twins in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, but manager Ron Gardenhire told him Joe Nathan would be taking his place.

“He gave me the death stare,” Gardenhire said.

Bruce Chen pitched eight shutout innings against the Twins for the second time this month, and the Royals turned to Blake Wood (5-3) for the ninth. Pinch-hitter Denard Span hit a one-out double, after Gardenhire told him to do just that. Span took third on a groundout and trotted home on Plouffe’s sharp single to left.

Plouffe raced around first base with his teammates chasing him from the dugout for a celebratory pileup, completing a season that was anything but fun. The Twins (63-99) still finished with the second-worst record in their 51 years in Minnesota.

Plouffe was careful, though, to clarify 99 losses is just as bad of a performance, pinning the exuberance on the desire to send the customers home happy. The Twins finished 33-48 at Target Field this year.

“We wanted to show the fans that we don’t give up,” Plouffe said.

Chen gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked two, capping a solid season for the crafty lefty. The Twins were 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position until Plouffe’s winner.

The Royals finished 71-91, a slight improvement from last season, but their cadre of rising stars gives them plenty of eagerness for 2012.

First baseman Eric Hosmer made himself a candidate for AL Rookie of the Year with a .293 batting average, 19 home runs and 78 RBIs, and center fielder Melky Cabrera had an exceptional season.

Kansas City threatened in the eighth. Mike Moustakas led off with a high fly down the line that Cuddyer let bounce off the wall in right, then skip by him. The Royals were cajoling Moustakas from the dugout to try for an inside-the-park homer, but he heeded third base coach Eddie Rodriguez’s stop sign and settled for a triple.

But Lorenzo Cain and Mitch Maier were each retired on comebackers to the mound — Cain’s a hot shot and Maier’s a slow roller — and Alcides Escobar grounded out to end the inning.

This wasn’t quite Game 7 of that 1991 World Series, when the Twins took down the Atlanta Braves 1-0 in 10 innings, but the crowd — paid attendance was 36,488 — emitted a lively cheer after Pavano’s escape.

The attempt to avoid reaching triple digits in the loss column provided some rather amusing drama to an otherwise-meaningless game. One local sports talk radio host even snarkily pushed the “Hunt for Hundred” campaign on Twitter and on the air so the Twins would have a glaringly large round number to stamp on this collosally unsuccessful season. One fan in the club seats held up a sign to honor the slogan.

But there were no Bronx-style cheers audible on this night. Pavano got a standing ovation as he finished a perfect ninth and walked to the dugout, and the roar was even louder when Plouffe’s bat hit the ball.

“We haven’t given them a very good show this year, but again tonight they showed up and packed it and they were standing on their feet at the end,” Gardenhire said. “That’s typical. You kind of expect that around here, but it sure makes you feel a lot better going into the offseason.”

John Gordon, the primary radio voice of the Twins since 1987, called his last game in the broadcast booth, which the team named after him in honor of his retirement. The Twins didn’t give him many highlights at all to narrate this year, but he choked up during a pregame ceremony and took off in a sidecar next to broadcast partner Dan Gladden’s motorcycle for a spin around the warning track to wave to the fans.

— Associated Press —

The Minnesota Twins entered the final series of the season with one goal — to avoid losing 100 games.

They’re one game away from making that happen. In a season that has been so disappointing, they’ll take any small victory they can get.

Rene Tosoni hit a grand slam and Chris Parmelee also went deep to lift the Twins to a 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Anthony Swarzak (4-7) gave up two runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings for the Twins (62-99), who are hoping to avoid becoming just the second team in franchise history to lose 100 games in a season.

“We want to win tomorrow and stay away from that stuff,” manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Sean O’Sullivan (2-6) gave up six runs on nine hits with one strikeout in five innings for the Royals. Johnny Giavotella had two doubles and a triple and Salvador Perez added two hits and an RBI for Kansas City.

O’Sullivan gave up three straight singles to start the sixth before leaving. Tosoni hit Vin Mazzaro’s first pitch well into the right field seats for a 7-2 lead.

Tosoni said he couldn’t remember the last time he hit a grand slam. He didn’t hit one in the minors and couldn’t remember hitting one as a prep star in Canada, either.

“It felt pretty good off the bat,” Tosoni said with a chuckle.

The Royals scored twice in the ninth off Twins closer Joe Nathan before Eric Hosmer struck out to end the game.

Parmelee had two hits to raise his average to .351, continuing his impressive showing since being called up from Double-A New Britain. His 427-foot homer to right-center field tied the game 1-1 in the second inning.

Trevor Plouffe had three hits while Ben Revere and Denard Span had RBI triples for the Twins. Revere tried to turn his into an inside-the-park home run in the fifth, but he was thrown out by Alcides Escobar at home after running through coach Steve Liddle’s stop sign.

It ended up not mattering after Tosoni hit a fastball from Mazzaro soaring out of the ballpark for just the second grand slam by a Twins player this season.

“I was trying to make contact on the guy and get a double play,” Mazzaro said. “It was just middle down and I was trying to go in on him and it just leaked back over the plate.”

The Twins have only lost 100 games one other time in their proud history, back in 1982 when they went 60-102.

“I haven’t talked about it much with other guys, but you don’t want to get to that mark,” Tosoni said. “We want to finish winning, so that’s our plan.”

The struggles this season seemingly came out of the nowhere.

The Twins won the previous two AL Central titles and came into this season brimming with confidence. But injuries to practically every starter on the roster, including stars Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jim Thome and Jason Kubel, were too much to overcome.

They sunk to the bottom of the American League and started the day a full 10 games behind the improving Royals for last place in the division.

The setback slightly stunted some nice momentum the Royals had been building as the season comes to a close. They had won 11 of their previous 14 games, getting promising performances from a bevy of highly touted youngsters including Mike Moustakas, Hosmer and Escobar.

Moustakas had two hits in the game.

Swarzak gave up an RBI single to Lorenzo Cain in the second and one more run on a fielder’s choice in the sixth in an impressive performance. He has been a jack of all trades for the Twins’ banged up pitching staff, and his versatility has put him in good standing with the organization heading into next season.

“I’ve put myself in pretty good position for a job next year,” Swarzak said. “Where that is, I don’t know and honestly I don’t care. I just want the ball.”

— Associated Press —

Melky Cabrera and Felipe Paulino were given fresh starts by Kansas City in 2011. The two showed Monday night why they have the Royals excited for 2012.

Cabrera became the first Kansas City player in 11 years to reach 200 hits and Paulino (4-6) won for the third time in his last four decisions as the Royals topped the Minnesota Twins 7-3.

Cabrera hit an infield single and scored the game’s opening run in the first inning, then another infield single for his 201st hit to spark a four-run sixth. He became the sixth player in Kansas City history to eclipse 200 hits and the first since Johnny Damon and Mike Sweeney both did it in 2000. Cabrera’s previous career best for hits in a season was 149 in 2007 while with the New York Yankees.

“I’m very thankful for the Kansas City Royals organization for giving me the chance to play here every day,” Cabrera said through interpreter and teammate Brayan Pena. “I never thought this offseason I would have a season like I’ve had, but I work hard and try to do my best to improve my game.”

Kevin Slowey (0-8) was tagged with the loss for Minnesota, its third straight against the Royals. The Twins must win both of their final two games against Kansas City to avoid its second 100-loss season since moving to the Twin Cities in 1961.

Cabrera has combined with Alex Gordon and Jeff Francoeur to lead all Major League outfields with a .298 collective batting average, 581 hits, 218 extra-base hits, 141 doubles and 937 total bases. The trio is also among the top four with 296 runs, 270 RBI and a .831 OPS. They are three of only five players in baseball with at least 40 doubles, 15 homers and 15 steals.

The 27-year-old Cabrera has chipped in with career bests in home runs (18) and RBI (87) while poised for his first career .300 season at .305 with two games to play.

All three players have surpassed even the team’s most optimistic expectations.

“I felt like all three would have really solid years, but what they’ve done has gone way above that offensively and defensively, as a group and individually,” manager Ned Yost said. “They’ve been fantastic. They’ve put up historic numbers.”

On defense, Gordon, Francoeur and Cabrera all have double-digit assist totals — just the second outfield trio to accomplish the feat in club history. Gordon’s 20 outfield assists lead the majors and Francouer’s 16 are second.

The trio goes into the offseason on Thursday with easy instructions from Yost for 2012.

“All three of them, none of them have to do anything more than they did this year,” Yost said. “They have showed up every single day ready to play and perform.”

Yost hopes he can count on the same from Paulino.

Acquired May 26 from Colorado for cash considerations, Paulino continued his career revival with Kansas City by allowing three runs and six hits in six innings, striking out nine. The right-hander has 17 strikeouts in his last two outings and at least eight in three of his last four starts.

“I really have an appreciation for the Royals bringing me back to this team,” Paulino said. “You get the opportunity to be a starter, so show what you’ve got. I’m so excited for the great team we have. It will be nice to be part of this next year, part of the rotation here.”

Paulino has a 4.46 ERA with the Royals. He came to Kansas City with a 5.93 career mark in 223 innings.

“I’m happy for him,” Yost said. “He got a second life here with us and he took full advantage of it.”

Michael Cuddyer hit his 20th home run of the year for the Twins off Paulino, reaching the plateau for the third time in his career. But even he had nothing but praise for the 27-year-old.

“He’s got as good of stuff as anybody in this game, anybody we’ve faced all year,” Cuddyer said. “Stuff-wise, I’d put him right up there with any of them.”

Slowey allowed five runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings, becoming the first major league pitcher to make at least eight starts and lose them all since the St. Louis Browns’ Lou Sleater went 0-8 in 1951, according to STATS LLC. Minnesota fell to 0-14 in games Slowey pitched in this season.

— Associated Press —

Bruce Chen enjoys U.S. Cellular Field, especially since he’s figured out how to pitch on the home field of Chicago White Sox.

“I know it’s a hitter’s park, but if you keep the ball down, you give yourself a chance,” Chen said.

Chen allowed only two hits in eight strong innings and the Kansas City Royals hit four homers off Zach Stewart to rout the White Sox 11-1 Friday night.

Jeff Francoeur, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar also homered for the Royals. Kansas City has won nine of 11 overall in a late-season surge.

Chen (12-8) finished 3-1 this season against the White Sox, with all three of the wins at U.S. Cellular Field. His lone loss to Chicago came last Sunday in Kansas City, when he gave up nine hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

The only hit allowed by Chen through the first six innings was an infield single by Dayan Viciedo in the second. It was a grounder in the hole that third baseman Mike Moustakas fielded, and he spun around and threw high to first. Paul Konerko hit his 31st homer in the seventh inning.

Chen walked one and struck out four. Vin Mazzaro pitched a hitless ninth.

“Bruce has been good against us and pitching well all year long. Now it’s no mystery,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who was Chen’s teammate with Atlanta in the late 1990s. “He owns the White Sox.”

With Guillen’s future unclear, Chicago has lost 10 of 13. And Friday night’s defeat left the White Sox at 76-81, ensuring they won’t have a winning record despite a $127 million payroll.

“Obviously it’s been a very tough season for everyone,” Guillen said.

Hosmer hit a solo shot in the second, his 19th of the season. Perez had a three-run drive in the fourth, his third of the season, and Escobar followed one batter later with his fourth homer of the season.

Francoeur connected for his 20th of the season, a two-run shot, in the fifth to reach the 20-20 plateau. He also has 22 steals.

“It was a lot of fun. It’s something I really wanted to accomplish,” Francoeur said.

“It’s been a good year. To be able to do that tonight. I credit Seitz (hitting coach Kevin Seitzer), and with the base stealing, Siss (first base coach Doug Sisson) gets all that (credit). I came in the first day of camp and he was on my butt about stealing bases. He told me I’d steal 20. I didn’t believe him.”

Stewart, who gave up 12 hits and nine runs and also committed two errors in four-plus innings. Stewart (2-6) lost for the third straight time since pitching a one-hit shutout against the Twins on Sept. 5.

“It’s very frustrating. … it just makes you sick all the way around,” Stewart said.

Kansas City finished with 18 hits, four by Moustakas.

— Associated Press —