CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona admitted his team was frustrated after losing the first two games of their series against the Kansas City Royals.

Perhaps the defending AL champions play better that way.

Jason Kipnis went 4 for 4 with a home run and two RBI, Josh Tomlin pitched his first complete game in two years and the Indians rolled to a 10-1 win on Sunday.

“We needed a day like that,” Francona said. “It’s one day but I was happy for our hitters. They were able to relax a little bit.”

Kipnis, who reached in each of his five plate appearances, hit an RBI single in the third and a solo homer in the seventh.

The Indians took out some of their frustration with 18 hits, one short of their season high.

“We know we can be playing better,” Kipnis said. “Games like this only reassure us this is the kind of product we can roll out there when everyone’s going well. This is how good we can be.”

Austin Jackson drove in three runs for Cleveland, and Carlos Santana had three hits and two RBI. Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez also had three hits apiece.

Tomlin (3-6) tossed a six-hitter for his first win since April 30. It was the right-hander’s first complete game since Sept. 15, 2015, also against Kansas City and No. 5 for his career.

“It means you did your job,” Tomlin said of finishing the game. “That’s a good feeling to know that. The offense put up great at-bats. They put a good lead up there. When we play games like that we’re a tough team to beat.”

Tomlin is 10-4 lifetime against the Royals.

“He’s always good against us because we’re an aggressive team,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “He very seldom makes mistakes and he changes speeds so effectively.”

Royals starter Danny Duffy (4-4) allowed six runs in four-plus innings in his shortest outing of the season.

Rookie Jorge Bonifacio homered in the fifth for the Royals. The drive landed halfway up the bleachers in left field and traveled an estimated 437 feet.

Duffy missed first base trying to catch first baseman Eric Hosmer’s throw and fell to the ground on Brantley’s ground ball to start the fifth. The left-hander remained in the game, but was pulled after allowing singles to Santana and Edwin Encarnacion.

Tomlin struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

Brantley, Roberto Perez and Bradley Zimmer also had RBI for the Indians, who had lost four of five.

The Royals went 4-5 on a road trip to Minnesota, New York and Cleveland.

GET TO THE POINT

Duffy didn’t mince any words when assessing his performance.

“I pitched lousy,” he said. “I didn’t execute anything. Not a fun day at the park today.”

HEADED TO BULLPEN

Indians right-hander Danny Salazar was sent to the bullpen with a 3-5 record and 5.50 ERA in 10 starts. Francona hopes Salazar can regain his confidence while pitching in a relief role.

“He’s not being banished to the bullpen,” Francona said. “We explained everything to him, why and what we’re trying to achieve. He’ll throw a bullpen tomorrow and we’ll get him back on the road to carving people up.”

WORTH NOTING

Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor didn’t start for the first time this season. He committed an error Friday and couldn’t make a leaping grab on a line drive Saturday.

Lindor has a 12-game hitting streak, matching a season high.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel opens a three-game series against the Tigers. He has lost three straight starts, including a 3-0 decision to the Yankees on May 24.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco begins a four-game series against Oakland. He is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four career starts and five total outings against the Athletics.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are feeling a little better after a couple successful days in Cleveland.

Alcides Escobar hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the sixth, Mike Moustakas homered and the Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 on Saturday.

Kansas City, an AL-worst 20-27 coming into the day, has won two straight this weekend against the Indians.

Jason Vargas (6-3) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Kelvin Herrera worked the ninth for his second save in two days and No. 11 on the season.

“These are the kind of games we need to play,” Vargas said. “Momentum builders like that can really get you going.”

While Kansas City is feeling good again, Cleveland manager Terry Francona admitted his team is frustrated. The Indians have lost four of five since sweeping three games from Houston, which has the best record in the majors.

“We need to go out and play baseball every day like we love the game and the game is the most important (thing),” Francona said. “I know we need to do a better job of that.”

Cleveland right-hander Danny Salazar (3-5) allowed four runs, three earned, in 5 1/3 innings.

Royals manager Ned Yost and first baseman Eric Hosmer were ejected by plate umpire Bill Welke in the first inning. They were thrown out for arguing after it was ruled that Hosmer failed to check his swing and struck out with the bases loaded and no outs.

Kansas City loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Alex Gordon hit a tying RBI single off Boone Logan, which brought Nick Goody out of Cleveland’s bullpen.

Escobar sent a line drive to the left side of the infield, but shortstop Francisco Lindor couldn’t make a leaping grab. The ball rolled into left-center field, scoring two runs.

Moustakas, who went 3 for 4 with a walk, added a leadoff drive in the ninth for his 13th of the season.

Salvador Perez put Kansas City ahead with a sacrifice fly in the first, but Lindor’s one-out homer tied the game in the bottom half. Jason Kipnis put Cleveland in front with an RBI single in the third.

Kipnis narrowly missed a grand slam in the fourth when his drive to the right-field seats was ruled foul. The call was upheld after a crew chief review.

Kansas City loaded the bases on an error, a hit and a walk to start the game. Hosmer tried to check his swing on a 1-2 pitch, but third base umpire David Rackley ruled he went around.

Hosmer was ejected after shouting and waving his hand at Rackley. Yost was tossed soon after he came on the field.

“He missed a couple of calls last night at home plate,” Hosmer said. “He goes from missing a ton of pitches last night to missing the first call his way today. To me, that’s unacceptable.”

VOICE OF REASON

Yost was ejected for the 40th time in his managerial career, but might have learned a valuable lesson.

“About 10 minutes after I got kicked out, my phone rang,” he said. “It was my 3-year-old grandson Jordan, asking, `Granddaddy, did you get thrown out of the game?’ I told him I did. He asked me if I had been put in timeout. I guess I kind of was put into timeout, being in here.”

BULLPEN BOUND?

With Corey Kluber likely returning to the rotation Thursday against Oakland, Salazar could be headed to a relief role. He walked a season-high five Saturday.

“We’ll put our heads together and see what’s the next best step for him,” Francona said. “I think he’s probably searching a little bit too.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Brian Flynn (broken ribs) began a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha.

Indians: Kluber (strained lower back) was placed on the 10-day DL on May 3.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy held the Indians to one run in 6 2/3 innings, but got the loss at Kauffman Stadium on May 7.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin hasn’t won since beating the Royals on May 6 when he allowed one run in seven innings.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jorge Bonifacio couldn’t stop smiling after leading the Kansas Royals to a comeback victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.

Not only did his two-run double in the eighth inning give the Royals a 6-4 victory, the clutch hit came off relief ace Andrew Miller. It doesn’t get much better for a rookie in his second month as a big leaguer.

“It feels amazing,” Bonifacio said. “To have the game-winning hit against one of the best relievers in the game right now, that’s great for us.”

The Royals entered the game with the lowest winning percentage in the AL, but rallied from an early 4-0 deficit. Brandon Moss hit a three-run homer in the fourth and Mike Moustakas’ solo home run in the fifth tied the game.

“It was a great comeback win, down four and the guys kept fighting back,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Bonny’s double was key and was a great at-bat. We’re down 4-0, then Mossy did a nice job on his home run.”

Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s fielding error placed runners on first and third before Bonifacio’s clutch hit.

“It’s on me, man,” Lindor said. “Today’s loss is on me. I messed up. I know it’s not my first time and it won’t be my last, but stuff like that can’t happen.”

Lorenzo Cain started the winning rally with a single off Bryan Shaw (1-1). Miller got Eric Hosmer to hit a ground ball, but Lindor booted a backhand attempt for his fourth error of the season.

“It ends up being a really big play obviously,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of the 23-year-old shortstop. “Sometimes because he’s been so good we forget he’s so young.”

Miller retired Salvador Perez on a foul out, but Bonifacio’s double to left-center on an 0-2 pitch scored both runners.

“The first pitch, I was looking for his fastball,” Bonifacio said. “After that, I was looking breaking ball all the way.”

Mike Minor (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings. Joakim Soria struck out Edwin Encarnacion with runners on second and third to end the eighth. Kelvin Herrera allowed a two-out single in the ninth, but struck out pinch-hitter Austin Jackson for his 10th save.

Jose Ramirez hit a two-out homer in the second. Lindor, Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana had RBI in Cleveland’s three-run third, but starter Mike Clevinger couldn’t hold the lead.

Both homers came off Clevinger, who is replacing injured staff ace Corey Kluber in the rotation.

Both teams were rained out Thursday — the Indians at home against Cincinnati and the Royals in New York. Clevinger and Royals starter Ian Kennedy had their starts moved back a day.

Clevinger allowed four runs in five-plus innings and a change could be coming soon in Cleveland’s rotation. Kluber made his first minor league rebab start Friday, throwing five scoreless innings for Double-A Akron.

Kennedy allowed four runs in five innings and remained winless since Sept. 11.

For the second time this month, a squirrel ran on the field but play was not interrupted. The squirrel scurried around the outfield during the bottom of the sixth before being shooed through a doorway in the center field wall by ballpark workers after the inning.

TOUGH OUTING

Being unable to hold the lead was the most disappointing part of the night for Clevinger.

“It feels like you’re letting down your family in there (the clubhouse),” he said. “They had something going and I slowed it down. Not just slowed it down but gave up the lead.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Scott Alexander (strained right hamstring) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha. The reliever has been on the 10-day DL since May 9.

Indians: Jackson (strained left toe) was activated from the 10-day DL on Friday. He was out since May 2.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas makes his 10th start of the season, his most since 2014.

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar will pitch on five days’ rest as a result of Thursday’s rainout.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK — The scheduled game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees has been postponed by rain.

The announcement was made on a wet Thursday morning in New York City about five hours before the teams were supposed to play the finale of a four-game series. The local forecast called for inclement weather much of the day.

Instead, the game will be made up Sept. 25 at Yankee Stadium at the start of New York’s final regular-season homestand. The Royals will go from a weekend series against the White Sox in Chicago to New York for the make-up game, then to Kansas City for the start of its regular-season-ending homestand.

Right-hander Miguel Almonte had been slated to get his first major league start for the Royals. He made nine relief appearances two years ago.

Struggling ace Masahiro Tanaka had been lined up to start for New York.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Helped by a great first-inning catch that forced center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury from the game with a concussion and sprained neck, Luis Severino won for the first time in a month and led the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 3-0 on Wednesday night.

On the first pitch of the game, Ellsbury sprinted 107 feet and raised his glove above his head to catch Alcides Escobar’s fly. Ellsbury’s head jarred into the wall as the ball landed in his glove, and he crumpled to the field.

Ellsbury was checked by manager Joe Girardi and head athletic trainer Steve Donohue and remained in the game, then was replaced by Aaron Hicks starting the second. Girardi said Ellsbury will go on the seven-day concussion disabled list.

Didi Gregorius homered against Jason Hammel (1-6) leading off the third inning, Gregorius’ seventh hit in a span of 12 at-bats. New York tacked on runs with Matt Holliday’s sacrifice fly in the sixth and Brett Gardner’s RBI single over a drawn-in infield in the seventh.

His fastball reaching 99 mph, Severino (3-2) allowed four hits over eight innings, struck out seven, walked one and threw a career-high 114 pitches. Severino, who lowered his ERA to 3.11, had been 0-1 in four outings since beating Boston on April 26.

This year has been quite a turnaround for the 23-year-old right-hander, who lasted only seven starts last season before going to the disabled list and then the minors with an 0-6 record and 7.46 ERA.

Dellin Betances struck out the side in a perfect ninth for his fourth save as the Royals were shut out for a major league-high fifth time.

Hammel, working entirely from the stretch for his fourth straight start, gave up three runs, six hits and two walks in six-plus innings. Hammel, whose 1.69 WHIP is second-worst to Baltimore’s Kevin Gausman among qualified starters, had not pitched since allowing five runs over six innings in a 7-1 loss to the Yankees on May 16. He started with a nine-pitch first innings — all strikes.

FAN HURT

A boy about seven rows behind the third-base dugout was hit on the head by part of Chris Carter’s bat, which shattered on a seventh-inning grounder. Medical personnel carried out the boy, who appeared to have a leg that was in a brace. Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said the fan got first aid at the ballpark and was receiving medical attention elsewhere, but did not disclose where.

RARITY

Gary Sanchez singled leading off the sixth and scored on Holliday’s fly after stealing second and advancing on a wild throw by Salvador Perez, the All-Star catcher’s first error since Aug. 25 against Miami.

HE’S BACK

Royals LF Alex Gordon went 1 for 3 with two strikeouts after missing three games for the birth of daughter Joey Lynn.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Nate Karns was put on the 10-day DL because of nerve irritation in his pitching arm, a move retroactive to Sunday.

Yankees: LHP Aroldis Chapman (shoulder) hopes to start throwing Saturday.

UP NEXT

RHP Masahiro Tanaka (5-3), who has allowed 14 runs and seven homers over 4 2/3 innings in his last two starts, starts for New York in Thursday’s series finale. RHP Miguel Almonte makes his first big league start for the Royals following nine relief appearances two years ago.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Danny Duffy noticed a flaw in his delivery a few weeks ago: His front hip was opening too soon and he was yanking pitches.

“Obviously, it takes more than 30 pitches in a side session,” he said. “Repetition is everything.”

Duffy’s mechanics seemed fixed.

Duffy defeated the New York Yankees for the second time in a six-day span and rookie Jorge Bonifacio capped a three-run, seventh-inning rally with a go-ahead, two-run homer that led the Kansas City Royals to a 6-2 victory Tuesday night.

All scoring came on home runs. Lorenzo Cain , Whit Merrifield and Mike Moustakas also connected for the Royals, who went deep four times in a span of nine batters in the seventh and eighth.

“You don’t have to manufacture runs when you can put some swings like that on the board,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

New York rookie Jordan Montgomery took a one-hit shutout and 2-0 lead into the seventh before a solo homer by Cain, who had been hitless in 14 at-bats.

On the 22nd anniversary of Mariano Rivera’s major league debut, the Yankees’ usually reliable bullpen flopped: Adam Warren (1-1), Jonathan Holder and Chasen Shreve all allowed long balls.

Home runs by Aaron Hicks in the fourth and Chris Carter in the fifth staked New York to a 2-0 lead against Duffy (4-3). The 28-year-old left-hander struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings to beat Montgomery in Kansas City last week, and Duffy got a key out in the fifth Tuesday when Starlin Castro stranded the bases loaded with an inning-ending flyout.

Duffy gave up two runs and six hits, struck out seven and walked two, his fastball ticking up to 96 mph — about 2 mph above his average this year. Kansas City’s opening-day starter, he had been 0-3 in his previous five outings before reviving against the Yankees.

New York put two on against Joakim Soria in the eighth, and first baseman Eric Hosmer leaped to snag Chase Headley’s two-out liner. Jacoby Ellsbury bounced into a game-ending double play when umpire Roberto Ortiz ruled Carter ran out of the baseline to avoid Merrifield’s tag before the second baseman threw to first.

“It’s just a poor call. I don’t know how he calls that,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, maintaining Carter remained on the dirt near the infield grass

In the best of his eight big-league starts, Montgomery began 17 of 22 batters with strikes and walked none for the first time, although he did get four warning-track flyouts.

“I was moving in and out, throwing a two-seamer and fastballs up, and going off of that offspeed,” Montgomery said. “I haven’t really wavered on confidence. I know what I can do.”

Warren relieved with two outs in the seventh, and Salvador Perez singled to right, just over the outstretched glove of a leaping Castro.

“We just felt I don’t want someone tired facing Salvador Perez,” Girardi said.

Bonifacio hit an opposite-field drive into the right-field seats on the next pitch.

“I just left a fastball up in the zone a little bit and he put a good swing on it,” Warren said. “Monty threw great, so you hate to kind of take that away from him.”

Bonifacio has six homers, including four in his last five games. He made his big league debut April 21.

“The kid’s been here for 10 years if he’s been here for a month,” Duffy said.

Merrifield connected off Holder leading off the eighth, and Moustakas greeted Shreve later in the inning with his 11th homer, a two-run drive down the right-field line.

“It kind of came back fair, almost. It was pretty weird,” Moustakas said. “I wish I could do it with a 7-iron.”

HEADED BACK

Royals OF Alex Gordon was due back in New York late Tuesday following the birth of daughter Joey Lynn, and Yost said Gordon will be available to play Wednesday.

MOVIN’ ON UP

Gleyber Torres started at third base for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the 20-year-old went 1 for 3 with a single, walk and strikeout against Columbus in his Triple-A debut. “I know sometimes it feels like you’re a long ways away, but things can happen really quickly in this game,” Girardi said.

GOING DOWN

Kansas City sent RHP Al Alburquerque outright to Triple-A Omaha.

STREAKING

Yankees backup C Austin Romine was 0 for 3 and is hitless in 19 at-bats.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: 1B Greg Bird, who hasn’t played since May 1 because of a bone bruise in his right ankle, took grounders Tuesday for the first time since going on the DL. He expects to head to Tampa, Florida, on Sunday for extended spring training and then a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. Bird, who missed 2016 following shoulder surgery, was just 6 for 60 with one homer and three RBI before going on the DL.

UP NEXT

RHP Luis Severino (2-2) starts Wednesday for the Yankees and RHP Jason Hammel (1-5) for the Royals.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — At this rate, the New York Yankees might want to build a rooting space for Brett Gardner, too.

Gardner kept up his power surge from the leadoff spot, and Didi Gregorius and Chris Carter also homered Monday night as the Yankees beat Jason Vargas again in a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Before the game, the Yankees debuted a new fan section for rookie slugger Aaron Judge — The Judge’s Chambers, with 18 people wearing black judicial robes with his No. 99 in a faux jury box behind his spot in right field.

While Judge went 0 for 3, Gardner hit his ninth home run in the last 21 games, lining a solo drive in the third inning. The leadoff man didn’t have an RBI in the Yankees’ first 18 games.

“Just been consistent at the plate,” he said.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi smiled at the prospect of a place set aside for Gardner.

“He’s had a big cheering section for a long time,” he said. “Would you make them `Gardeners?”

Judge said it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea.

“It might be coming next, you don’t know,” he said, smiling.

A reversed call in the seventh kept the Yankees ahead and enabled Michael Pineda (5-2) to top Vargas for the second time in a week. The Royals, with the worst record in the AL, have lost five of seven.

Vargas (5-3) began the day with a 2.03 ERA, tied for second-best in the majors. But the lefty fell to 0-7 lifetime against the Yankees when he was tagged by Gardner and Gregorius, the only left-handed hitters in New York’s lineup.

Last week, Vargas lost to Pineda and the Yankees 11-7 in Kansas City.

“I definitely felt like I was able to make pitches tonight and I wasn’t wasting pitches, like I did last time out,” Vargas said.

“But, when you come off the field and you’re losing the ballgame, you didn’t do your job.”

The Royals trailed 3-2 in the seventh and had a runner on second with two outs. Alcides Escobar hit a grounder that second baseman Starlin Castro fielded behind the bag before making a one-hop throw to Carter at first.

Umpire Marvin Hudson ruled safe and when Carter briefly turned around to look at him, Jorge Soler kept running and slid home ahead of a late throw. The Yankees challenged the call and were right, taking the apparent tying run off the board.

Carter quickly made up for his near-miscue, hitting a solo homer in the bottom half.

Pineda gave up two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Dellin Betances worked the ninth for his third save.

Gregorius got his sixth straight hit, a two-run drive into the second deck for a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

Jorge Bonifacio hit a leadoff homer in the third and the Royals added another run that inning on an RBI double by Escobar.

CLEANUP MAN

Girardi was in the dugout while coaches were exchanging the lineup cards when he suddenly was summoned by umpire crew chief Jerry Layne. Moments later, Girardi was wiping dirt off the dish.

Girardi was ejected last weekend at Tampa Bay during an animated argument that included him covering the plate with dirt. This time, Layne — who’s known the skipper since the days when he was a big league catcher — playfully told Girardi that he’d “set a bad example” for kids and “that I should clean the plate.”

SKIDDING

The Royals went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and are 1 for 30 in those situations during their four-game road trip.

HAVING HOPE

The Yankees began their ninth annual HOPE Week, when every player on the team takes part in events that honor people and groups who serve their community. The Yankees happen to be 29-10 during HOPE Weeks, and have won 17 of the last 19.

MOVING UP

Prized Yankees prospect Gleyber Torres has moved up to Triple-A. The 20-year-old infielder hit .273 with five homers in 32 games at Double-A. “We have a lot of belief in him,” Girardi said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals LF Alex Gordon and wife Jamie welcomed their third child, daughter Joey Lynn. Gordon missed his third game while on the paternity list.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (3-3, 2.97 ERA) beat the Yankees with seven scoreless innings last Thursday in Kansas City, striking out 10.

Yankees: LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-3, 4.81) gave up five runs over five innings in the loss to Duffy.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Adalberto Mejia made the most of his brief stint back in the majors with the Minnesota Twins by getting his first big-league win.

Robbie Grossman, Max Kepler and Chris Gimenez all homered to help Mejia and the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 in the second game Sunday to salvage a split of a doubleheader.

Mejia (1-1) was the Twins’ 26th active player for the second game and allowed three runs in seven innings, on two home runs by Salvador Perez — who also went deep in the first game.

Mejia’s reward for his first win? A trip back to Triple-A Rochester.

“I’m going to go down there and work on the things they told me work on,” Mejia said through interpreter Carlos Font. “Then it will be up to them to see when I get back.”

Grossman and Kepler each hit two-run homers in the first inning, and Brian Dozier had an RBI double in the second off Ian Kennedy (0-4) in his first game back from the disabled list.

Brandon Moss hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs in the opener of the doubleheader, and Perez and Jorge Bonifacio each hit two-run homers to lead the Royals to a 6-4 win earlier in the day.

With the split, the Twins are now 7-1 on the year against the Royals. Kansas City’s win in the first game snapped a seven-game losing streak against Minnesota.

Kennedy, who returned after missing time with a hamstring strain, said he felt fine physically. He walked three batters and gave up a pair of two-run homers in just two innings Sunday.

“He was way out of whack,” manager Ned Yost said. “His leg was fine. He felt normal, felt good. Just timing was off, rhythm was off.”

MINOR’S WIN

Mike Minor’s road back to the majors was not an easy one. Shoulder surgery kept him out of the majors for two years and resulted in a move to the bullpen.

Minor got his first victory since 2014 with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in the first game Sunday. He relieved Jake Junis with a 5-2 lead in the fifth, two outs and two on. The 29-year-old left-hander walked Max Kepler, then retired Kennys Vargas on a popup. Minor retired the side in order in the sixth.

Minor had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder in May 13, 2015, and did not appear in the major leagues in 2015 and 2016. Minor, who signed a $7.25 million, two-year contract with the Royals in February 2016, got his first major league victory since Aug. 28, 2014, for Atlanta.

JUNIS’ FIRST START

Kansas City’s Jake Junis, a 24-year-old right-hander, was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and made his first big league start after a pair of relief appearances. He allowed two runs, five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings, leaving after RBI singles from Brian Dozier and Miguel Sano.

Junis found out Saturday that he would be making his first career start. He didn’t pitch deep enough to get the win, but impressed manager Ned Yost before the Royals optioned Junis back to Omaha after the game.

“I thought he did a nice job,” Yost said. “We tried to get him through that fifth inning, but we needed to win this game.”

ROYALS MOVES

Kansas City left fielder Alex Gordon missed the second game to join his wife, who is due to give birth on Monday. Infielder Raul Mondesi replacing Gordon on the roster but was optioned to Triple-A Omaha after the game. That means LHP Miguel Almonte, initially the Royals’ 26th active player Sunday, remains on the 25-man roster. … RHP Al Alburquerque was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Junis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Nate Karns had his pitching arm evaluated after Friday’s start against Minnesota. Manager Ned Yost said fluid was found in the elbow area but Karns does not have a strain. Karns exited his start Friday after five innings and threw just 72 pitches due to stiffness in his arm.

Twins: RHP Phil Hughes was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday with shoulder discomfort. Hughes took the loss in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. Right-hander Kyle Gibson will take Hughes’ place on the roster.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (5-2, 2.03 ERA) starts Monday’s series opener at the New York Yankees.

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson (0-4, 8.20 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Rochester to start Monday against Baltimore.

— Associated Press —