MIAMI (AP) — Alcides Escobar is the latest player to make an impact at the plate for the Kansas City Royals.

Escobar homered, doubled, and drove in two runs to lead the surging Royals past the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Thursday night.

“Esky had a great game,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Just had a great game. Defensively, offensively, the home run was big to give us a two-run lead at that point.”

Escobar is hitting .388 (19 for 49) with four doubles, a triple, and a home run in his last 13 games.

Salvador Perez and Kendrys Morales also drove in runs for the Royals as the defending World Series champions have won 15 of 18 to pull within four games of the second AL wild card spot.

“We’ve been playing great baseball as of late, but we definitely know we’re a long way from where we want to be,” Royals right fielder Lorenzo Cain said. “We have to continue hopefully winning series — that’s our main goal.”

Kansas City starter Edinson Volquez (10-10) pitched five innings and allowed two runs, both unearned, and three hits.

The Royals’ bullpen, which has been a successful formula for the reigning two-time AL pennant winners, pitched four scoreless innings to push their franchise-record scoreless streak to 38 2/3 innings — the best in the majors since 2002-03 when San Francisco tossed 39 1/3 straight.

“They’ve just been spectacular,” Yost said.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a flawless ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Tom Koehler (9-9) allowed four runs, three earned, and seven hits in six innings for the Marlins.

“It was an interesting game,” Koehler said. “You’ve got to give them credit. They capitalized on our mistakes we made tonight.”

Kansas City went 4 for 28 with runners in scoring position and scored six runs during the three-game series, but left Miami with two victories.

“We don’t care what we do as long as we win,” Yost said. “As long as we score more runs than they do and it’s a combination of pitching, great defense, and timely hitting and that’s been our recipe for a while now.”

The Marlins also struggled hitting with runners in scoring position during the series going 3 for 26 and leaving 24 men on base including 11 on Thursday.

“We had a few chances, we didn’t have a ton, but we had a few chances but weren’t able to scratch,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

The Royals opened the scoring in the third on an RBI double by Perez after the Marlins elected to intentionally walk Eric Hosmer with first base open. Cheslor Cuthbert scored on Perez’s ground ball down the left-field line.

Escobar extended the Royals’ lead to 2-0 on a home run to center field in the fourth. It was his third of the season and second of the month.

“I was looking for a fastball on that pitch,” Escobar said. “(Koehler) threw me a first-pitch cutter and the next pitch was a fastball and I swung the bat and hit the ball really good.”

Third baseman Cuthbert had two doubles to go with two errors, one of which led to the Marlins’ two runs coming in the fourth to tie the game at 2.

Escobar’s tiebreaking RBI double off Koehler in the sixth gave the Royals the lead. Morales’ pinch-hit sacrifice fly put the Royals on top 4-2.

The Marlins threatened in the sixth loading the bases with two outs, but lefty Matt Strahm entered the game and got Dee Gordon to ground out to escape the jam.

“The bullpen was phenomenal and Strahm probably gets the gold star,” Yost said.

The Royals pushed their lead to 5-2 in the ninth as Raul Mondesi walked, stole two bases, and scored on catcher J.T. Realmuto’s throwing error trying to get Mondesi at third on his stolen base attempt.

“A club like that over there that’s got guys that can hit balls out of the ballpark, a three-run lead is much better than a two-run lead,” Yost said.

Both teams combined for six errors.

DYSON WEB GEM

Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson made one of the best catches ever at Marlins Park when he robbed Christian Yelich of a home run in the first inning.

“That was probably the best play that anybody’s made for me in my entire career,” Volquez said.

Yelich said: “It was a great play. It’s a huge ball park. We play in the worst hitters’ park in baseball so you better get it. I didn’t get enough of it and he made a great play. You’ve got to hit it to get it out of here. It’s a terrible hitters’ park.”

Dyson ran to make a leaping left-handed grab up against the wall in center field.

“Actually off the bat I thought I was burnt and I had no shot, but as I kept running and got closer I was like, `Yeah I got a chance,” Dyson said.

Many of Dyson’s teammates gave him the Royals’ customary tip of the cap for an impressive defensive play on his way back to the dugout.

“It felt great,” Dyson said. “I think that’s the first one I’ve ever robbed in my career so it was a pretty special moment for me.”

It was the first home run robbed at Marlins Park since it opened in 2012.

“That’s history right there and I love being a part of history,” Dyson said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: C Salvador Perez took a foul ball off his face mask in the eighth and was replaced by Drew Butera in the ninth as a precaution. “He got a little light-headed so we just got him out,” Yost said.

Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton (groin strain) is hopeful he can return to the team at some point during the regular season to help the Marlins’ after sustaining the injury on Aug. 13. “Anything could help so whatever I can do to be back, if it’s possible, is going to happen,” Stanton said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (8-9, 3.58) will start Friday’s game at Boston against RHP Steven Wright (13-5, 3.01) in a three-game series with the Red Sox. Kennedy has recorded five straight starts of at least six innings and one-or-fewer runs matching Larry Gura for the longest such streak in franchise history. Kennedy is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA during the stretch.

Marlins: RHP David Phelps (7-6, 2.28) will take the mound Friday to begin a three-game series against San Diego, which will start former Marlins RHP Jarred Cosart (0-1, 4.54). Phelps is 2-1 with a 1.31 ERA over his last four starts since moving into the rotation.

— Associated Press —

MIAMI (AP) — Jose Fernandez pitched seven innings and appeared to avoid a serious injury when he tweaked his right leg on his final pitch Wednesday night, helping the Miami Marlins beat Kansas City 3-0 to snap the Royals’ nine-game winning streak.

Fernandez (13-7) pulled up after striking out Christian Colon to end the seventh, and rubbed his right knee before limping to the dugout.

The Marlins pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the seventh, and no injury was announced. Fernandez was laughing with teammates in the dugout in the ninth inning and joined in the postgame celebration on the field.

His nine strikeouts increased his season total to 213, breaking the Marlins record of 209 set by Ryan Dempster in 2000. Fernandez allowed six hits and won for the first time since July 23 to snap his three-game losing streak, a career worst.

Fernandez also had the Marlins’ first two hits, hiking his average to .286, and improved to 27-2 at Marlins Park.

Christian Yelich broke a scoreless tie in the sixth with a two-run single.

The Royals went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position against Fernandez. They loaded the bases in the second, but Fernandez escaped by retiring Paulo Orlando and Colon. Their first two batters singled in the sixth, but Alex Gordon struck out and Alcides Escobar bounced into a double play.

Orlando struck out in all four at-bats against Fernandez.

Fernando Rodney pitched around two singles and walk in the ninth for his 25th save and eighth with Miami. He was helped by a spectacular leaping catch by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria to rob Escobar.

Dillon Gee (5-7) allowed only two of the first 18 batters to reach — and both times it was Fernandez. He had an infield single in the third and another single in the sixth, when Gee proceeded to unravel.

The Marlins collected four consecutive singles, the last of them Yelich’s hit off reliever Peter Moylan. Marcell Ozuna followed with a sacrifice fly.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (sprained elbow) threw a bullpen session for the first time since being sidelined July 20, and he’s on schedule to return in mid-September. … Ozuna was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game to be with his pregnant wife, who became ill and was briefly taken to the hospital. She and the baby were doing fine Wednesday, Ozuna said.

Royals: LHP Mike Minor, who has not pitched in the majors since 2014 after suffering a torn labrum in 2015, is being shut down for the year after struggling in several rehab starts.

UP NEXT

RHP Edinson Volquez (9-10, 5.04) is scheduled to face Marlins RHP Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.82) in the series finale. Volquez is 6-0 in seven career starts against Miami. Koehler is 3-0 over his past six starts with a 1.62 ERA.

— Associated Press —

MIAMI (AP) — Yordano Ventura escaped two threats before turning the game over to the bullpen with a 1-0 lead, and for the Kansas City Royals, that meant another victory.

Ventura pitched six innings and the Royals extended their winning streak to nine games Tuesday by beating the Miami Marlins 1-0.

Three relievers closed out the win and extended the bullpen’s streak of 32 consecutive shutout innings since Aug. 10. That broke the franchise record of 29 2/3 consecutive innings set in 1969.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save. The longest winning streak since June 2014 by the Royals (65-60) has gotten them back in the mix in the AL wild-card race.

“The team you’re seeing is the team we are,” Ventura said.

“We’re definitely confident right now,” right fielder Lorenzo Cain said.

The Royals won with six hits. They scored the lone run in the sixth when Paulo Orlando led off with a single, stole second and came home on Cain’s single.

Ventura (9-9), who reached 101 mph on the scoreboard radar gun, allowed six hits and one walk while striking out six. The Royals’ starters have an ERA of 1.69 during the winning streak.

“Those guys have been outstanding,” Cain said. “It has been lights out every night.”

Andrew Cashner (4-10) had his best outing in five starts for the Marlins but fell to 0-3 since joining them on July 30. He allowed one run in six innings.

The Marlins had won three straight but were shut out despite totaling seven hits. They went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

“It was one of those games tonight where you didn’t feel it was going to take too much,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “Our guy was throwing the ball good, their guy was throwing it good. We just couldn’t really break through.”

Miami loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but Marcell Ozuna flied out to end the inning. Ventura pitched around a leadoff double by Ozuna in the sixth.

The Marlins played their 15th consecutive game decided by three runs or less, a club record. They are 7-8 during the stretch.

DEPARTURE

Ozuna left the game in the eighth inning because of a family emergency. Mattingly said he didn’t know whether Ozuna would be available Wednesday.

HOSMER HOMECOMING

The Royals played in Miami for the first time since 2008, and it was Eric Hosmer’s first game in his hometown. He went 0 for 3 with a walk.

REVERSAL

Cain was caught stealing in the sixth when the initial call of safe was overturned by replay.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: Cashner pitched with a blood blister under a nail on his pitching hand. “Tonight was worse than it has been, but I found a way to get it done,” he said.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, made his first Triple-A rehab start Monday and allowed three runs in three innings for Omaha.

UP NEXT

RHP Jose Fernandez (12-7, 3.05) is scheduled to start Wednesday for Miami against RHP Dillon Gee (5-6, 4.52). In his past four starts, Fernandez is 0-3 with an ERA of 6.00.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Duffy keeps winning and so do the Kansas City Royals.

Duffy won his 10th straight decision, Eric Hosmer doubled in the go-ahead run and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 Sunday for their eighth consecutive win.

The Royals swept a four-game series from the Twins for the first time since 1999 and have their longest winning streak since an eight-game run Aug. 3-11, 2014. The Royals have won 13 of 15 since the Rally Mantis showed up in the dugout.

“We all know as a team we can go on some crazy runs,” Hosmer said.

Duffy (11-1), unbeaten since June 6, improved to 5-0 with a 1.18 ERA in August. His 2.66 ERA ranks second in the American League, while his .917 winning percent tops the majors.

Duffy left after 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run and a season-high eight hits while walking two and striking out four.

“There was a lot of traffic out there,” Duffy said. “I made some pitches when I had to. When you don’t have your best stuff, you just battle. That’s kind of how I felt today, just get through as many outs as I can and let your defense play behind you. And goodness, didn’t they, the defense killed it out there today. I’m very happy with the way it went.”

He outpitched Twins right-hander Ervin Santana (6-10), who allowed two runs and five hits while striking out 10 and walking one over seven innings.

“They way he’s been pitching the last few games, he’s lights out,” Santana said of Duffy. “He’s doing his job. He’s doing what he’s supposed to do. He just keeps everybody off balance. He just locates his fastball and his changeup. So, that’s what makes him better today.”

Duffy worked out a no-out, bases loaded jam in the second inning with the help of a couple of fielding gems. After Eddie Rosario struck out, Alex Gordon made a sliding catch of Kurt Suzuki’s fly to shallow left . Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert snagged Danny Santana’s hard hit grounder and threw out Eduardo Escobar at second base.

“I thought it could have been his best start in this run,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “For the simple reason he was really struggling with command of his fastball. When good pitchers don’t have their best stuff, they still find ways to compete at a high level and that’s exactly what Danny did with the help of some great defense.”

Hosmer’s two-out double in the sixth over the head of center fielder Rosario scored Lorenzo Cain, who had an infield single.

Hosmer singled in the second, moved to third on Kendrys Morales’ double and scored on Alcides Escobar’s ground out for the first Kansas City run.

Santana has a 1.91 ERA in his past 11 starts after beginning the season 1-7 with a 5.10 ERA.

“It’s terrible, man,” Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said to be swept by the Royals. ” We’re playing good, it seems like. These past four games we’ve always make that one mistake and against good teams like Kansas City, it’s not getting people in, bases loaded, nobody out, that’s the ballgame.”

Robbie Grossman and Trevor Plouffe doubled in the third to produce the only run off Duffy.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth to log his seventh save in nine chances.

MOLITOR’S BIRTHDAY

Twins manager Paul Molitor turns 60 Monday. “There’s some plans being made for me,” Molitor said. “I’ll be a willing participant. It’ll be nice to have an off day and do some things with the family. But not celebrate, I’m past that point.”

NO MAUER

1B Joe Mauer, who is a career .326 hitter with 14 home runs and 111 RBI against the Royals, went 0 for 12 in the series and was not in the lineup Sunday. He grounded out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.

SEEING THE LIGHT

The Twins recalled RHP Pat Light, who was acquired from Boston on Aug. 1, from Triple-A Rochester, where he had a 2.57 ERA in six outings. He appeared in two games for the Red Sox this season, giving up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) made a Saturday rehab start for Triple-A Omaha, allowing three runs and two hits, including a home run, and a walk in 1 2/3 innings against Nashville. He threw 22 strikes in 34 pitches.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson starts the series opener against Detroit on Tuesday. Gibson threw a complete-game Wednesday at Atlanta.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura starts the series opener at Miami on Tuesday. Ventura is 0-2 in two interleague starts, yielding 11 runs over eight innings.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ian Kennedy has been getting scant support, 11 runs in his previous nine starts, the lowest in the majors in that span.

Alex Gordon and the Kansas City hitters quickly made up for that drought.

Gordon homered twice and doubled, Kennedy pitched eight sharp innings and the Royals extended their winning streak to seven games, beating the Minnesota Twins 10-0 Saturday night.

“Tonight the offense was just rolling,” Gordon said. “Like we talked about last year, just keep the line moving. That’s kind of what we had tonight.”

“It’s a little contagious, everyone was feeling good at the plate and you just roll with it,” he said.

The Royals’ string is their best since they won seven straight in April 2015. The World Series champions have won 12 of 14 to move back into the AL wild-card race.

“We scored four, which helped, and then attack the zone a little bit more,” Kennedy said. “And then we scored more later on and we just kept tacking on. It allows us to go out there and throw strikes and try to get ahead of guys and be efficient.”

Gordon has homered five times in five games. He connected in the fourth inning and again in the fifth for his fourth career multihomer game and his first since May 18, 2014.

Kennedy (8-9) gave up four hits, walked none and struck out six. He allowed only one runner past second base and has an 0.79 ERA in his past five starts.

Kennedy has allowed no more than one run while pitching at least six innings in that five-start span, tying a team record. Larry Gura had a parallel streak in 1981.

“(Danny) Duffy hasn’t done that yet?” Kennedy said. “It seems like every time he’s out there, he’s doing that same thing.”

Salvador Perez and Gordon hit back-to-back home runs in a four-run fifth, chasing Hector Santiago (10-8).

“Kennedy’s got a sneaky fastball,” Twins star Brian Dozier said. “And he lives away. He was getting the call all night about three or four inches off. He kept peppering us. It’s what veteran pitchers do. He kept getting it and we tried to make adjustments.”

“Obviously with a good pitcher like that, and you give up run after run after run from the third inning on, it’s tough to play catch up,” he said.

Santiago was tagged for eight runs and 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings. The lefty is 0-4 with a 10.89 ERA since the Twins acquired him in an Aug. 1 trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

“Too many pitches in the middle of the zone, too many mistakes,” Santiago said.

Lorenzo Cain doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs.

NO DOZIER HOMER

Dozier had homered in seven straight games he’d started against the Royals before going 0 for 4.

TWINS RECALL MEJIA

LHP Adalberto Mejia, acquired by the Twins from the Giants in a July 28 trade for Eduardo Nunez, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester, where he was 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA in three starts. Mejia was scheduled to start Saturday for the Red Wings, but instead went to the Minnesota bullpen. Mejia made his big league debut, giving up two runs on five hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly in 2 1/3 innings. The Twins announced after the game he was being sent back to Rochester. … 1B-DH Kenny Vargas, who hit .259 in 25 games, was optioned to Rochester.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Closer RHP Wade Davis, who went on the disabled list July 31 with a flexor strain, is going to Surprise, Arizona, to throw batting practice. “We’ll see how he does there,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. Yost said Davis has thrown three or four bullpen sessions.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Ervin Santana, who has won his past three starts, is 13-14 with a 3.69 ERA in 39 starts with the Twins. He’s in the second year of a four-year contract with the club.

Royals: Duffy, who will be making his first start this season against the Twins, will be seeking his 10th straight victory since a June 6 loss at Baltimore.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Gordon hit a grand slam, Dillon Gee pitched seven strong innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 8-1 on Thursday night.

The Royals have won five straight and eight of nine to move above .500 for the first time since July 22. Royals starting pitchers have a 1.61 ERA in the five-game winning streak, allowing 23 hits and six earned runs in 33 2/3 innings, while striking out 27 and walking seven.

Gordon, who was hitting .199 with 16 RBI on Aug. 9, extended his hitting streak to a season-best nine games. Gordon has homered in three consecutive games.

Gee (5-6) picked up the Royals’ first victory from a No. 5 starter since May 31. The Royals are 9-21 is games started by the fifth starter.

Gee, who is 3-6 in 10 starts, gave up a home run to Brian Dozier on his third pitch. It was Dozier’s 14th career leadoff homer and his 27th for the season. He has homered in five straight games against the Royals.

That was the only run Gee would allow as he limited the Twins to four singles after the home run, walked one and struck out seven. Gee’s seven innings were a season high.

Twins right-hander Tyler Duffey (8-9) retired the first 10 hitters, but only one of the final seven batters he faced before being removed by manager Paul Molitor. After Cheslor Cuthbert’s single with out in the third, Duffey walked three and hit a batter with Gordon’s third career grand slam punctuating the inning. Duffy was replaced by Michael Tonkin after 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs.

The Royals added three runs in the eighth with Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer both driving in a run. The other run scored on a throwing error by center fielder Eddie Rosario.

Cuthbert had three of the Royals’ seven hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, who has not pitched this season after Tommy John surgery in July 2015, made his third rehab start Wednesday, giving up three runs and four hits, including two home runs, in 2 1/3 innings for Northwest Arkansas against Corpus Christi. He threw 42 pitches, 27 for strikes, while striking out one and walking none.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Jose Berrios yielded six runs, eight hits and a walk in two innings in his previous start, a 15-7 loss to Houston.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA in three 2016 starts against the Twins.

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night and complete a three-game sweep.

Hosmer broke up Anibal Sanchez’s no-hit bid with a double in the seventh inning after spoiling his perfect game bid with a walk in the fifth.

Sanchez threw seven shutout innings after allowing eight runs in four innings in his previous start. He struck out six and walked two Wednesday.

In the ninth, Shane Greene (2-3) allowed a one-out single to Lorenzo Cain before Hosmer’s line drive into the right-field stands. Drew Butera added an RBI single later in the inning.

Matt Strahm (1-0) got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, and Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — Danny Duffy allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals hit four homers in a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

Raul Mondesi, Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer all homered off Justin Verlander (12-7), while Kendrys Morales went deep off Mark Lowe.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered for Detroit’s only run. The Tigers have lost seven of nine.

Duffy (10-1) allowed three hits and two walks, striking out five.

Verlander gave up five runs — three earned — four hits and a walk in seven-plus innings. He struck out six.

Verlander retired the first eight batters he faced, but Mondesi gave the Royals a 1-0 lead by driving a hanging slider just inside the right-field foul pole for his first career homer.

Kansas City’s second hit came in the fifth inning, when Gordon hit another slider into nearly the same spot as Mondesi. Gordon came into the game with a .205 career average against the Tigers ace.

Duffy only needed 41 pitches over the first four innings, but Saltalamacchia put the Tigers on the board with a fifth-inning homer into the shrubs above the centerfield fence.

Hosmer restored Kansas City’s two-run lead with a seventh-inning homer to center field that was estimated at 443 feet. It was the fifth hit of the game — four solo homers and a double by Detroit’s J.D. Martinez.

Victor Martinez got the game’s first single when Gordon missed a diving catch of his sinking liner to left in the seventh. J.D. Martinez hit into a force at second, but moved to third on a wild pitch and a fly ball.

Duffy, though, struck out James McCann to end the inning.

Detroit’s defense fell apart at the start of the eighth. Gordon hit a routine grounder to third, but ended up on second when Saltalamacchia missed Casey McGehee’s throw. Alcides Escobar singled to left with Gordon taking third, then moved to second when Justin Upton lobbed the ball into the infield.

Verlander walked Mondesi on his 112th and final pitch, loading the bases. Bruce Rondon came in from the bullpen and struck out Paolo Orlando, but Cheslor Cuthbert hit a blooper to shallow center that Ian Kinsler got under, but dropped.

Kinsler recovered in time to force Escobar at third, but Gordon scored to make to it 4-1. Lorenzo Cain doubled to give the Royals a four-run lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Three pitchers with long-term injuries are scheduled to make rehab performances this week. Kris Medlen, out since May with a rotator cuff problem, started Tuesday night for Surprise in the Arizona League, while Jason Vargas (Tommy John surgery) is scheduled to start for Double-A Northwest Arizona on Wednesday. Mike Minor (shoulder) is supposed to pitch for Triple-A Omaha on Friday. Vargas and Minor have both missed the entire season.

Tigers: 1B Miguel Cabrera was out of the starting lineup Tuesday with a strained left biceps. The injury, sustained in Monday’s loss to the Royals, is not considered serious. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he expects Cabrera to miss no more than 2 or 3 games. … Jordan Zimmermann (neck) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, and is scheduled to throw another on Thursday.

TIGERS TRADE

The Tigers announced shortly before the first pitch that they had traded utilityman Mike Aviles and minor-league catcher Kade Scivicque to Atlanta for infielder Erick Aybar. General manager Al Avila said the move was designed to give the Tigers more offense off the bench. Aybar is hitting .242 this season as opposed to Aviles’ .210.

UP NEXT

The teams finish their three-game series on Wednesday evening, with Kansas City’s Yordano Ventura (8-9, 4.60) facing Anibal Sanchez (6-12, 6.31). Sanchez has allowed 23 homers in 19 starts and only lasted four innings in his last outing.

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — Ian Kennedy pitched effectively into the seventh inning to win for the first since June 26 as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Monday night.

The Tigers lost slugger Miguel Cabrera after four innings to a strained left biceps. Cabrera appeared to injure himself in a first-inning collision with Cheslor Cuthbert at first base, but batted twice before leaving the game.

Detroit said Cabrera is day to day.

Kennedy (7-9) ended an eight-start winless streak, allowing one run on five hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings. Three relievers finished, with Kelvin Herrera pitching the ninth for his fifth save.

Daniel Norris (1-1) took the loss, allowing two runs — one earned — in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up six hits and walked four while striking out one. He also made the error that led to the unearned run.

Paulo Orlando started the game with a four-pitch walk, then went to third when Norris threw away Cuthbert’s infield single, leading to the collision with Cabrera as he reached for the ball. With one out, Eric Hosmer hit a line drive to deep left-center, and though Tyler Collins ran it down, Orlando scored easily on the sacrifice fly.

The Royals nearly expanded the lead in the fifth, putting runners on second and third with two outs, but second baseman Ian Kinsler made a diving stop of Kendrys Morales’ grounder to end the inning.

Kansas City added to the lead in the sixth. With one out, Alex Gordon doubled and went to third on Norris’ wild pitch. After a walk to Alcides Escobar put runners at the corners, Alex Wilson came in to pitch and Raul Mondesi laid down a safety squeeze.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who had replaced Cabrera at first base, fielded the bunt cleanly but hesitated before making a play, giving Mondesi an RBI single.

J.D. Martinez made it 2-1 with a solo homer in the seventh — his second in two days and the 101st of his career. Casey McGehee singled with two outs, bringing Peter Moylan out of the Royals’ bullpen.

James McCann hit an infield single, but pinch-hitter Mike Aviles popped out to end the inning.

The Royals added an insurance run in the ninth on Lorenzo Cain’s RBI single off Blaine Hardy.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, out since July 2015 after Tommy John surgery, will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas this week. Vargas is scheduled to pitch three innings Wednesday, but there is no timeline for a possible return to the majors.

Tigers: RHP Mike Pelfrey, sidelined since Aug. 1 with a back strain, will not be activated from the DL when he becomes eligible on Tuesday. He has only progressed as far as throwing on the side, but he’s planning on a tougher workout Friday. Once he can throw off a mound, Pelfrey is expected to make at least one rehab start before returning to the rotation.

EJECTION

The Tigers, already short-handed after Cabrera’s injury, lost Collins in the bottom of the eighth when he was ejected by plate umpire Dan Iassogna for arguing a called third strike. Andrew Romine replaced Collins in center field for the ninth inning.

UP NEXT

The teams continue their three-game series Tuesday, with aces Danny Duffy (9-1, 2.82 ERA) and Justin Verlander (12-6, 3.42) squaring off. Verlander is 22-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 40 career starts against the Royals, giving him the most wins against Kansas City of any active pitcher.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With Paulo Orlando a double shy of the cycle, Kansas City manager Ned Yost said the Royals were hoping their best hitter could get one more at-bat in the ninth inning against Minnesota.

Orlando got his chance, but settled for a single.

The Royals were plenty satisfied, though, as Orlando hit a three-run homer, triple and scored three times three runs scored on Sunday in an 11-4 win over the Twins.

“We were pushing for that at-bat so that he could get that opportunity. Just another lousy single,” Yost kidded.

What a difference a couple of weeks and a lineup change can make.

Orlando and Lorenzo Cain each matched career highs with four hits and drove in three runs as the Royals won their first road series since late June.

Edinson Volquez (9-10) threw six solid innings to snap his five-game winless streak. He gave up two earned runs and five hits in his first win since July 9, and his first road win since May 24.

Two weeks ago, the Royals closed July with their 10th loss in 12 games. Since then, they’ve won eight of 13; their starting pitchers earned five of them.

“I think everybody’s pitching good right now and that’s what we need,” Volquez said.

Orlando, promoted to the leadoff spot last week, has been the other factor. He’s hitting .368 (39 for 106) since the All-Star break and homered off starter Hector Santiago (10-7) in the fourth, capping a six-run inning.

“It’s just amazing his consistency,” Yost said. “I mean it just seems like he gets two or three hits every night.”

“If at the end of spring training you’d have told me in the middle of August Paulo Orlando would be up here doing what he’s doing, I’d have a hard time believing it,” Yost said. “But after seeing it all summer long, it’s just been phenomenal the year he’s put together.”

Chris Young pitched three scoreless innings for his first save.

Brian Dozier hit his 26th home run for Minnesota and Joe Mauer had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in the fifth that pulled the Twins to 7-4.

Kansas City took advantage of three errors in the sixth, two by third baseman Jorge Polanco, to pull away. Minnesota finished its seven-game homestand 2-5.

“We had a lot of misplays around the field today, so you don’t want to point any fingers,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Not a good game, not a good homestand.”

Polanco’s second misplay loaded the bases for Cain, who singled off reliever Michael Tonkin to drive in a pair of runs. Two batters later, left fielder Robbie Grossman failed to come up with Kendrys Morales’ flyball, resulting in two more runs.

“We did a good job of swinging the bat today, that was huge,” Cain said. “Of course they made a lot of errors as well, but at the same time guys stepped up in clutch situations and we definitely needed it.”

Santiago remained winless with Minnesota since being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in a four-player trade on Aug. 1. He’s allowed 15 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings in his first three starts for Minnesota.

FEELING SUPPORTED

The 11 runs were the Royals’ most in support of Volquez this year. Entering the game, the Royals had backed Volquez with two or fewer runs in 13 of his last 19 starts — including zero runs in six of those starts. “Like I always said, we’ve got a pretty good team. We can score many runs, so it’s not a surprise for me,” he said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Miguel Sano was scheduled for an MRI Monday for his sore right elbow. Molitor and Sano called the move precautionary, although it’s the same elbow that required Tommy John surgery and caused the Twins slugger to miss the 2014 season. Sano tweaked the elbow during warmups last weekend in Tampa Bay and the pain hasn’t gone away. “It bothers me in the sense of the pain, but I’m not worried about anything being severe,” Sano said through a translator, adding that it doesn’t bother him while swinging.

UP NEXT

Royals: Open a three-game series in Detroit on Monday when Ian Kennedy (6-9) tries for his first-career win against the Tigers. He’s 0-3 lifetime against Detroit with a 4.34 ERA and is 3-6 on the road this season.

Twins: Off Monday before Ervin Santana (5-9) takes the mound to start a two-game interleague set in Atlanta. Santana has won two straight. He threw a complete game against the Braves on July 26, but the Twins still lost 2-0.

— Associated Press —