KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Blackburn shook off a slow start and pitched five effective innings, helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Wednesday night.
Justin Morneau hit a go-ahead, two-run single with two out in the fifth as Minnesota won for the fourth time in five games. Morneau, Ben Revere and Ryan Doumit each had two hits.
Blackburn (2-4), who was making his first start since coming off the disabled list following a left quad strain, allowed two runs and five hits. He threw 92 pitches while lowering his ERA from 8.37 to 7.75.
Yuniesky Betancourt hit a two-run homer in the first, but that was it for the Royals. Four Twins relievers combined for four innings of two-hit ball, with Matt Capps tossing a perfect ninth to log his 14th save in 15 opportunities.
Royals right-hander Felipe Paulino faced four batters in the first inning before leaving with a strained right groin. Paulino was injured on his 13th and final pitch, retiring Morneau on a fly ball. He will be evaluated in the next few days.
Paulino, who began the season on the disabled list with a right forearm strain, is 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA and had not allowed a run in four of his first six starts.
Luis Mendoza (2-3) came in and pitched five innings, yielding two runs and five hits.
Morneau’s bases-loaded hit in the fifth scored Revere and Jamey Carroll, giving the Twins a 3-2 lead. Revere also tripled and scored on Carroll’s single in the seventh for the final Minnesota run.
The Twins scored an unearned run in the first after shortstop Betancourt committed an error. Doumit’s double brought home Carroll, who reached on Betancourt’s third error in five games.