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Tuesday, Apr. 18 8:05pm ET
Radke holds Kansas City in check | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Brad Radke thanks the New York Yankees for his success against the Kansas City Royals. "They've got some good hitters. I think New York kind of put them in their place and I think they might have been down a little bit," Radke said after baffling Kansas City in Minnesota's 3-1 victory Tuesday night. After winning four straight games in their final at-bat, the Royals were flung back down to earth by the Yankees, who swept them over the weekend. They were just as overpowered by Radke, who scattered six hits over eight innings, walked two and struck out five while mixing in a higher than usual number of off-speed pitches to keep Kansas City's big bats muffled. The only one who figured out Radke (1-2) was No. 9 hitter Rey Sanchez, who collected half the Royals' six hits, including a two-out double in the fifth that drove home Joe Randa, who had walked, pulling Kansas City to 2-1. "The ball seems to find his bat," Radke said, shaking his head. But it found a lot more leather on this night. "This was definitely a game we wanted after losing in New York," Sanchez said. "But we need all 25 guys to contribute, not just my hits." Radke pitched particularly well when he was in trouble, stranding runners at third base three times. "When you run up against good pitching and you're not hitting, that's what happens," Johnny Damon said. "When you get guys in scoring position, especially at third, you need clutch hits. Radke did his job and we didn't do ours." Royals manager Tony Muser blamed it on inexperience. "We have a youthful club," he said. "They have to learn how to hit in those situations." After Sanchez's triple in the fifth, Radke stranded him by inducing Damon into a broken-bat groundout to second. Radke also stranded the tying run at third in the seventh when Brian Johnson grounded out to end the inning. Radke preserved his 3-1 lead in the eighth by stranding runners at second and third when he got Jermaine Dye to fly out to center on a slider. The Royals, who opened the season by winning eight of 11 games, lost their fourth straight. Matt Lawton lined a two-run double following singles by Todd Walker and Cristian Guzman in the first inning, but Jeff Suppan (1-1) picked off Lawton and then retired 14 of the next 15 batters. Torii Hunter chased Suppan with a two-out, RBI single in the seventh for a 3-1 lead. Suppan allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. "You have to admire the way the two pitchers got after it," Twins manager Tom Kelly said. "That's probably one of the better pitched games we're going to see this year." Bob Wells needed just six pitches to record his first save. Radke, the object of many teams' desire after refusing to sign a contract extension with the Twins over the winter, had posted an 0-2 mark with a 7.00 ERA over his first three starts, all the time insisting that his uncertain future wasn't interfering with his play. "Of course, if I don't throw well, that's going to be brought up," Radke said. "If I throw some good games, hopefully nobody brings it up, you know? Like you did now." Game notesCarlos Beltran's stolen base in the eighth made the Royals 16-for-17 on attempted steals this season. ... Guzman has hit in 13 of 14 games. ... The Royals placed C Gregg Zaun on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right elbow. Zaun got hurt Friday night at Yankee Stadium when he threw out Shane Spencer. The Royals called up catcher Jorge Fabregas, who they signed as free agent last winter. ... Royals RHP Jay Witasick's next start was pushed back from Wednesday night to Saturday, in Seattle, because of a sore right biceps. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Kansas City Clubhouse Minnesota Clubhouse RECAPS Tampa Bay 0 Baltimore 0
Minnesota 3
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