| SEASON | CAREER |
| W3 | 3 |
| L5 | 5 |
| G15 | 15 |
| IP75.0 | 75.0 |
| BB17 | 17 |
| SO53 | 53 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W4 | 4 |
| L6 | 6 |
| G11 | 11 |
| IP61.2 | 61.0 |
| BB22 | 22 |
| SO39 | 39 |
Some games, Liam Hendriks has gotten little help from his offense. Other games, he's failed to help himself.
All those games have left him without a major league victory.
The rookie right-hander tries again for win No. 1 on Saturday night when he pitches the second game of a doubleheader for the Minnesota Twins against the Kansas City Royals .
The 23-year-old Hendriks (0-7, 6.02 ERA) first appeared in the big leagues last year after the rosters expanded and lost twice in four starts. This season, he's bounced between the Twins and Triple-A Rochester and lost both his outings since last being recalled Aug. 21.
While winless in 14 overall starts, Hendriks could barely be faulted for his ninth career defeat Monday. He threw a three-hitter in a 1-0 loss to Felix Hernandez and Seattle, with his only mistake in 103 pitches an eighth-inning homer by Eric Thames .
"I'm so upset," Ben Revere said. "We all are trying to get him his first MLB victory. It just doesn't seem like he can catch a break. But he's going to eventually get it."Monday's loss marked the fourth time in 10 starts this year the Twins failed to provide Hendriks any runs, but it was also just the third time he lasted at least six innings. Still, the young Australian is undaunted as he tries to avoid becoming the first Twins starer in franchise history to lose his first 10 decisions dating back to 1920, when the team was located in Washington.
"I know I can go out there and I know I can compete and I know I can even get better from here," he said after the loss.His lone appearance against the Royals did not go well, suffering a 7-3 road loss Sept. 14 after getting tagged for five runs and eight hits in five innings.
Hendriks will be opposed by Luke Hochevar (7-12, 4.93), who is trying to avoid losing for the fourth time in five starts. The right-hander threw an eight-hitter in a 5-1 loss at Boston on Monday and was again the victim of poor support - Kansas City has provided him only one run during his recent slump.
Hochevar is 0-1 in two starts against Minnesota this year and limited the Twins to one run in seven innings of Kansas City's 2-1, 11-inning loss July 20 in the most recent one. He is 4-4 in 13 lifetime starts and 14 appearances versus Minnesota and has struggled against Joe Mauer , who has gone 13 for 26 with two doubles, one triple and one homer.
Twins shortstop Alexi Casilla is 8 for 22 with three doubles and two triples versus Hochevar.
Friday night's scheduled starters - rookies Will Smith and Cole De Vries - will take the mound in this twinbill opener.
After lasting seven innings apiece in a pair of strong starts earlier in August, Smith (4-6, 5.55 ERA) has regressed for the Royals. The left-hander gave up four runs in 3 2-3 innings in a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay on Aug. 20, then surrendered five in five frames of an 8-6 defeat at Boston on Sunday.
"Just not a good day. It just wasn't there today," Smith said after falling to the Red Sox. "Couldn't get anybody out, just gave up a lot of base hits. Nothing was working."Nothing was working at all in his lone previous look at the Twins. Smith gave up seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 10-7 home loss June 4, surrendering homers to Josh Willingham , Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe .
His opponent that day was De Vries (3-5, 4.68), who earned his first major league win despite giving up five runs in five innings. The right-hander was much better June 30 at Target Field, holding the Royals to one run in six innings of a 5-1 victory over Hochevar.
He then went nearly two months without a win before earning one in a tough environment Sunday. De Vries held Texas to two runs - one earned - and three hits over five innings as Minnesota won 6-5.
"I'm happy to have a performance like that against a powerful offense," De Vries said.The Twins swept a doubleheader between the teams June 30 at Target Field.
AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPS Minnesota Twins |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 28, 2012 | Denard Span | Day-to-Day | Sore right collarbone |
| August 28, 2012 | Denard Span | 15-Day DL | Strained right sternoclavicular joint |
| August 24, 2012 | Josh Willingham | Day-to-Day | Stiff neck |
| August 12, 2012 | Denard Span | Day-to-Day | Left game - right shoulder injury |
| July 25, 2012 | Anthony Swarzak | 15-Day DL | Mild right rotator cuff strain |
| July 25, 2012 | Anthony Swarzak | 15-Day DL | Mild right rotator cuff strain |
 Kansas City Royals |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 18, 2012 | Chris Getz | 15-Day DL | Broken left thumb |
| August 17, 2012 | Chris Getz | Day-to-Day | Left game - fractured left thumb |
| July 28, 2012 | Mike Moustakas | Day-to-Day | Left game - sprained right knee |
| July 05, 2012 | Luke Hochevar | Day-to-Day | Sprained right ankle |
| June 18, 2012 | Chris Getz | 15-Day DL | Lateral strain in lower left leg |
| June 18, 2012 | Chris Getz | 15-Day DL | Lateral strain in lower left leg |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Cole De Vries likes to face the Kansas City Royals .
Justin Morneau drove in two runs and Minnesota rookie De Vries beat the Royals again 3-1 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.
De Vries (4-5) has four career victories and three of them are against the Royals.
"Oh, I can't say that I know that," De Vries said of being 3-0 in as many starts against the Royals. "That makes me happy. That's pretty good."
So he owns them?
"I guess," he said and laughed. "Something is working. I feel like half of my starts have been against the Royals or the White Sox. I feel I know both those teams decently well. I feel comfortable pitching against both of them just because I've pitched against them so much."
He limited the Royals to one run on seven hits, walked none and struck out three over 6 2/3 innings.
"My two-seamer for whatever reason it just had a lot of movement, had pretty good control with it and I was getting a lot of awkward swings," De Vries said. "That and my curveball were definitely my two best today."
De Vries has won consecutive starts, holding Texas and Kansas City to 10 hits and two earned runs in 11 2-3 innings.
"Anytime you can get back-to-back wins, it's alright," De Vries said.
Morneau, who has 77 career RBIs against the Royals, doubled home Josh Willingham in the first inning with the first Twins' run.
Morneau's sacrifice fly to center scored Pedro Florimon , who led off the fifth inning with a bunt single. Ryan Doumit 's two-out single to right brought
home Darin Mastroianni with the other run.
Royals rookie Will Smith (4-7) lost his third consecutive start, giving up three runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out four in six-plus innings.
The Twins loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but reliever Vin Mazzaro got out of the jam when Doumit grounded into a double play after Morneau was intentionally walked. Mazzaro had not pitched since Aug. 21 in the minors.
The Royals chased De Vries in the seventh with three hits. Johnny Giavotella 's two-out single scored Mike Moustakas .
"We just couldn't muster anything against him (De Vries)," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He does a nice job of keeping the ball down and getting us to swing at his pitches a lot more than we want to."
Glen Perkins worked the ninth for his ninth save in 12 opportunities.
Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur logged his major league-leading 16th assist in the fifth when he threw out Willingham trying to go from first to third.
Notes: Manager Ron Gardenhire said the Twins "might go" to a six-man rotation with the additions Saturday of RHPs P.J. Walters, who was reinstated from the disabled list, and Esmerling Vasquez , who was promoted from Triple-A Rochester and is scheduled to start Sunday against the Royals. Vasquez was strictly a reliever from 2009-11 with Arizona, but the Twins plan to look at him as a starter. Walters started before shoulder inflammation shut him down for 70 games. ...There were 6.54 inches of rain to fall at Kauffman Stadium in a 29-hour period before the first pitch Saturday, which was delayed 21 minutes. .The Royals recalled OF David Lough , who hit .275 with Triple-A Omaha, and C Manny Pina , who hit .260 in 43 games with Triple-A Northwest Arkansas after having right knee surgery in spring training. Lough started off the nightcap with a single in his first big league at-bat. ...The Royals dropped to 7-22 against theTwins, Seattle and Toronto, the three last-place teams in their AL divisions.
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Minnesota Twins