| SEASON | CAREER |
| W7 | 13 |
| L9 | 18 |
| G26 | 64 |
| IP140.0 | 239.0 |
| BB51 | 89 |
| SO83 | 133 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W0 | 0 |
| L7 | 9 |
| G12 | 16 |
| IP61.0 | 84.0 |
| BB19 | 25 |
| SO38 | 54 |
Liam Hendriks doesn't have a major league victory to his credit, and Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has a pretty good idea why.
The right-hander looks to end his drought Thursday night while helping Minnesota avoid its first home sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals in more than 13 years.
Hendriks (0-7, 6.20 ERA) has let 4-0 leads slip away in consecutive starts, the first coming when he gave up five runs - three earned - and 10 hits in 3 2-3 innings of Minnesota's 8-7 win over the Royals on Sept. 1.
His latest rough performance, though, led to a 7-6 Twins loss Friday, when he allowed four runs in five innings.
Hendriks is in his second season and is 0-9 with a 6.19 ERA in 16 career starts, including four last season.
"I try not to think about it too much," said Hendriks, who has 21 minor league victories. "It's going to come."Gardenhire, though, said the Australian-born pitcher needs to be more aggressive if that's to happen.
"You get a lead, you have to go attack the strike zone," Gardenhire said. "If he wants to get a win in this league, you have to go attack hitters. If they beat you, make them beat you swinging. Not putting guys on, not going to 3-2 counts with every hitter. He hasn't been able to do it consistently."The Twins (59-84) haven't done much of anything consistently well all season, falling 10-5 to Kansas City on Wednesday.
Denard Span went 3 for 5 in his first game since Aug. 27 while he recovered from a sprained right shoulder. Jamey Carroll drove in three runs and extended his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games for Minnesota, which hasn't been swept at home by Kansas City since the Royals took all four games from May 7-10, 1999, at the Metrodome.
Kansas City (65-77) has won four of its last five - including taking two of three from the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox in the previous series - and will look to finish its six-game road trip on a positive note.
Billy Butler , hitting .360 over his last 18 games, went 3 for 5 with three RBIs on Wednesday.
"I just think it's good for our young guys to get confidence," Butler said of the recent victories. "Outside of a 12-game losing streak (from April 11-24) we've played really good baseball. We've been really consistent after that, and it's something we can build on in the offseason."Kansas City seeks its first four-game winning streak since June 25-29 with help from Luis Mendoza , who is quite familiar with Minnesota.
The Royals have won Mendoza's last three starts despite him having a 7.63 ERA in that stretch. He gave up five runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings before Kansas City rallied for a 7-5 victory over the White Sox on Saturday.
Mendoza (7-9, 4.63) has seen plenty of the Twins this season. After taking a 4-2 loss by allowing two runs in five innings of relief June 6, Mendoza has gone 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in three starts versus Minnesota.
The right-hander allowed two runs in five innings of the Royals' 6-4 win Sept. 2 in the most recent outing.
Kansas City had dropped seven of the previous eight meetings prior to its current three-game winning streak over Minnesota.
@
AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPS
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Billy Butler | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Alcides Escobar | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Jeff Francoeur | 2 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 1.000 |
| Alex Gordon | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Eric Hosmer | 3 | .667 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 1.334 | .667 |
| Mike Moustakas | 2 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 1.000 |
 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 |
 Minnesota Twins |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 11, 2012 | Joe Mauer | Day-to-Day | Back spasms |
| September 02, 2012 | Josh Willingham | Day-to-Day | Slightly strained left hamstring |
| August 28, 2012 | Denard Span | 15-Day DL | Strained right sternoclavicular joint |
| 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 |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Trevor Plouffe hopes a strong finish will solidify his position as the Minnesota Twins third baseman of the future.
Plouffe hit a tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Denard Span had a game-ending RBI double in the 10th and the Twins rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.
Alexi Casilla led off 10th with a double to right-center off Francisley Bueno (1-1) that fell just beyond the glove of diving center fielder Lorenzo Cain , who injured his right hamstring on the play and had to leave the game. He'll be reevaluated tomorrow. Span then hit a double over the head of right fielder Eric Hosmer for the win.
Closer Glen Perkins (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
Josh Willingham also connected for Minnesota and Salvador Perez had two RBIs for the Royals.
Plouffe was on a torrid streak at the plate in June, hitting .327 with 11 home runs. He was hitting .302 in July with three home runs before bruising in right thumb July 20 and going on the disabled list. Since his Aug. 13 return, Plouffe is hitting .180 with two home runs and 11 RBIs.
"I felt better today at the plate. I didn't play yesterday so (hitting coach Joe) Vavra and I worked a lot in the cage just figuring some things out so I felt comfortable. I felt good all day today. ... It's something I've got to build on."
Plouffe also flashed some leather, lunging to his right in the fifth inning to rob Alcides Escobar of an extra-bases hit and then throwing out the shortstop at first.
"He's been working really hard on his defense and on his steps. There's a lot that goes into the game and he's a little flustered," said manager Ron Gardenhire . "It was a really good play, a really aggressive throw."
Plouffe came up as a shortstop, but has since made a switch to the hot corner.
"The angles are way different at third base. You've got to drop-step for a lot of those balls, especially the ones that are hit hard and at shortstop-second base you're taught to come in and get the ball," he said. "I just got to keep working."
After being stymied by Royals starter Luis Mendoza for most of six innings and reliever Aaron Crow for one, Minnesota loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth against reliever Kelvin Herrera before Royals closer Greg Holland entered and walked Willingham to make it 3-2.
"You don't want to lose a game like that," said Kansas City manager Ned Yost . "They beat our best."
Mendoza, who had allowed 13 earned runs in 15 1-3 innings over his past three starts, kept the ball down and allowed two hits while striking out six.
After allowing Willingham's home run and a single to Justin Morneau in the first inning, Mendoza retired 14 of the next 16 Minnesota batters, including four of five by strikeout at one point. The two Twins to reach were by walk.
Minnesota starter Liam Hendriks overcame a rough start to allow seven hits and three earned runs over five innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Hendriks became the fifth player since 1920 to go winless in his first 17 career starts. The record is 20 set by Bill Caudill of the Cubs (1979-81) and Oakland's Mike Mohler (1993-97). Besides his 13 starts this year, Hendriks was 0-2 with four starts for Minnesota in 2011. However, he was 9-3 at Triple-A Rochester this season.
Hendriks gave up a two-run single to Perez as part of a 30-pitch first inning as he struggled to attack the zone and get ahead of hitters, but settled down after that.
Willingham countered with his 34th home run in the bottom of the inning.
David Lough tripled to lead off the Kansas City fifth and scored on a two-out double by Billy Butler to make it 3-1.
The Royals were 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
"We could have done more to get a more comfortable lead," said left fielder Alex Gordon . "Our bullpen has been lights out this year, and it's going to happen once in a while."
NOTES: Butler was ejected in the 10th inning for arguing a called strike. ... Twins All-Star Joe Mauer missed his third straight game due to back spasms. ... Minnesota starting pitcher Cole De Vries is done for the year after an MRI Thursday revealed a cracked rib. The right-hander finishes 5-5 with a 4.11 ERA in his rookie season. ... Minnesota C-OF Ryan Doumit is day to day with a strained muscle in his rib cage. ... Esmerling Vasquez (0-1, 9.35) is scheduled to start Friday for Minnesota when it welcomes Chicago to start a three-game series. The White Sox will send Chris Sale (16-6, 2.88) to the mound. Kansas City returns home to face Los Angeles Friday with Bruce Chen (10-12, 5.36) scheduled to face the Angels C.J. Wilson (12-9, 3.69).
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Kansas City Royals
