It’s a Wild Ride, but Royals Finally Beat Twins

Even on a night when their pitchers struggled, the Kansas City Royals kept on winning.

Joe Randa hit a three-run homer and Runelvys Hernandez overcame wildness to win his fourth consecutive decision as the Royals beat the Minnesota Twins, 4-3, Tuesday at Kansas City, Mo., for their 15th victory in 18 games.

Kansas City pitchers walked a season-high 10, but the early 4-0 lead was just enough. Mike MacDougal allowed two runs in the ninth before completing the four-hitter.

“You just try to get them into some kind of rhythm,” catcher Brent Mayne said. “Runelvys didn’t have quite the control he’s had the last three or four games. Neither did MacDougal. They still battled through it. Runelvys just kept going at it, mixing his pitches up.”

Randa broke a scoreless tie with the third-inning homer off Kenny Rogers (2-1) that followed a single by Carlos Febles and a walk by Michael Tucker. Randa also had three RBIs and a home run in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Detroit.

Raul Ibanez added an RBI double later in the inning as the Royals sent Minnesota to its fifth consecutive loss. Kansas City, which has won four in a row, is off to the best start in the history of the franchise, which started in 1969.

Hernandez (4-0) gave up one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings and walked a career-high six -- all in the first five innings. Hernandez’s league-leading earned-run average rose from 1.09 to 1.10.

Seattle 8, Cleveland 5 -- Mike Cameron hit a grand slam off Danys Baez in the ninth inning to cap a five-run rally and give the Mariners the win at Seattle. The Indians scored three times in the top of the ninth to take a 5-3 lead.

Chicago 3, Baltimore 1 -- Esteban Loaiza took a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning and won his fourth straight start for the White Sox, who won at Baltimore.

Loaiza (4-0) was replaced after Jay Gibbons homered in the ninth.

Boston 5, Texas 4 -- Pedro Martinez gave up only one unearned run and three hits in seven innings, but walked six, one short of a career high, to lead the Red Sox at Arlington, Texas.

Tampa Bay 4, Toronto 3 -- Joe Kennedy gave up three runs over eight innings for a rare win by a Devil Ray starter and Toby Hall’s RBI single in the seventh to break a 3-3 tie led Tampa Bay at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Oakland 6, Detroit 5 -- Miguel Tejada led off the bottom of the 11th with a home run for the Athletics at Oakland.

Detroit scored two runs in the top of the ninth.