The Kansas City Royals’ offense powered the team to a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday.
Alcides Escobar was spectacular, as he smacked two doubles that brought in a total of four runs. His four-RBI night is ties a career-high.
“I’m looking for good pitches, trying to put the ball in play,” Escobar said after the game on MLB.com.
Escobar’s first two-run double came in the second inning. His other shot came in the eighth inning.
In addition to Escobar’s successful night at the plate, fellow Venezuelans Omar Infante and Salvador Perez produced the other Royal runs.
Infante smacked an RBI single to left in the fourth inning, and Perez belted a solo homer in the sixth that made the score 4-1.
Minnesota’s lone run came in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Eduardo Nunez that brought home Chris Parmlee.
Royals’ starter Danny Duffy recorded the win, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up one run on four hits. Twins’ starter Yohan Pino also went 5 2/3 innings, but he gave up four runs on seven hits.
At this point of the season, the Royals (43-39) are off to their best start since 2003. They sit 3.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers for the lead in the AL Central and 1.5 games out of the second wild card spot. The franchise has not made the playoffs since 1985, the year that it won its only World Series title, reports The Associated Press.