(AP) The Kansas City Royals’ hot streak not coincidentally coincides with Alcides Escobar’s blistering bat.
Escobar had two hits and two RBI and Scott Alexander picked up his first major league victory as the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Sunday.
The Royals have won 15 of 21 games to move a game above .500 and into a tie with the Twins for second place in the American League Central.
Escobar went 7-for-16 with four extra-base hits, including a home run, with seven RBI and scored four runs in the four-game series. He has raised his average 50 points since June 13 from .180 to .230, going 27-for-71, .380, in that 19-game span with the Royals winning 13.
Escobar doubled in Ramon Torres and scored on Whit Merrifield’s double in a three-run third. Escobar’s single in the fifth scored Jorge Soler, who led off the inning with a double.
Travis Wood, who was making his first start since Sept. 19, 2015 while with the Chicago Cubs and 108 relief appearances, was pulled after 81 pitches and four-plus innings. He had not thrown more than 49 pitches in an outing this year and that’s the most pitches he had thrown in a game since 97 on May 14, 2015.
Wood was removed in the fifth after facing three batters and retiring none. Brian Dozier and Robbie Grossman had RBI-singles in the inning.
Alexander (1-2) replaced Wood and induced Eduardo Escobar to ground into an inning ending double play with the bases loaded.
After throwing 30 pitches Saturday, Alexander threw 33 more over two scoreless innings to pick up the victory in his 42nd career appearance. He got a game ball.
Merrifield had three hits, including two doubles, scored a run, drove in a run and stole three bases.
Hector Santiago (4-8) was charged with four runs on four hits, a hit batter and a walk. He was pulled after 3 1/3 innings and 58 pitches.
In his last three starts, Santiago has a 12.38 ERA, allowing 11 earned runs in eight innings. He is 0-7 in his past eight outings and missed three weeks in June with a shoulder strain.
Twins manager Paul Molitor noted Santiago’s velocity diminished. He missed three weeks in June with a shoulder strain.
