Twins 5, Royals 3

(Tuesday, July 31st) Final Score: Minnesota 5, Kansas City 3 Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Carlos Silva threw eight innings and Torii Hunter homered as the Twins posted their fourth consecutive victory, 5-3 over the Kansas City Royals. Alexi Casilla, Lew Ford and Jason Bartlett each had two hits and an RBI for the Twins. "I think guys just turned up the energy level a little bit," Twins catcher Mike Redmond said. "Weve reached the point in the season where we need to win ball games. Were getting it going." Silva (9-11) allowed seven hits and two runs, while fanning three to win for the third time in four decisions. Mark Grudzielanek had three hits, including a solo homer, for the Royals, in the second contest of the four-game series. Jason LaRue and Jason Smith also homered for Kansas City, which has lost each of the first two games by a pair of runs. Jorge De La Rosa (8-11) yielded eight hits and five runs in six innings for the Royals, who saw some changes on Tuesday. Kansas City dealt right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel to Atlanta for pitcher Kyle Davies. "Weve been passive. Weve been swinging early in the count," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "When youre going to swing early in the count you have to get after it. Were just putting the ball in play without any kind of legs underneath it. Its just a very passive approach." The Twins struck for four runs in the second inning. Hunter led off with a blast over the wall in left for his 22nd homer of the year. Ford and Casilla singled in runs later in the inning, and Bartlett doubled to left to make it 4-0. LaRue homered to left with two outs in the next inning, but the Twins padded their lead in the fourth when Ford scored on a Jason Tyner double-play ball. Silva retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh before Smith homered leading off the eighth. However, Silva got the next three hitters out before turning it over to Joe Nathan for the ninth. Nathan surrendered Grudzielaneks homer to lead off the inning, but fanned the next two batters and got Ross Gload to fly out to end the game. It was Nathans 24th save. Game Notes Despite losing, the Royals ended July with a 13-12 record, marking the first time they have recorded back-to-back winning months since the same two months in the 2003 season...Grudzielanek was caught stealing twice...David DeJesus robbed Hunter of a homer in the third inning.