MLB: Milone tough on Royals in Twins’ win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Aaron Hicks opened the game with a home run, and Tommy Milone picked up a rare road victory as the Minnesota Twins topped the Kansas City Royals 6-2 Monday night.
The Royals lost their fourth straight, equaling their worst losing streak of the season. It is the third time this season the club lost four in a row.
Milone (8-4) recorded just his second road victory. The left-hander stymied the Royals on six hits and two runs over seven innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Shortstop Eduardo Escobar drove in three of the Twins’ runs. His single in a three-run sixth scored right fielder Torii Hunter. Escobar also had a two-run single in the seventh, and he finished 3-for-3.
Hunter had two hits and two runs.
Twins relievers Trevor May and Kevin Jepsen each threw a scoreless inning to close out the win.
Yordano Ventura, who won his four previous decisions, took the loss, giving up four runs on eight hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings. Ventura (10-8) threw 107 pitches and struck out eight before he was replaced by Kelvin Herrera.
Herrera retired the only two batters he faced in his first outing since contacting chickenpox late last month.
Hicks, the Minnesota center fielder, deposited Ventura’s third pitch into the Twins’ bullpen for his second career leadoff home run. It was the Twins’ major-league-leading eighth leadoff homer this season.
The Royals tied it in the bottom of the first.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain singled with one out and advanced to third on first baseman Eric Hosmer’s single to right. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales got Cain home with a fielder’s choice grounder for his 100th RBI.
Cain, Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas each had two hits for Kansas City.
Notes: RHPs Joba Chamberlain and Louis Coleman were promoted from Triple-A Omaha, giving the Royals a 12-man bullpen. Kansas City designated RHP Yohan Pino and INF Dusty Coleman for assignment to clear spots on the 40-man roster. ... Royals 2B Ben Zobrist was moved to the leadoff spot, while SS Alcides Escobar batted ninth for the first time this season. ... Twins LHP Glenn Perkins, who is out with a lower back injury, is scheduled to throw a three-inning simulated game Wednesday. ... Royals OF Alex Rios was in uniform after missing several games with chickenpox, but he didn’t play. ... Twins RHP Kyle Gibson and Royals RHP Edinson Volquez are the Tuesday probables.