KANSAS CITY — The Royals certainly had enough chances. They wasted numerous scoring opportunities, going just 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position, in an 8-5 loss to the Twins on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals had the bases loaded and one out in the second and didn’t score. They had a leadoff double in the third and didn’t score. They had runners on first and second and one out in the fourth and didn’t score.
Mike Moustakas finally broke the drought with a two-run double with no outs in the fifth. But he was also then stranded.
Jon Jay had three doubles for Kansas City, the first three-double game of his career. But his baserunning gaffe on his third double — he tried to advance to third on a grounder to short with none out — cost the Royals a runner in scoring position in the seventh.
Royals right-hander Jakob Junis again was on his game, giving up three runs over six innings, marking the eighth time this season that Junis has given up three or fewer runs. He walked four and struck out seven.
Junis’ biggest mistake was a 1-1 four-seam fastball that Miguel Sano smashed over the center-field wall for a two-run jack in the fifth inning. Before that, Junis thought his 0-1 fastball was a strike, which would have changed his pitch selection.
The Twins put it away essentially in the eighth with Eddie Rosario’s broken-bat three-run bloop double off Burch Smith, who deserved a better fate. With one out, Robbie Grossman reached on a popup that shortstop Alcides Escobar lost in the sky. After a walk and a strikeout, Brian Dozier reached on an infield single, loading the bases for Rosario.
Jorge Soler hit his seventh home run for the Royals in the ninth. It was the 6,000th home run in franchise history.