J.A. Happ hit hard again as Twins lose fourth in a row, 7-4 to Royals

KANSAS CITY, MO. – Two doubles and two singles in the first inning staked the Twins to a three-run lead on Friday night, and against a team that had lost nine straight games, the Twins were feeling good.

"We came out with some energy and got out early," J.A. Happ said. "[I was] hoping to just have a more comfortable game than it was. But it didn't happen for me."

No, what happened instead was a way-too-frequent occurrence for the Twins: They gave away the lead and absorbed another frustrating loss. The Royals tied the game an inning later, took the lead for good by the third, and stopped their own long losing streak by extending the Twins' to four straight, 7-4 before a fireworks-night crowd at Kauffman Stadium.

Minnesota has now held the lead in 29 games it eventually lost, by far the most in the American League, and Happ is a frequent culprit. The Twins are a respectable 7-8 in games he's started, but Happ pitched with the lead in six of those eight losses.

"It's hard. When you do get some momentum going and then give it back — it's big to put runs on the board and then put up a few zeros [for the opposition] after that," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "Then you have something to really build off of and create a little separation. We haven't been able to really separate in these games."

A four-hit first inning, triggered by Luis Arraez and Josh Donaldson back-to-back doubles to start the game, continued a trend for the Twins: They have scored in the first inning in five of their past six games. It's telling, then, that they are only 2-4 in that stretch — and Friday's giveback might have been the most painful of the bunch.

Happ was coming off what he hoped was a turnaround start last week against Cleveland, and he retired the Royals on seven pitches in the first. But Salvador Perez, who owns the record for most career homers by a visiting player at Target Field, this time victimized Minnesota at Kauffman Stadium, driving a 3-2 fastball that was several inches above and wide of the strike zone, into the seats down the right field line, his 20th of the season and 28th career home run against the Twins.

It seemed to ignite the Royals, too; three batters later, the game was tied, thanks to doubles by Hansel Alberto and Michael A. Taylor.

An inning later, Happ gave up a two-out single to Perez, and Alberto followed by golfing a slider into the Twins bullpen, his first home run since September. The Royals were ahead for good, and home runs — another Twins bad habit — were the reason.

Happ gave up five home runs in April and May, over nine starts. In his five June starts and Friday's July debut? He has given up 11 blasts.

BOXSCORE: Kansas City 7, Twins 4

"I've just got to be better about getting to the edge. The mistakes I made tonight, I got hurt on," said Happ, whose ERA over his past 10 starts is 8.62. "I've got to find a way to execute a little bit better. The last couple had been better, but tonight, I missed over the plate and paid for it."