THREE-GAME SERIES AT TARGET FIELD

Monday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Phil Hughes (4-5, 4.96 ERA) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (4-2, 4.79)

Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN. 96.3-FM

RHP Trevor May (4-3, 4.45) vs. RHP Chris Young (4-2, 2.56)

Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Kyle Gibson (4-3, 3.00) vs. RHP Edinson Volquez (4-4, 3.26)

TWINS UPDATE

The Twins are 20-9 at Target Field, the best home record in the AL, and are 9-4 at home vs. AL Central teams. They are 3-3 vs. the Royals this year after going only 12-26 the past two seasons. … These are the first of 13 consecutive games against teams that currently own winning records. … Gibson is 4-1 with a 2.03 career ERA against the Royals, so he was moved ahead of LHP Tommy Milone in the rotation in order to pitch the series finale. Hughes is 3-2 with a 3.05 ERA but May is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. … The Twins are 15-7 against lefthanded starting pitchers. … 2B Brian Dozier leads the AL in runs scored with 47. … Closer Glen Perkins is 11-for-12 in save situations against the Royals, the lone blown save coming last Aug. 26 when Alex Gordon hit a walk-off, two-run homer. … Torii Hunter has 34 career home runs against the Royals, 22 of them while with the Twins.

ROYALS UPDATE

The defending AL champions have been either in first place in the AL Central or within a game of it every day this season, but they have lost nine of 12 games, ending a three-game losing streak by beating Texas 4-3 Sunday. … This is the beginning of an eight-game road trip that takes them to St. Louis and Milwaukee as well. They are 12-12 on the road and have lost four of their past five away from home. They went 1-2 in Target Field in April, despite outscoring the Twins in the series 18-14. … Kansas City has given up the fewest runs in the AL but ranks ninth in runs scored, 14th in home runs and last in drawing walks. … Former Twins C Drew Butera is 2-for-15 (.133) as Kansas City's backup catcher. Another former Twin, DH Kendrys Morales, is tied for fourth in the AL with 39 RBI. … C Eric Kratz and LHPs Danny Duffy and Tim Collins are on the disabled list.

PHIL MILLER