Kansas City @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 6, 2013 ) Minnesota 3, Kansas City 7

Alex Gordon has put a 42-game homerless drought behind him and looks to have another standout performance on Thursday when the Kansas City Royals begin a four-game road series against the Minnesota Twins. Gordon hit a leadoff homer on Wednesday for his first homer since May 9 and then drilled the decisive single in the 10th as the Royals posted a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Minnesota has lost four of its last five games.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer had three hits in Wednesday’s loss to the Miami Marlins and is 16-for-36 with five multihit outings during an eight-game hitting streak. Mauer has always fared well against the Royals with a .349 career average in 122 games. Kansas City’s extra-inning win was just its second in seven games with Gordon and catcher Salvador Perez each contributing three hits.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox Sports North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (7-5, 4.20 ERA) vs. Twins RH Samuel Deduno (3-2, 3.72)

Guthrie was roughed up by the Chicago White Sox in his last outing when he gave up six runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings. He had a 2.28 ERA before losing five of his last seven decisions. Guthrie is 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA in this season’s two starts against Minnesota and has a 6-2 career mark and 3.36 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) against the Twins.

Deduno lost to Cleveland in his last start to halt a three-game winning streak. He had allowed two or fewer earned runs in four straight starts before giving up four runs and six hits in six innings against the Indians. Deduno beat Kansas City with six innings of four-hit shutout ball on June 4 and is 2-0 with a 0.73 ERA in two career starts against the Royals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Minnesota 3B Trevor Plouffe is 13-for-39 in 10 games since being activated from the disabled list.

2. Perez was mired in a 3-for-28 rut before producing his fifth three-hit game of the season on Wednesday.

3. Mauer (.375 in 16 at-bats) and 1B Justin Morneau (.316 in 19 at-bats) each have two career homers against Guthrie.

PREDICTION: Twins 9, Royals 6