Kansas City @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( May 30, 2018 ) Minnesota 8, Kansas City 11

After picking on one last-place team over the weekend, the Minnesota Twins begin a new week looking to do the same when they host the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game series Monday night. The Twins outscored the hapless Baltimore Orioles by a 26-9 margin in sweeping four straight, capped by Sunday's 10-1 win.

Brian Dozier slugged a three-run homer to pace an 11-hit attack for Minnesota, which is one victory shy of matching a season-high five-game winning streak accomplished in May. The Royals (25-64) are plummeting in the other direction with nine consecutive losses, which is tied for their longest slide of the year. They gave up 32 runs in dropping three straight to the Boston Red Sox over the weekend and enter a six-game road trip just one game better than Baltimore (24-65) for the worst record in the majors. Kansas City gives the ball to left-hander Danny Duffy in the series opener opposite Minnesota right-hander Jose Berrios, who was named as the Twins' lone All-Star Game representative Sunday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (4-8, 5.19 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jose Berrios (8-7, 3.54)

Duffy will take a second crack at career win No. 50 after he faltered in his first attempt while allowing six runs in six innings of a loss to Cleveland. He gave up one run and seven hits across 12 innings with 14 strikeouts over his previous two outings. The 29-year-old limited the Twins to one run in six frames in a no-decision at home May 29.

Berrios has lost his last two starts, although he was solid at Milwaukee on Wednesday when he threw seven innings of three-run ball. He has served up five home runs in 11 1/3 innings during the two-game skid. The Puerto Rico native has been knocked around in his career by the Royals, who have gotten to him for 19 runs and 35 hits in 25 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals 2B Whit Merrifield went 5-for-5 in Sunday's loss and has hit safely in 10 straight.

2. Twins 1B Joe Mauer has 414 career doubles, tied with Kirby Puckett for the franchise record.

3. Kansas City C Salvador Perez was selected to his sixth straight All-Star Game.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Royals 3