Kansas City @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2019 ) Kansas City 5, Minnesota 8

After briefly giving up the major-league lead in home runs, the Minnesota Twins regained it Thursday while improving to 3-1 on their seven-game homestand. The club attempts to continue its slugging ways when it hosts the Kansas City Royals on Friday for the second contest of their four-game series.

Nelson Cruz reached 100 RBIs with his three-run blast in the third inning of Thursday's series-opening 8-5 win, tying Paul Molitor (1996) for most by a Twins designated hitter in a season, as the Twins homered four times to increase their major league-record total to 293. Cruz, who added a two-run shot in the seventh to surpass Molitor, joins Eddie Rosario (101) in reaching triple digits in RBIs - marking the 10th time since 1961 Minnesota has had two players accomplish the feat and first since 2009, when Jason Kubel recorded 103 and Justin Morneau notched 100. Mitch Garver and Miguel Sano also went deep on Thursday for the American League Central-leading Twins, who are four games ahead of Cleveland with nine remaining. Nicky Lopez went 3-for-4 with an RBI while Adalberto Mondesi drove in two runs without recording a hit Thursday for the Royals, who have lost three straight contests and six of seven.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Eric Skoglund (0-1, 8.36 ERA) vs. Twins RH Randy Dobnak (0-1, 2.12)

Skoglund will be making his first start since Aug. 30 in place of Jakob Junis, who has been removed from the rotation. The 26-year-old Floridian was tagged by Baltimore for six runs on nine hits and three walks over four innings in losing that outing and has yielded five runs over as many frames in two relief appearances since. Skoglund has come out of the bullpen to face Minnesota twice in his career, permitting three runs on five hits and four walks over five innings.

Dobnak remains in search of his first major-league victory as he makes the fourth start of his rookie season. The 24-year-old Pennsylvanian settled for a no-decision at Cleveland on Sunday after giving up two runs - one earned - and six hits over five innings. Dobnak went 12-4 with one complete game and a 2.07 ERA in 24 games (21 starts) at three minor-league levels this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Twins have scored 885 runs in 2019, shattering the previous team record of 877 set in 1996.

2. Kansas City DH-OF Jorge Soler has recorded 110 RBIs in 154 contests this year after collecting 132 in 307 games over his first five major-league seasons.

3. Cruz, who is one home run away from 400 for his career, registered his seventh multi-homer performance of the year to pass Harmon Killebrew (1964) for most in a season in franchise history.

PREDICTION: Twins 11, Royals 4