KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Mike Pelfrey pitched seven scoreless innings to pick up his first victory since 2013 as the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 Wednesday night.
Joe Mauer reached base four times with two hits and two walks and scored a run.
Pelfrey's last victory was Sept. 23, 2013, against Detroit. He went 0-3 in five starts last year before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery on June 10.
Pelfrey (1-0) gave up five singles, walked two, hit two batters and struck out four. It was his longest outing since he went seven innings against Texas on Aug. 31, 2013.
Glen Perkins got the last three outs for his third save
Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (0-1) gave up all three runs and six hits with a career high-tying six walks in five innings.
The Twins scored all their runs in the first on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Oswaldo Arcia was hit by Guthrie with the bases loaded to bring home Brian Dozier. Kennys Vargas and Dozier singled in the other two runs. Guthrie induced Kurt Suzuki to ground into a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning and prevent further damage.
The Twins loaded the bases in the second on Torii Hunter's double and walks to Joe Mauer and Dozier. However, Hunter was out trying to steal home to end the inning.
Guthrie did not allow a run after the first, but he was never sharp, throwing only 50 percent strikes in 98 pitches.
Yohan Pino replaced Guthrie and threw three scoreless innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: LHP Brian Duensing (right intercostal strain) started soft tossing Wednesday.
Royals: 2B Omar Infante (strained left groin) missed his third straight game. Manager Ned Yost said Infante could have played, but did not want to push him.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Phil Hughes (0-3, 5.30 ERA) starts against the Mariners on Friday.
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (2-1, 4.80 ERA), fined Tuesday for hitting Oakland's Brett Lawrie Sunday, starts Thursday against the Chicago White Sox.
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