Royals rely on Davis in finale with Twins

Righty Wade Davis will try to stay unbeaten in his career against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night when the Kansas City Royals host them in the finale of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Davis was 2-0 in six appearances - five starts - against the Twins in his initial 118 big-league outings, all of which came while he was a member of the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Florida-born Davis debuted for his new team against Philadelphia on April 5 and allowed four runs on nine hits in four innings of a game the Royals ultimately won, 13-4.

Davis is 15-12 in 63 career appearances on home fields with a 3.44 earned run average in 256 2/3 innings. His ERA on the road is more than a full run higher, at 4.67.

Minnesota counters with Australia-born righty Liam Hendriks, who'll make a second 2013 attempt at a second career big-league win.

The 23-year-old was 0-2 in four starts with the Twins in 2011 and 1-8 in 16 more outings last season while allowing a combined 135 hits and 77 runs in 108 2/3 innings.

He was touched for eight hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision in his initial 2013 outing, a game the Twins lost, 9-5, at Baltimore on April 5.

Hendriks is 0-1 in three career starts against Kansas City while allowing 13 runs and 25 hits in 13 2/3 innings.

On Tuesday, the Royals scored five runs in the first inning and defeated the Twins, 7-4. Alcides Escobar, Billy Butler, Mike Moustakas, Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur drove in a run apiece for the Royals, while Jeremy Guthrie (2-0) allowed four runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.

"I fell behind a lot of guys," said Guthrie. "When I did I gave them real hittable pitches to drive it. Our offense picked us up today. They swung the bat very early and got that big lead. We were able to hold on."

Eduardo Escobar knocked a solo home run and had two RBI while Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham also hit solo shots for the Twins. Starter Mike Pelfrey (1-1) lasted just two innings and surrendered six runs on eight hits.

"They kicked my butt," said Pelfrey. "When I made a mistake, they hit it. I give all the credit to them. I'll come back and work my butt off and I'll get ready for the next one."

The Twins won 11 of 18 games against the Royals in 2012, including six of nine in Kansas City.