Royals notch first road victory of 2006 season

MINNEAPOLIS -- Backup catcher Paul Bako's second-inning RBI single kept Kansas City from tying a dubious record and helped the Royals end a 13-game road losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

Kansas City's Jeremy Affeldt (2-2) survived five shaky innings against a Minnesota team that turned in its third straight quality start -- only to watch the offense stay dormant.

Joel Peralta tossed a scoreless sixth, Elmer Dessens did the same in the seventh and eighth and Ambiorix Burgos worked a perfect ninth for his third save to finish the five-hitter.

Minnesota wasted seven strong innings by right-hander Carlos Silva (1-5)

The Royals (6-20), who also stopped a six-game losing skid overall, were beaten in their last road game of 2005 and their first 12 away from home this year. Only the 1969 Houston Astros and 1988 Baltimore Orioles, with 13 each, have started a season with more consecutive losses on the road.

Manager Buddy Bell had his team skip batting practice to shake up the routine, but it really wasn't a resurgence by the lineup that stopped the streak. Kansas City has scored only six runs in its last seven road games.

Minnesota was simply lifeless again at the plate, a major reason why its string of three straight division titles ended last year.

Each team lost a key player in the third inning, though neither injury was serious. Royals right fielder Reggie Sanders was replaced by pinch-hitter Mark Teahen because of tightness in his left hamstring. Twins second baseman Luis Castillo, turning a double play, was spiked by Kerry Robinson's takeout slide.

Silva, who was named Minnesota's most improved player last season while leading the majors in fewest walks per nine innings and posting a 3.44 ERA, was awful in April. His ERA was 10.31, including 22 hits, 16 runs and seven homers given up in his last two starts alone -- a total of 8 1-3 innings.

Given an extra bullpen session to examine his mechanics, the Twins determined the right-hander was turning his head toward first base during the delivery. With that flaw assumedly fixed, Silva was much better -- even though his trusty sinker appeared to work well only in spurts.

He had strong defense behind him, though, and the only blemish came in the second inning when Bako rapped a two-out single to drive in Emil Brown. Bako, who went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .143, ended an 0-for-16 drought with the hit.

Silva gave up eight hits and one run while walking one and striking out two.

The Twins had a runner on in every inning against Affeldt, who walked a career-high six -- including three in the third that loaded the bases with two outs before Lew Ford struck out.

Ford walked to loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Justin Morneau grounded out to end that threat. Affeldt saved himself by leaping off the mound and snagging Joe Mauer's comebacker with Shannon Stewart on second and one out. Stewart was caught too far off the base and tagged out in a rundown.

Notes: Castillo suffered a cut on his shin. He was expected to be available for Friday's game against Detroit. ... Former Twins first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, playing his first series at the Metrodome since he was traded to the Red Sox in July 2004, drew a fourth-inning walk that ended a span of 133 plate appearances and 33 innings without a free pass issued by Minnesota pitching. ... John Buck, Kansas City's primary catcher, also carried an 0-for-16 slump into the game.