Radke's 5-hitter stops Royals

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Brad Radke liked the look of the Twins' makeshift defense -- especially after it produced another home win.

Radke pitched a five-hitter as Minnesota defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1 Wednesday night.

The Twins improved to 16-3 at the Metrodome, the best record after 19 home games to start the season in franchise history.

Radke did not strike out a batter, but got key defensive plays from his reserves, particularly third baseman Denny Hocking and second baseman Jay Canizaro.

"I didn't get anybody out today," Radke said. "The guys made 27 outs out there, all I did was throw it over the plate."

Hocking, filling in for injured starter Corey Koskie, turned an important unassisted double play in the fifth inning. Canizaro, playing for the disabled Luis Rivas, ranged far to his right to take away at least two hits.

"We look at it like other guys are going to get to play," Gardenhire said of his team's rash of injuries.

Still, he was glad to have the day off Thursday before his team plays host to the New York Yankees for a three-game series.

"I'm afraid to walk by the trainer's room," said Gardenhire, whose designated hitter David Ortiz is also on the disabled list with Rivas.

Radke (4-2) held Kansas City hitless before Neifi Perez's bloop single with one out in the fifth inning. He was one out from his seventh career shutout before Mike Sweeney doubled and Carlos Beltran hit an RBI single.

"That's probably the Radke you're used to seeing around here," Gardenhire said after his ace recorded his 29th career complete game.

Jeremy Affeldt (1-1) allowed one run and two hits in four innings for the Royals, who have lost 10 of 12. He struck out three and walked four in his second major league start.

"When the other guy throws 80 pitches through seven innings and I am at 80 after four, who do you think pitched better," Affeldt said. "He threw strikes when he wanted to and I threw strikes when I needed to."

Interim manager John Mizerock fell to 1-7 after replacing Tony Muser on April 29th. The Royals finished a 10-game roadtrip at 2-8.

Radke walked three, and got key defensive help in the eighth after Perez singled with one out and moved to second on a groundout.

Carlos Febles then singled, but Gold Glove center fielder Torii Hunter threw Perez out at the plate.

Minnesota scored in the fourth on Jay Canizaro's sacrifice fly and made it 3-0 in the sixth on three doubles.

Dustan Mohr led off with a double and scored one out later on Tom Prince's two-base hit. With two outs, Prince scored on Cristian Guzman's double to right.

Radke retired 11 straight batters between the first and fifth innings.

"When he (Radke) is on like he was tonight, you don't have a lot of time to get ready," Kansas City DH Raul Ibanez said.

Radke improved to 97-97 in his career. Minnesota evened its all-time record against Kansas City at 240-240. Before this start, no Twins starter had pitched more than 7 2-3 innings.

KANSAS CITY MINNESOTA

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Knblch lf 4 0 0 0 Cnizaro 2b 3 0 1 1

Tucker rf 4 0 0 0 CGzmn ss 4 0 1 1

MiSwy 1b 3 1 1 0 Mntkw 1b 3 0 0 0

Beltran cf 3 0 1 1 LeCroy dh 3 0 1 0

Randa 3b 4 0 0 0 THnter cf 4 0 1 0

Ibanez dh 2 0 0 0 Mohr lf 3 2 1 0

NPerez ss 3 0 2 0 Bchnan rf 4 0 0 0

Brito c 2 0 0 0 JJones lf 0 0 0 0

Alicea ph 1 0 0 0 Prince c 3 1 2 1

Hinch c 0 0 0 0 Hcking 3b 3 0 1 0

Febles 2b 3 0 1 0

Totals 29 1 5 1 Totals 30 3 8 3

Kansas City 000 000 001 -- 1

Minnesota 000 102 00x -- 3

E--MiSweeney (2), NPerez (3), Affeldt (1). DP--Kansas City 1, Minnesota 2. LOB--Kansas City 4, Minnesota 10. 2B--MiSweeney (10), CGuzman (3), Mohr (7), Prince (2), Hocking (2). CS--LeCroy (2), Buchanan (1). SF--Canizaro.

IP H R ER BB SO

Kansas City

Affeldt L,1-1 4 2 1 1 4 3

Reichert 2 3 2 2 1 2

Stein 1 2 0 0 0 1

Bailey 1 1 0 0 0 1

Minnesota

Radke W,4-2 9 5 1 1 3 0

HBP--by Affeldt (Prince). WP--Affeldt.

Umpires--Home, Jerry Layne; First, Hunter Wendelstedt; Second, Ed Montague; Third, Mike Van Vleet.

T--2:19. A--13,026 (48,678).