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OAK@KC: Smith hurls seven solid frames for fourth win

With how the Royals had been playing in August, they were probably hoping the calendar would have never switched to September.

After all, Kansas City went 17-11 in the month and included an 11-3 tally at Kauffman Stadium, a far cry from the 0-10 record the club put up at home in April.

They'll have two chances to start September off on a good note though, as they host the Twins in a doubleheader on Saturday, with the first game beginning at 3:10 p.m. CT. Though postseason aspirations have dwindled away for each team, both clubs will look to gain some momentum over the season's final month for next year.

One player who might not be as sad to flip the calendar, however, is Twins starter Cole De Vries.

De Vries will get the call in Game 1, as he attempts to at least salvage another victory after what was a trying month for the 27-year-old righty.

De Vries was just 1-3 in August with a 6.26 ERA, though the lone win came in an impressive outing against the Rangers his last time out. The right-hander struggled immediately following a one hour and 26-minute rain delay in the first inning on Sunday, but settled down to retire the final 12 batters he faced in five innings.

"I liked the way he kept challenging hitters, attacking and making pitches," manager Ron Gardenhire said of De Vries, who conceded just two runs (one earned) over five frames. "Against that lineup o[on the Rangers], you have to be very careful, but if you get behind on them, they'll kill you. ... He had them pulling balls over our dugout, and that happens by changing speeds and locating the ball."

The Royals will counter with rookie left-hander Will Smith, who has had up-and-down month of his own. After back-to-back impressive seven-inning outings earlier this month, Smith lasted just 8 2/3 combined innings in his last two outings while conceding nine runs (eight earned).

His latest misstep came on Sunday against the Red Sox when he allowed five runs (four earned) off a season-high nine hits in just five innings.

"I've just been working on mechanics mostly this week, staying over the rubber a little longer to be able to get the ball downhill," Smith said. "That's mainly what I've focused on the last two bullpens."

Smith is making just the 12th start in his young career, and he said he's trying to soak up as much information as he can from the rest of the rotation.

"I continue to follow those guys around and keep working," Smith said. "It gets a little bit easier now and then, the nerves aren't there. Now it's just a baseball game. It's fun."

Luke Hochevar will take the mound for the Royals in the nightcap. The right-hander is searching for his first win in six starts. He picked up a loss against Boston last time out, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts.

He'll be up against the Twins' Liam Hendriks, who is still looking for his first win. Hendriks came close last time out, throwing a complete game with only one run against him on three hits and three walks with six punchouts. He was on the losing end of a 1-0 defeat to the Mariners.

The Royals and Twins played a doubleheader earlier this year on June 30 as a result of a rainout on April 28. More showers are in the forecast for Saturday.

Twins: Plouffe breaks 20-homer barrier
• When third baseman Trevor Plouffe snapped his 118-at-bat homerless streak on Wednesday night, he also became the first Twins player to hit 20 or more home runs in his rookie or sophomore year since Marty Cordova in 1995.

Cordova went on to hit 24 en route to winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award that season. As for Plouffe, his skipper is just excited to see what type of numbers his 26-year-old corner infielder can put up if he strings together a consistent season.

"He's setting a little bit of a higher standard now," Gardenhire said. "He went off on that run when he was healthy. What's his limits? I don't know. I don't know how many he could hit if he stayed on a real good groove from day one of the season all the way through. Who knows?"

Royals: Dyson dealing with lat strain
• Outfielder Jarrod Dyson has a lat strain in his right throwing shoulder which will limit his playing time.

"He's going to be shut down for a while throwing-wise, but it doesn't affect his legs," manager Ned Yost said.

Dyson underwent an MRI on Friday after experiencing soreness in his shoulder for the last few days. He believes it might have originated in his spectacular catch against the center-field-wall on Monday at Boston's Fenway Park.

"The next day and Tuesday, I felt a little tightness but Wednesday I really felt it," Dyson said. "It's day to day right now. I'm still available to run or whatever, I'm just shut down throwing right now."

Yost said Dyson can still hit, run and field, so he could be used off the bench. Wil Myers, one of the organization's top prospects, is not on the 40-man roster and will likely not be the outfielder called up when rosters expand on Saturday to help provide depth in the Royals' outfield.

Worth noting
• De Vries is just 1-3 with a 6.68 ERA at home this season, but 2-2 with a much more respectable 3.16 ERA on the road.

• The Twins, who are 8-4 against the Royals this season, are 7-0-1 in the last eight season series dating back to 2004. The Royals need to win the remaining six meetings to notch the head- to-head victory in 2012.

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