Phil Hughes ended a personal losing streak that dated to last July, pitching into the seventh inning Sunday as the Twins top the Kansas City Royals 8-3 to avoid a three-game sweep.
Hughes, who signed a $24 million, three-year deal in December, allowed an RBI single to Omar Infante in the fifth and a two-run homer to Alcides Escobar in the seventh while winning for the first time in 17 appearances. He had lost eight games since that victory on July 2.
Josmil Pinto homered and Trevor Plouffe and Kurt Suzuki each drove in a pair of runs for the Twins, who battered Yordano Ventura before piling on against the Royals’ bullpen.
The loss ended Kansas City’s five-game winning streak.
