Gray, Sanchez leads closing of the Twins on the Royals

MINNEAPOLIS – Sonny Gray delivered seven smooth runs as the Minnesota Twins closed out the Kansas City Royals 4-0 on Wednesday despite hits leader Luis Ariz losing to an early injury.

Gary Sanchez led in two doubles and Carlos Correa earned a pair of hits for Minnesota, which is five games behind AL Central leader Cleveland with 21 games remaining in the season.

Ares hit a floor blow, raised his average to 0.320 and scored in the first half, but then left the field with a strained left hamstring.

Gray (8-4), acquired in March from Cincinnati, has remained the primary bowler in the rotation all season. He was uncomplicated against the Kansas City hitters for most of the game, allowing three hits and eight hits.

Michael Massey had a two out of five hits for Kansas City, which couldn’t build more than four Gray riders in one round.

In his second start after missing 17 games with a stiff right arm, Zach Greinke (4-9) allowed three runs and hit one out of four.

For the twins, Venezuelan Luis Arriez scored 1-1, one goal, and Sandy Leon 3-0. Puerto Ricans Carlos Correa 4-2 and Jose Miranda 3-0. Colombian Gio Urciela 1-0, scored one, scored one. Dominican Gary Sanchez 4-1, two RBIs, Gilberto Celestino 3-1.