KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Nothing is going right for the Minnesota Twins. The Kansas City Royals can do no wrong.
Chris George scattered five hits in six innings and the Royals took advantage of a baserunning mistake by Torii Hunter in the top of the ninth inning to edge the Twins, 2-1.
George (3-1) allowed a run, walked two and struck out three as Kansas City became just the 10th team - and first since the 1987 New York Yankees - to start a season 10-0 at home. But the Twins were in position to tie the game in the ninth, when Hunter's miscue sealed Mike MacDougal's major league-leading ninth save.
Hunter opened the ninth with a single and took second on a wild pitch. MacDougal struck out Doug Mientkiewicz swinging and Mike Cuddyer popped the righthander's next offering into shallow left field. Hunter raced to third but easily was doubled up when Ibanez made a running catch.
"I made a big mistake," Hunter said. "I was too aggressive. Sometimes you've got to be patient. I thought it was going to drop in, but it held up. All I could think about was trying to score the run."
"I slipped. I did slip, so maybe he thought I fell," Ibanez said. "Once I caught the ball I was kind of surprised. I did slip, so I don't know if that's what he saw... he's a pretty good baserunner."
Kansas City improved to 16-3 overall, tying the club record for wins in the month. Only the 1911 Detroit Tigers, who started 12-0, have ever gotten off to a better start at home.
"Last year, we didn't get any breaks," Royals manager Tony Pena said. "This year, everything is going our way."
Pena then was asked the question that is buzzing throughout baseball - are the Royals for real?
"If you are asking me if this ballclub is good. ... this ballclub is good," Pena added.
The 16 wins this month match the 16 they had in April 1989 - the last time they had a winning opening month of the season.
"It's a great start," Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney said. "If you look back we've been plagued by starting out really rough at home so it's been fun this year to play good baseball at home. It's fun. It's a family here. Each one of these 25 guys is part of the family. Everybody plays their part; everybody pitches in and that's helped us start out in such a hot way."
"It's important that people realize what a good thing we have going here," George said. "The fans in Kansas City keep coming out to the ballpark because of the energy we have around this team. It's very positive and upbeat, and a lot of that has to do with the fans."
Minnesota starter Brad Radke (1-3) took a tough loss, allowing two runs and four hits in eight innings. He walked just one and struck out four.
The defending Central Division-champion Twins, who fell to 9-12 overall, have dropped six straight games. Minnesota, which dropped both games in the rain-shortened series, has swept or been swept in every series this season.
"We're just not playing well right now and they're playing well," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They're doing the things we did last year. They're getting the hits to drive in runs. They're getting great pitching and defense. Those are all things we can do, too."
George faced a jam in the opening inning but got Hunter to bounce out with two runners in scoring position.
Sweeney gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the fourth with his fourth homer, a shot to right off Radke.
Minnesota threatened in the fifth before knotting the game in the sixth on a walk to Bobby Kielty and consecutive two-out singles by Corey Koskie and Hunter.
Kansas City answered in the bottom of the inning as Carlos Febles opened the inning with a single and scored on Joe Randa's double one out later.
