HAYS – Even an hour-long weather delay couldn’t stop the Hays Larks offense as they scored in all but one inning Sunday night in a 14-2 win over the Valley Center Mud Daubers at Larks Park.

Frank Leo postgame interview

Valley Center scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning as Larks starter Ryan Ruder struggled in the inning. He allowed a run on a hit and a pair of walks in the inning but after allowing the first four hitter he faced to reach base Ruder retired 11 straight on his way to his third win of the season.

The Larks scored two runs in the bottom of the first on a Justin Lee RBI double and a Brook Brannon sacrifice fly to give Hays the 2-1 lead.

In the second inning the Larks sent 11 to the plate and scored seven runs. Alex Strachen, Matt Cavanagh and Hernan Yanez each singled home a pair of runs in the inning and Justin Lee added a sacrifice fly as the Larks built a 9-1 lead through two innings.

In the fourth inning Yanez singled in two more runs and Drake Angeron single home a run giving Hays a 12-1 lead.

Strachen drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Angeron drove in his second run of the game on a fielder’s choice in the sixth.

Valley Center added a solo homerun in the seventh as Hays earned the 14-2 win in seven innings.

Yanez finished three-for-three with four RBI’s and Strachen finished one-for-three with three RBI’s.

Ruder allowed just the one run on one hit in four innings as he improved to 3-0.

The Larks are now 16-4.

The two teams will game three of the four-game series Monday at Larks Park.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — In the span of a week, Hunter Dozier went from the injured list to the delivery room to the star role in the Kansas City Royals’ 6-1 win over the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins.

The young slugger hit a three-run shot during a five-run third inning Sunday, made a couple of stellar defensive plays at third base and gave Homer Bailey and the Kansas City bullpen all the offense they needed against the Twins on a soggy, overcast afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

“I knew my timing was going to be off,” said Dozier, who had been sidelined the last three weeks with an oblique strain. “I felt better today. Hopefully keep getting better and better.”

Dozier returned to the team on Friday after spending the previous night in the hospital, where his wife gave birth to the couple’s second child. And while he struggled at the plate in his first couple of games back, that timing seemed to have returned against Minnesota.

“They struck him out with a slider the first time up, and the second time they tried the same ploy,” Royals manager Ned Yost said, “and it didn’t work.”

Bailey (7-6) only made one significant mistake, leaving a pitch over the plate that Eddie Rosario steered inside the right-field foul pole. Otherwise, the revitalized right-hander followed back-to-back scoreless starts against Detroit and Seattle by giving up five hits and a walk.

The Royals’ bullpen shut down the Twins the rest of the way. Kevin McCarthy left the bases loaded in the seventh, then recorded the next six outs to earn his first career save.

“I’d hoped it would come a little sooner,” he said, “but I’m glad I got it.”

Alex Gordon added two RBIs and Nicky Lopez also drove in a run for the Royals, who did most of their damage against Michael Pineda (4-4) in the third inning. Pineda wound up lasting five, allowing eight hits while taking his first loss since May 5 at Yankee Stadium.

He didn’t get much support as the Twins stranded 11 runners on base.

“Bailey threw the ball well. He had to work for everything, but he made good pitches when he had to,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “When you get that big hit or a couple of big hits, it can give you a lift. It’s tough to get that first big hit with people on base, and we didn’t get that.”

With rain in the forecast, Bailey and Pineda engaged in a tidy pitchers’ duel through the first couple innings. But that ended abruptly when Pineda took the mound in the third.

After retiring Martin Maldonado, the big right-hander gave up a base hit to Billy Hamilton — the first of what would become five straight. And they came in quite the variety: Whit Merrifield delivered on a hit-and-run, Lopez had a bunt single and Gordon doubled down the right-field line.

The big blow came from Dozier, though. His three-run shot soared over the visiting bullpen in left field, giving Kansas City a 5-0 lead and the youngster another boost in his All-Star bid.

Dozier is among the three AL finalists at third base in voting that begins Wednesday.

“In the third inning they got some soft contact. I hang one pitch, my slider and they hit a big homer,” Pineda said. “That cost me the game. I just tried to compete.”

Bailey’s streak of 16 2/3 scoreless innings finally ended when Rosario cracked his 20th homer of the year leading off the fourth inning. But Bailey got a modicum of revenge in the sixth, when he struck out Rosario after a 14-pitch at-bat to conclude his afternoon.

STATS AND STREAKS

The Twins’ Jorge Polanco extended his 36-game on-base streak with a single in the seventh. That is tied for fifth-longest in club history. … Luis Arraez had his first four-hit game for Minnesota. … Bailey has not allowed more than three runs in a start since April 30.

NEGRO LEAGUES SALUTE

The Royals wore uniforms of the 1942 Kansas City Monarchs and the Twins dressed as the St. Paul Gophers from 1908 for their throwback day at the K. It also was “Dressed to the Nines” day at the park, and many fans came dressed in suits, dresses and vintage clothing.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins OF Byron Buxton hit before the game to test his right wrist, and manager Rocco Baldelli said it’s possible he could play Tuesday. “We have to make sure he’s 100 percent before we activate him for a game,” Baldelli said. “We’re very close to making a decision.” … RHP Jose Berrios should make his next start despite leaving Saturday’s game with a blister, Baldelli said.

UP NEXT

The Royals head to Cleveland on Monday night to open a three-game set with RHP Brad Keller (3-9, 4.45 ERA) on the hill. The Twins are off Monday before starting a three-game set against Tampa Bay.

McPherson – The Hays Eagles Senior American Legion used a pair of big innings to pick up a 12-2 win over the Enid Oklahoma Plainsmen Saturday at the Hooper Showcase in McPherson.

The Eagles got the scoring started with eight runs in the second and added four more in the third inning.

In the eight run second Justice Dotts got the scoring started with a bases loaded walk. William Sennett followed that with a two-run single and then Dotts stole home on a double-steal to give Hays a 4-0 lead.

Two batters later Trey Riggs cleared the bases with a double to put Hays up 7-0 and then Colby Dreiling drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to put Hays up 8-0.

In the four-run third inning the Eagles scored single runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to go up 10-1.

Brock Lumus then capped off the inning with a two-run homerun giving Hays the 12-1 lead.

Enid did get a run back in the fourth but Hays was able to earn the 12-2 run-rule win in four innings.

Tate Garcia allowed one run on two hits in three innings of work and earned the victory.

Riggs drove in four runs and Sennett and Lumus each had two RBI’s.

The Eagles were scoreless in the second inning of their game with the Topeka Scrappers when severe weather moved in forcing the remainder of the tournament to be cancelled.

With the win the Eagles improve to 15-5 on the summer they are scheduled to play a doubleheader in Great Bend Tuesday.

DODGE CITY – The Hays Eagles Junior American Legion went 1-2 at the Dodge City Baseball Club 16 and Under Tournament. All three games were decided by one run. Saturday the Eagles lost 6-5 to Buhler then beat Russell 3-2 in eight innings. Sunday they lost 4-3 to Dodge City in the first round of bracket play Sunday.

Buhler rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh after Hays had scored three in the fourth and two in the fifth to come back from an early 3-0 deficit. Mason Robbins walked four along with three strikeouts and suffered the loss after he allowed three runs on five hits in three innings of relief. Dawson VonFeldt had two of the Eagles five hits.

Wyatt Crain’s double to deep left field scored Garrett Wellbrock with the winning run in Hays’ win over Russell. The Eagles led 2-1 after the first inning, but Russell took advantage of an errant throw to score the tying run in the fourth. Garrett Wellbrock allowed two hits but got the final three outs without allowing a run in the eighth for the win in relief.

Dodge City took advantage of a hit batter, three walks and an error to score two runs in the top of the seventh to grab a 4-1 lead. The Eagles rallied for two runs in the bottom of the inning and had two on when a line out to right to ended the game.

Mason Robbins and Noah Weimer were both initially ruled out in a run-down in the seventh and Dodge awarded a 4-2 win. After review of the rules, the umpires determined that Robbins was safe and his run was allowed. Following a 10 minute delay, both teams were brought back on to the field to finish the game. Dalton Dale reached on an infield single before Garrett Wellbrock’s lineout ended the game.

The Junior Eagles are scheduled to play a doubleheader in Russell Tuesday.