KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 4 (UPI) -- Southpaw Eric Milton kept Ron Gardenhire undefeated as manager of the Minnesota Twins Wednesday night, combining with three relievers on a three-hitter as the Twins blanked the Kansas City Royals, 1-0, for their
second win of the season.
Milton (1-0) was nearly flawless in his first start of the new year, allowing just two hits over seven innings with no walks and two strikeouts.
He gave up two-out singles to Carlos Beltran and Mike Sweeney in the bottom of the first, then retired the final 19 batters he faced.
The Twins scored the game's only run in the third. Jacque Jones led off with a single off Dan Reichert (0-1), moved up on Cristian Guzman's sacrifice, took third on a groundout by Doug Mientkiewicz, and scored on David Ortiz's single to left field.
Minnesota centerfielder Torii Hunter preserved the lead by leaping above the fence to rob Sweeney of a home run with one out in the seventh.
J.C. Romero and Bob Wells combined to pitch the eighth before Eddie Guardado recorded the final three outs for his second save.
Reichert surrendered six hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts.
Minnesota, which survived Major League Baseball's attempt at contraction in the offseason, opened the 2002 campaign with an
8-6 victory over the Royals on Monday.
