Notes: Gutierrez's defense; Bubic impressing

Lost in the midst of Kansas City’s 8-3 win over the Twins on Friday was Kelvin Gutierrez’s stellar defense at third base that set the tone for the game early on.

The Royals caught themselves in a first-inning dilemma as Minnesota pushed starter Kris Bubic to 24 pitches. The top half of the first inning was a hit away from the Twins opening the floodgates against Bubic, and Josh Donaldson’s 108.8-mph liner nearly did so. But Gutierrez, who was settled at third base, made the diving stop to rob his defensive counterpart of a hit and turned a double play.

"That's a big play in the first. [If] he doesn't make that double play, that could certainly put Kris Bubic into a bind and put us in a bind,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Then he made another really nice play later in the game, same thing -- just quick reactions. This is a guy who early on was thought of as a shortstop because of his athleticism, so you got that kind of ability to move to go along with a really good arm.”

Gutierrez’s past experience as a shortstop contributed even more later on at the hot corner. The 26-year-old made his second diving stop in the seventh that silenced any chances Minnesota had for a rally with Nelson Cruz at the plate.

He snagged the grounder as it recoiled from the bounce, picked himself up in one fluid motion and fired the ball to first as the runners on second and third moved up. Gutierrez’s throw took one bounce a few feet before it reached the outstretched Carlos Santana, but it had enough velocity to reach first before Cruz did.

It ended the inning, and the Royals were able to walk away with their five-run lead intact.

"He's done a nice job. Just talking about the kind of initiator [he is], Gutierrez has been kind of an instigator in a number of offensive roles that we were able to get on,” Matheny said. “He's putting together some good at-bats to go along with what I feel is an improving defense every day.”

Gutierrez was called up in mid-May from Triple-A Omaha in place of Hunter Dozier, who went on the 10-day injured list, but stuck around for the Royals as he has strung along quality at-bats while he’s played on a consistent basis. In 12 games, he’s posted a .244 batting average and scored three runs. When Gutierrez has suited up for the Royals this season, Kansas City is 7-5.

Bubic stuns once again

The California native has quietly put together an impressive season on the mound for the Royals, and Friday night at Target Field was another example of it.

His six innings of one-run ball earned Bubic his first winning decision since joining the starting rotation just a couple of weeks ago. The southpaw got himself out of a first-inning jam against the Twins and was effective the rest of the night as he struck out five while allowing two walks.

Bubic induced 12 swings-and-misses in his 98 pitches while his four-seam fastball accounted for 10 foul balls. Opponents are hitting .186 against Bubic as both a starter and reliever, and he’s kept hitters in the park by giving up only one long ball in nearly 30 innings.