KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Pinch-hitter Miguel Sano homered with two outs in the 12th inning, and the Minnesota Twins beat the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Sano was stuck in an 0-for-14 slump that included 11 strikeouts when he stepped to the plate against Franklin Morales (3-2), the Royals' sixth reliever of the night. Sano worked a full count before sending a soaring shot over the bullpen in left field.
Blaine Boyer (3-4) pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief for Minnesota, and Kevin Jepsen got three outs for his 12th save while Glen Perkins sat out again with a back injury.
Perkins received a second cortisone shot Wednesday and was still unavailable.
Kansas City had a chance to win in the 10th when pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson stole second and third, and Cain chopped a grounder back to the pitcher. Brian Duensing alertly threw home and the throw carried Kurt Suzuki into Dyson, who claimed the catcher was blocking the plate.
Royals manager Ned Yost also argued, and plate umpire Greg Gibson and crew chief Jim Joyce went to the headset for a review. The call was confirmed and Dyson was out.
Meanwhile, Suzuki was shaken up in the collision. He left with a bruised left knee.
Suzuki homered earlier in the game and Joe Mauer also drove in a run for the Twins, who had dropped four of six after a hot streak vaulted them into wild-card contention.
Ben Zobrist homered for the Royals. Lorenzo Cain drove in their other run with a sacrifice fly.
The late-inning theatrics transpired after Twins starter Mike Pelfrey and Royals counterpart Kris Medlen waged an entertaining pitchers' duel through the first five innings.
Medlen retired the first 11 batters he faced and did not allow a hit until Suzuki went deep leading off the sixth. Medlen wound up allowing two more hits in the inning, including an RBI single by Mauer, and exited with the Royals in a 2-0 hole.
It was still a solid outing by Medlen, battered by the White Sox in his previous start.
Pelfrey got a double play in the second and another with Cain standing on third base to end the fourth. The right-hander didn't allow a run until the sixth, when Zobrist went deep with one out, and then was pulled after allowing a single to Alex Gordon and hitting Cain in the back with a pitch.
Neal Cotts got Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales to fly out, ending the threat.
The Royals finally evened the game in the eighth when Zobrist legged out a leadoff triple. Cain got enough of a pitch two batters later to send a lazy fly to right, and Aaron Hicks' throw to the plate was high as Zobrist slid in safely.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RHP Phil Hughes (back inflammation) threw 45 pitches during a simulated game, then fielded bunts and did pitcher's fielding practice. "He came out of it fine," manager Paul Molitor said. "Now it's just a matter of seeing what the next step will be."
Royals: Gordon has been swinging a hot bat since his return from the DL following a groin injury, though Yost said he will continue to replace Gordon on defense late in games.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Ervin Santana pitches against the White Sox in Chicago on Friday night.
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy opens a series in Baltimore on Friday night.
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