Royals earn split with Twins on Hosmer's walk-off double
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer drove in Lorenzo Cain with nobody out in the ninth inning, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Sunday for a split of their four-game series.
Cain drew a leadoff walk against Twins reliever Blaine Boyer (2-4) to start the ninth after Ervin Santana had nearly shut Kansas City down in his return from a drug suspension.
Twins manager Paul Molitor called upon Aaron Thompson to face Hosmer, who ripped a pitch down the right-field line. Cain sprinted around third base at full speed, and a throw from Torii Hunter in right field was nowhere close to getting him at the plate.
Greg Holland (2-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning.
Aaron Hicks homered and Miguel Sano drove in the other run for Minnesota, while Alex Gordon went deep and Drew Butera drove a run for Kansas City.
The victory allowed the first-place Royals to salvage what had been a rough series against the Twins, who remain in second in the AL Central. Kansas City was shut out in the opener, needed extra innings to win Friday night, then lost 5-3 on Saturday.
Santana certainly didn't look like he had missed 80 games in his return from a suspension for testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance.
After winning each of three rehab starts at Triple A Rochester, he made his former team look like just another minor league club. Santana retired the first six batters he faced before issuing a walk, and then got a double play after Butera drove in Kansas City's first run.
Santana allowed only one more hit before Alcides Escobar's two-out knock in the eighth, though it happened to be a big one: Gordon's high flyball that just cleared the right-field wall.
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The Royals' pitching staff matched Santana, though.
Danny Duffy continued his renaissance by allowing two runs on five hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings. It was his third straight solid start since returning from the disabled list.
Ryan Madson and Wade Davis got the game to Holland, who wound up with the win.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RHP Ryan Pressly had an MRI exam on his right shoulder Sunday, though results were not available. Pressly strained the shoulder during Saturday's game.
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (elbow nerve) will throw a side session Monday rather than make a rehab start, manager Ned Yost said. Ventura could return Thursday against Tampa Bay.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Phil Hughes starts in the opener of a three-game series against Baltimore.
Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez takes the mound to start a four-game set against Tampa Bay.
