Royals salvage split with Twins

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

Courtesy KC Royals (Chris Vleisides) — Alex Gordon homers in Sunday’s game with Minnesota. (Courtesy KC Royals, Chris Vleisides)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – 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.