Minneapolis, MN (My Sportsbook) - Alberto Callaspo went 3-for-6 and drove in a run during Kansas City's three-run 11th inning, as the Royals topped Minnesota, 10-7, in the second of three games with the Twins.
Craig Breslow (0-1) started the 11th on the mound for Minnesota but was ineffective, walking Coco Crisp and Willie Bloomquist to start. After a fielder's choice left runners at the corners, pinch-hitter Mark Teahen walked to load the bases and end Breslow's day.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey came in and walked John Buck, who batted 0-for-5 in Saturday's game, to force in a run. Callaspo followed with a run-scoring groundout to second, and David DeJesus singled to left to bring home Teahen for a 10-7 Royals lead.
Dickey got out of the inning without further damage, but Joakim Soria (1-0), who got the final two outs of the 10th inning, closed the game in the bottom half.
Callaspo also had two doubles while Bloomquist also finished with three hits, including a solo homer, for the Royals. Miguel Olivo finished 2-for-4 with three runs batted in for Kansas City, which rebounded from a 7-5 loss in Friday's series opener and pulled into a tie with the White Sox atop the AL Central.
"It was a tough one," Bloomquist said. "We did a lot of good things out there, and obviously there were some [not so good] things...We could have easily folded up but we...kept going and got it done when it mattered."
Royals starter Brian Bannister allowed six runs -- three earned -- on eight hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings, and didn't factor into the decision.
Joe Mauer went 4-for-6 with a double and RBI for the Twins, in just his second game this season after missing the Twins' first 22 games with lower back inflammation. He is now 6-for-9 to start the season.
Michael Cuddyer went 2-for-4 with a homer and walk for Minnesota, which had a three-game win streak snapped. Delmon Young ended 3-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in.
"Championship caliber teams don't make those mental mistakes we have been making," Twins shortstop Nick Punto said. "If you look back in history, we are fundamentally sound and we don't make too many fundamental mistakes."
Twins starter Glen Perkins gave up five runs on 10 hits in six innings of work.
The teams traded runs throughout the game. Kansas City got on the scoreboard when Billy Butler plated Crisp with a double-play groundout in the first inning, and Olivo's run-scoring base hit in the second chased home Callaspo for a 2-0 lead.
However, a Young single in the bottom of the second scored two runs after Crisp's throwing error. Young went to third on the play, then crossed home on a sacrifice fly from Nick Punto for a 3-2 Twins lead.
The run-trading resumed in the fifth inning, with Bloomquist's two-out solo blast in the top half, and Mauer's RBI double in the home half.
After Callaspo and DeJesus got on base with a pair of two-out singles in the top of the sixth, Olivo tripled to right to clear the bases for a 5-4 Royals lead.
But in the bottom half, Cuddyer smacked a leadoff homer to left field to tie the contest. Later in the inning, after Young and Punto hit back-to-back one- out singles to chase Bannister, Denard Span greeted Jamey Wright by poking a base hit to right field to plate Young.
Butler's RBI liner up the middle plated Bloomquist to make it a 6-6 contest in the seventh, and in the eighth the Royals went back ahead.
Callaspo doubled with one away, and after Jose Mijares came on to pitch for the Twins, DeJesus moved Callaspo over a base with a groundout. Minnesota looked to be out of the inning when Olivo batted a ball to second, but Alexi Casilla didn't field it cleanly. The ball bounced off the heel of his glove and between his legs into the outfield, as Callaspo came home for a 7-6 Kansas City edge.
However, erratic pitching from Juan Cruz in the home eighth allowed the Twins to tie the game again. Cruz walked the leadoff hitter, Cuddyer, who advanced to second on a wild pitch.
After a fly out, another wild pitch allowed Cuddyer to move to third, and he scored when Young dumped a single into right field for a 7-7 game.
Joe Nathan threw a scoreless top of the ninth for the Twins, while Ron Mahay -- who got the final out of the eighth -- held the Twins off the scoreboard in the bottom half.
Matt Guerrier tossed a scoreless top of the 10th, and after Mahay got one out in the home half, Soria came in.
Game Notes
DeJesus and Crisp each finished with two hits for the Royals...Kansas City went 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base...The Twins left nine on base and batted 4-for-15 with RISP...Game time: 4:20...Bloomquist's homer was his first of the season and first since June 26, 2007.
