Twins 5, Royals 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- First baseman Joe Mauer stroked four hits, including a two-run homer, and the Minnesota Twins downed the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Saturday night.
Third baseman Trevor Ploufee singled, doubled and tripled in his first three at-bats but struck out in the seventh inning in his final at-bat to fall short of the cycle. He was on-deck in the ninth.
Left-hander Brian Duensing (3-0) picked up the victory with a scoreless fifth inning after starter Mike Pelfrey had another early exit.
Glen Perkins converted his 27th consecutive save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Twins got an insurance run in the seventh with shortstop Danny Santana scoring on right fielder Torii Hunter's sacrifice fly.
Right-hander Joe Blanton, who gave up five runs and five hits in 2 2/3 innings in his previous start at Houston, fell behind 2-0 after only four pitches.
Second baseman Brian Dozier singled on Blanton's first pitch before Mauer hit a 90 mph sinker on a 2-0 count over the fence in right field.
Successive one-out singles by Ploufee, left fielder Eddie Rosario and designated hitter Miguel Sano loaded the bases. Ploufee scored on center fielder Aaron Hicks' groundout to first baseman Eric Hosmer, making it 3-0.
The Royals loaded the bases in the third with center fielder Lorenzo Cain's double down the right-field line sandwiched around walks to third baseman Mike Moustakas and Hosmer. Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey got out of that clutter by retiring designated hitter Kendrys Morales on a ground ball to Dozier.
The Twins made it 4-0 in the fifth when Ploufee's triple, his third hit of the game, scored Mauer, who singled.
The Royals closed to 4-3 in the bottom of the inning and chased Pelfrey.
Second baseman Omar Infante and shortstop Alcides Escobar singled and Moustakas walked on four pitches to load the bases. Cain's single scored Escobar and Moustakas and sent Pelfrey to the showers. Morales' groundout drove in Moustakas with the final run of the inning.
In Pelfrey's past two starts, he has yielded 11 runs, 16 hits and six walks in six innings.
Blanton was pulled after five innings, surrendering four runs and nine hits.
NOTES: Royals RHP Yordano Ventura is scheduled to make his third rehab start Monday for Triple-A Omaha. Ventura is on the disabled list with an ulnar nerve irritation. ... C Chris Herrmann made his 19th Twins start as Kurt Suzuki, who is in a 3-for-23 skid, was given a breather. ... Royals manager Ned Yost asked INF Dusty Coleman about his first day in the majors. "He said, 'It could have been a little better,'" Yost said. Coleman got trapped in a rundown between third and home in his debut Friday. ... RHP Ervin Santana, who made 32 starts in 2014 for the Royals, will start the series finale. It will be his first start after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. The Royals will counter with LHP Danny Duffy. ... The Twins optioned RHP Alex Meyer to Triple-A Omaha to make roster room for Santana. ... Twins manager Paul Molitor said RHP Trevor May will be going to the bullpen after posting a 4-7 record and 4.37 ERA in 15 starts.