Nelson Cruz blasted his 10th home run of the season as the visiting Minnesota Twins defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday. Cruz has six home runs against Kansas City this season, 15 in the last two seasons.

Miguel Sano was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Twins, who claimed the three-game series and evened the season series at five games apiece in the final tilt between the two teams this season.

The Twins wasted a lot of scoring chances. They had 13 baserunners before the first out was recorded in the fifth but stranded a total of 11 runners. It didn't cost them, however, as the Royals also left 11 men on base.

Tyler Clippard (1-0) picked up the win with a perfect inning for the Twins on a bullpen day. The longest outing by any of the seven Minnesota pitchers was two innings.

Taylor Rogers earned his sixth save in eight chances.

Kris Bubic (0-4) struggled with his command, taking the loss for Kansas City. He allowed four runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out none.

The Twins got to Bubic for two runs in the first. Max Kepler drew a one-out walk, then scored on a double by Sano. Sano then scored on Eddie Rosario's single.

The Twins then scored two more in the third. Three singles loaded the bases with no outs before Marwin Gonzalez lined the first pitch down the left field line, scoring Cruz and Sano.

Meibrys Viloria was hit by a Devin Smeltzer pitch to lead off the third for the Royals. With two outs, Hunter Dozier and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back doubles, Soler's driving in two runs. Dozier finished 4-for-4 with three runs scored.

Kansas City drew within one run in the seventh. Maikel Franco lined a single off the glove of Gonzalez at third to drive in Dozier, but the Royals left the bases loaded when Adalberto Mondesi struck out. The Royals are just 2-for-21 with the bases loaded this season.

Cruz's homer in the ninth gave the Twins a two-run cushion. Franco knocked in Dozier in the ninth to draw the Royals within one.

--Field Level Media