Denard Span drove in the go-ahead run with a single and Joe Mauer had five hits as the Minnesota Twins downed the Kansas City Royals, 9-7, in 12 innings on Saturday.

Delmon Young sparked the 12th-inning rally with a leadoff double and came in to score on Span's single off Dusty Hughes. Mauer drew a bases-loaded walk two batters later to provide the winning margin. Both runs were charged to Robinson Tejeda (1-2).

The Twins took the lead in the top of the 11th on Michael Cuddyer's sacrifice fly but gave the advantage back in the bottom of the frame when closer Jon Rauch (1-0) surrendered an RBI double to Jose Guillen.

The Royals got to starter Nick Blackburn early, jumping out to a 4-0 lead with two runs in each of the first two innings. Billy Butler got things started with an RBI single and came in to score on Guillen's double. David DeJesus and Scott Podsednik drove in runs in the second.

The Twins battled back with a run in the third, two in the fourth and one more in the fifth before Justin Morneau knotted the score at 6-6 with a solo homer in the seventh - his third of the season.