Twins rally in 9th for 1st road win against Royals

KANSAS CITY — It took 10 tries, but the Twins finally solved the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

After nine straight losses here this season, the Twins rallied for three runs in the ninth off reliever Kelvin Herrera to secure a 7-6 win in the series finale on Thursday night.

“Ideally, I wanted to give Kel another day of rest,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We were just so thin in the bullpen. But Kel takes the ball no matter how he feels. But he’s a bit worn down from the extra workload [team-high 72 appearances] this year.”

The Royals scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the game ended when the Twins won a successful challenge of a pickoff throw to first from closer Brandon Kintzler. After Salvador Perez’s pinch-hit RBI single made it 7-6, speedy Terrance Gore came on as a pinch-runner. Kintzler threw one soft pickoff attempt, then a second quick one, and Gore originally was called safe.

But Twins manager Paul Molitor challenged and the call was overturned. But the Royals still won 15 of 19 games against Minnesota this season.

Gore said he wasn’t leaning.

“No, I was just anticipating front foot up and going,” Gore said. “Replay said I wasn’t safe, so you stick with it.”

Byron Buxton, who tripled in a run in the seventh, doubled with one out in the ninth. Buxton scored on Robbie Grossman’s single. Later, Miguel Sano and Max Kepler added RBI singles.

“Obviously, it’s good to win and we haven’t said that a lot here,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Every time I’ve gone on the field here, it’s been to change pitchers so it was nice to go out there and shake hands. It was in entertaining fashion and not easy.”

Royals left-hander Danny Duffy, who became the team’s ace since moving from the bullpen in May, made his last start and was strong for six innings, giving up one run. But Duffy got tagged for four hits and three runs in the seventh before leaving with one …

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