MINNEAPOLIS – Lew Ford hit a one-out single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning that lifted the Minnesota Twins past the Kansas City Royals 10-9 on Thursday.

Jason Bartlett doubled with one out against Shawn Camp (0-1), Torii Hunter was intentionally walked and Matthew LeCroy singled to load the bases. Ford’s bouncer up the middle scored Bartlett to end it.

Joe Nathan (1-0) struck out the side in the 10th.

Angel Berroa’s single drove in Mike Sweeney in the ninth to put the Royals ahead briefly. Sweeney arrived at home the same time as left fielder Lew Ford’s three-hop throw, crashing into Mike Redmond and forcing the dazed catcher out of the game with bruised ribs.

Closer Mike MacDougal relinquished the lead and nearly lost it in the bottom of the ninth, which started with a four-pitch walk to Hunter, who cored on a high-bouncing double down the left-field line by Jacque Jones. Pinch-hitter Terry Tiffee struck out with the bases loaded, ending the inning.

Hunter hit a two-run homer for the Twins in the first, and LeCroy followed him with a solo shot. Hunter drove in three runs, giving him 15 this season.

John Buck and Emil Brown each busted slumps for the Royals, who tied it at 8 against Matt Guerrier in a three-run sixth. Buck, the catcher acquired from Houston in last summer’s trade of Carlos Beltran, homered to lead off the inning. Calvin Pickering walked and then Brown hit a two-run shot.

Buck, who went 4-for-5, got his first RBI in 20 games and boosted his batting average from .135 to .220. Brown, who ended an 0-for-21 slide, had two hits.

Relievers Mike Wood and Andrew Sisco combined for five scoreless innings after Brian Anderson was removed. But after tying it, the Royals wasted two prime chances to take the lead.

Ruben Gotay was caught stealing home on a botched squeeze play when Tony Graffanino whiffed on his one-out bunt attempt in the sixth. Gotay bounced to drawn-in second baseman Luis Rivas with one out in the eighth, but Rivas threw out Buck at home.

Royals starting pitchers haven’t picked up a win in their last 11 games, but Anderson had a chance to end the drought after a three-run second staked him to a 5-3 lead. Instead, Anderson – after getting beat by the long ball in the first – stumbled through the third on a slew of singles by the Twins.

They hit six, in all, during a four-run rally enhanced by Hunter’s sneaky baserunning. With men on the corners and nobody out, Anderson had Hunter picked off first base – but he stopped his retreat short and avoided Sweeney’s tag before taking off for second and arriving before the stunned Sweeney’s throw.

After a pair of strong outings to begin his season, Anderson watched his ERA balloon from 3.95 to 7.02. He gave up 10 hits and eight runs – seven earned – before being replaced with no outs in the fourth.

Dave Gassner, who last week became the first Minnesota pitcher in seven years to win his major league debut with six solid innings against Cleveland, struggled through start No. 2. Lasting just 1 2-3 innings, Gassner gave up six hits and five runs. Only four were earned, thanks to his throwing error.

Notes: With his ninth steal in as many attempts, Hunter moved into the major league lead. … The Royals have lost 11 of their last 12 games at the Metrodome. … The Twins have grounded into 20 double plays, most in the majors.

AP-ES-04-21-05 1651EDT