KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Nick Punto scored on third baseman Mark Teahen’s fielding error with two outs in the 12th inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame Mike Sweeney’s two home runs to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 Sunday.

Punto singled off Mike Wood (3-3) and went to third when Joe Mauer singled off the glove of first baseman Matt Stairs. Torii Hunter’s bat cracked, and one piece flew toward Teahen as the rookie infielder attempted to make the stop. He couldn’t, and Punto came home with the decisive run.

Sweeney tied the game with solo home runs in the fourth and ninth.

J.C. Romero (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the victory, and Jesse Crain got the final three outs for his first save in four opportunities.

Sweeney, after fouling off four pitches, hit his second home run of the day to tie it 2-all with one out in the ninth. The homer broke a string of 12 consecutive saves for Joe Nathan, who started the ninth and had converted 26 of 28 save opportunities.

After David DeJesus singled leading off the first for Kansas City and was erased on a double play, Carlos Silva didn’t allow a baserunner until Sweeney hit the first pitch he saw with two outs in the fourth for his 10th home run. Sweeney also had a single and was 3-for-5 after going 5-for-6 the night before.

Sweeney is hitting .337 since April 30, and he 11-for-15 in the four-game series with the Twins. Sunday marked the 15th multihomer game for the Royals’ six-time All-Star.

Lew Ford made a great catch at the wall of Stairs’ drive with one out in the ninth.

Silva pitched seven strong innings, giving up five hits and striking out three. Typically for the right-hander, he didn’t walk a batter. In 114 2-3 innings this year, he has passed only five.

The Twins jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second inning off D. J. Carrasco, who was going for his third straight win. Luis Rodriguez had an RBI double after Jacque Jones and Justin Morneau singled, then Luis Rivas had an RBI single.

Carrasco gave up 10 hits but just two runs in seven innings, striking out three and not allowing a walk.

Mauer singled off Jeremy Affeldt in the seventh inning, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.

Morneau was 3-for-5 with three singles.

Angel Berroa doubled leading off the eighth against Juan Rincon, and Terrence Long walked with one out. But DeJesus hit a sharp liner to second baseman Rivas, who threw to second to double off Berroa. Each team had three double plays. In an eight-game hitting streak, Berroa is batting .548.

Notes: Sweeney also hit two homers on May 3 at Chicago … It was throwback day as the Royals honored the Negro Leagues. The Twins wore uniforms of the 1909 St. Paul Gophers while the Royals donned the 1948 Kansas City Monarchs uniforms. … Stairs made an outstanding play in the second inning, starting a run-saving double play. … Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said RHP Scott Baker would probably be optioned to Triple-A Rochester after the All-Star break.

AP-ES-07-10-05 1737EDT

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