Salvador Perez and Jorge Bonifacio hit back-to-back homers during a four-run sixth inning, Heath Fillmyer pitched into the eighth and the Kansas City Royals held on for a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
The loss by the Twins, who occupy second place in the woeful AL Central, reduced the division-leading Cleveland Indians’ magic number to two.
The Royals trailed 2-1 and were hitless until Hunter Dozier greeted Alan Busenitz, the Twins’ third pitcher of the game, with a leadoff double to left field in the sixth. Perez and Bonifacio followed with home runs.
Busenitz (4-1) faced three batters, all of whom scored, inflating his ERA to 7.71.
Jake Cave hit a two-run homer, his 11th of the season, in the second against Fillmyer, who allowed only one hit and one walk during the next 5 1/3 innings.
