MINNEAPOLIS — Edouard Julien hit a pinch-hit, solo homer to start a five-run eighth inning and the Minnesota Twins went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Monday night.
Carlos Correa had four hits from the leadoff spot and Byron Buxton drove in a pair of runs with sacrifice flies for Minnesota, which beat Kansas City for the seventh time in eight games this season.
Julien, the Canadian rookie second baseman, hit for Kyle Farmer to lead off the eighth and sent the first pitch he saw from Royals reliever Taylor Clarke for a no-doubt homer to right field. It was the first pinch hit for Julien and fifth homer of his career.
Kansas City had tied the game in the top of the inning on a solo homer by Nick Pratto.
Clarke (1-3) surrendered five runs on five hits and retired just one of the seven batters he faced.
Minnesota’s Brent Headrick (2-0) allowed Pratto, the first batter he faced Monday, to homer to lead off the eighth. He retired the next three batters he faced, with two strikeouts.
Michael A. Taylor drove in the second run in the eighth as his bunt was fielded by Clarke with nowhere to throw. Max Kepler, Correa and Alex Kirilloff followed with three straight RBI singles for the Twins.
Royals rookie Maikel Garcia reached base four times and hit the first pitch of the game off Joe Ryan for a homer. Kansas City, which had won two straight against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, have lost 11 of their last 12 games in Minnesota.
Royals: C Salvador Perez was out of the lineup with a sore toe after being hit in the foot by a pitch on Sunday. Manager Matt Quatraro said Perez was available off the bench but wanted to take extra precautions.
Twins: An MRI showed a Grade 2 oblique strain for 3B Royce Lewis and the recovery is expected to be about six weeks for Lewis, who’s hit .326 in 26 games for Minnesota this season. … 2B Jorge Polanco (left hamstring strain) has continued his running progression without pain or discomfort and he was scheduled to do “high-effort sprints” on Monday. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Polanco will be looking at a more extensive rehab assignment when he’s ready.
UP NEXTRHP Zack Greinke (1-8, 5.15 ERA) will start Sunday afternoon for Kansas City, with Minnesota countering with RHP Kenta Maeda (1-5, 6.23). Greinke is 5-15 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 career games against the Twins. Maeda has allowed two runs in 10 innings since returning from the injured list.
