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Twins rally for a smashing finish

Orlin Wagner, Associated Press

Minnesota shortstop Brendan Harris forces out Kansas City's Alex Gordon while turning a double play during the first inning of Wednesday's game. Royals' Jose Guillen was out at first base and David DeJesus scored on the play.

The never-give-up Twins and the hapless Royals staged another late-game stunner, with Minnesota rallying for five ninth-inning runs -- three on Craig Monroe's homer -- before Justin Morneau won it in the 10th.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: May 29, 2008 - 9:25 AM

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TWINS 9, KANSAS CITY 8 (10 INNINGS)

Up next: 7:10 tonight at Kansas City • TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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KANSAS CITY, MO. -- When it was over, the Twins could hardly believe it themselves.

Their good fortune and Kansas City's misfortune converged in the ninth inning Wednesday night, when the Twins were down to their final out before scoring five runs to tie the game.

"I don't think we ever quit," Craig Monroe said. "But I wasn't sitting there thinking that I'd have a chance to get in the game."

Riding an 0-for-17 skid, Monroe got his chance as a pinch hitter and delivered a three-run, game-tying homer off Royals reliever Joel Peralta.

Justin Morneau led off the 10th inning with another home run off Peralta, and the Twins claimed a 9-8 victory at Kauffman Stadium, extending Kansas City's losing streak to 10 games.

"I know how tough that is on the other side," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They've been really fighting it and had a chance to get out of that thing they're in. Unfortunately the game doesn't give in to anybody."

Kansas City built an 8-3 lead behind pitcher Zack Greinke, who drew a big ovation when he left the mound after the eighth inning.

Royals manager Trey Hillman turned to righthander Ramon Ramirez, who retired two of the first three batters in the ninth. An announced crowd of 13,621 stood, anticipating the end of this miserable losing streak.

The celebration never came.

Mike Lamb, Brendan Harris and Carlos Gomez singled, trimming the lead to 8-5.

Hillman summoned Peralta, and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire pulled hot-hitting Alexi Casilla for Monroe.

"Good thing for me that I prepared," Monroe said. "I went down a couple times in the cage during the game and made sure I was loose."

The Twins acquired Monroe last offseason for just this reason: to give them some thunder off the bench.

But this is not Monroe's specialty. He came in with one career pinch-hit home run, and he hadn't played at all since Saturday.

With a 3-0 count, Monroe even missed a take sign and fouled off Peralta's pitch. The Twins had Joe Mauer on deck, and a walk would have loaded the bases.

After swinging and missing for strike two -- a pitch that could have been Ball 4 -- Monroe gathered himself.

"Coming off the bench has been kind of difficult to do because I have this leg kick that I hit with, and you have to be in there to have the rhythm," Monroe said.

Hitting coach Joe Vavra has worked with Monroe on eliminating that leg kick. All of a sudden, it worked.

Peralta threw a fastball, and Monroe pulled it over the left-field wall.

"That was huge," Gardenhire said. "Sitting on the bench as many games as he had. I asked for his numbers [against Peralta], and they said 2-for-9 with a homer. And I said, that's good enough, let's try for another homer."

Morneau's home run off Peralta also came on a 3-2 pitch, this one climbing just above the right-field wall.

"Two wall-scrapers," Mor-neau said, marveling. "Both of them barely got over."

The Twins had trouble believing their luck considering how poorly they played behind Livan Hernandez early in the game. But they were happy to take it. They've won four of their past five games.

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