Benintendi pushes Royals past Twins in 11th with 2nd homer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Benintendi had four hits and two home runs, the last a two-run shot in the 11th to send the Kansas City Royals to a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Benintendi had five RBIs in his second multi-homer game of the season in Minnesota. He’s driven in 11 runs in his last three games for Kansas City.

“He just gets into a great rhythm,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “When he’s healthy, he’s been going really strong. He’s had a really good year. He’s just had some different, unfortunate setbacks physically that have kind of got him off track. When he’s been rolling, it’s one good at-bat after another.”

Ervin Santana (2-2) pitched around a walk and the automatic runner in a scoreless 10th, and Greg Holland earned his eighth save in 12 chances.

Juan Minaya (2-1) took the loss for the Twins.

Benintendi’s 15th homer of the year off Minaya was an opposite-field fly that just found its way over the wall. Kansas City had loaded the bases in the 10th against Minaya, who got Salvador Perez to ground out to end the inning.

“Every year, every team has a couple of guys that are just thorns in their side,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said about Benintendi. “He’s been that this year against us. … He’s been hitting the ball all around the ballpark against us. He must like hitting here and all that because he’s been kind of a devastating presence for them throughout the season against us.”

Benintendi opened the scoring in the first with a three-run homer off Twins rookie starter Griffin Jax. He also hit two home runs in Minnesota on May 1.

Benintendi is hitting .382 with three doubles, seven homers and 17 RBI in 16 career games at Target Field. He’s tallied at least three hits in four of...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Benintendi-pushes-Royals-past-Twins-in-11th-with-16450859.php