Ty France’s ninth-inning homer boosts Twins over Royals

Ty France ripped a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night in Minneapolis.
France clenched his fist after the long ball, which marked his fourth home run of the season. Carlos Correa added a solo homer for Minnesota, which won for the 15th time in 17 games.
Cavan Biggio doubled and drove in the lone run for Kansas City. Freddy Fermin also doubled for the Royals, who dropped to 2-2 with two games to go on a six-game road trip.
Twins right-hander Cole Sands (3-1) earned the victory with one scoreless inning of relief. He was one of four bullpen arms to follow starter Pablo Lopez, who allowed one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Royals right-hander Lucas Erceg (1-1) took the loss after retiring only one of three batters faced in the ninth inning.
The Royals jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Jonathan India was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino and scored on Biggio’s double to center.
The play marked the fourth RBI in 36 games for Biggio, who hopes to find a spark at the plate after spending the previous six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. In addition to serving as designated hitter, Biggio already has played first, second and third base along with left and right field for the Royals this season.
The Twins evened the score at 1-all in the second. Correa led off the inning by turning on a fastball for a 429-foot home run to center field.
The blast marked Correa’s third home run of the season and No. 190 of his career. He homered in his return from the injured list after missing the last five games because of concussion-like symptoms.
After Erceg fanned Trevor Larnach to open the bottom of the ninth, Correa reached on an infield single. France swung at Erceg’s first delivery and blasted the walk-off homer out to left-center field.