Orlando Hudson and Jim Thome homered and Joe Mauer drove in a pair of runs as the Minnesota Twins edged the Kansas City Royals, 6-5, on Saturday.

Hudson’s solo blast in the seventh – his first of the season – off left-hander John Parrish snapped a 5-5 deadlock.

Brian Duensing (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win and Jon Rauch worked his way out of trouble in the ninth to pick up his sixth save.

The Royals grabbed an early 2-0 lead before the Twins exploded for five runs in the second. Thome got the rally started with a two-run blast before Denard Span singled in a run and Mauer added two more with a single to center.

Rick Ankiel homered twice and Willie Bloomquist doubled in a run for the Royals, who have dropped two in a row and five of seven.

Parrish (1-1) suffered the loss in relief of Gil Meche, who allowed five runs in six innings and has been touched for 12 runs in 9 1/3 frames this season.