Erik Kratz rounds the bases after homering for the second time on the night. (photo/MLB)

Erik Kratz rounds the bases after homering for the second time on the night. (photo/MLB)

Royals All-Star catcher Salvador Perez is being listed as day to day with a sore knee.  He was lifted after hurting his knee running the bases in the fifth.  Manager Ned Yost said it’s precautionary.  Backup catcher Erik Kratz came on and homered twice as the Royals took three out of four from Minnesota with a 6-4 win.

Perez had two hits and two RBIs before leaving in the seventh. Kratz came in as a pinch hitter and broke his bat, but still hit it over the wall in left field for a 4-0 lead. Kratz added a solo shot to center in the ninth for his first multi-homer game.  Kratz came over in a trade with Toronto on July 28th and has played in just five games behind the typically sturdy Perez.

Jason Vargas allowed one run on four this and struck out three, but had his scoreless innings streak snapped at 17 when Oswaldo Arcia hit a solo homer in the seventh.

The Twins made a run in the ninth.  Trevor Plouffe hit a three-run homer off Aaron Crow and Greg Holland had to come in and close out the game.