KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With one swing of the bat, Miguel Sano sweetened a sour stretch.

Sano hit a pinch home run with two outs in the 12th inning, lifting the Minnesota Twins to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

The victory moved the Twins within 1 1/2 games of the Texas Rangers, who lost at Seattle, for the second American League wild-card spot.

Sano was in an 0-for-14 skid that included 11 strikeouts before he deposited left-hander Franklin Morales' full-count fastball over the left field fence.

"I try to hit a line drive, and the guy throws me a fastball inside," Sano said. "I have a big chance to hit a homer and help my team.

"I was so happy. That was a big moment to hit a home run like that."

It was Sano's 16th home run in 196 at-bats and the first Twins' pinch homer since 2013.

"Sano had a really good at-bat," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "He did what he can do, put a run up on the board quickly."

Morales thought he struck out Sano with a 2-2 pitch, but plate umpire Greg Gibson called it a ball.

"You know what, it's part of the game," Morales said. "I try to do my job. (The umpire) missed it. The pitch was right there. I try to come back with the same pitch again, and I missed for my part and he got a homer. I threw it over the middle, and that's where it got hit."

Royals manager Ned Yost said Sano "got an extra strike," but acknowledged that did not cost his club the game.

"We had opportunities before that to end the game," Yost said. "We ended up hitting the ball on the nose a couple of times right at their defenders.

"We just couldn't capitalize on situations that probably wouldn't have allowed that situation (with Sano) to occur."

Blaine Boyer (3-4) retired all five batters he faced to pick up the victory. Kevin Jepsen worked a spotless 12th to log his seventh save in as many opportunities since being acquired by the Twins on July 31. He has 12 saves on the year, counting his time with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Minnesota catcher Kurt Suzuki broke up Kris Medlen's no-hitter with a sixth-inning home run. Suzuki hit an 89 mph fastball out to left-center to lead off the inning.

The Twins added another run in the sixth with designated hitter Joe Mauer's single scoring right fielder Aaron Hicks, who had walked and moved to third on second baseman Brian Dozier's single.

Suzuki left in the 10th inning with a bruised left knee after a collision at the plate with pinch runner Jarrod Dyson, who stole second and third and attempted to score on center fielder Lorenzo Cain's comebacker to Boyer.

"It's fine, just a little sore," Suzuki said. "I was a little nervous (after the collision). No pop, but it just hurt really bad."

Royals second baseman Ben Zobrist hit a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the sixth. It was his 12th home run and his sixth in 37 games with the Royals. Zobrist rifled a 2-2 Mike Pelfrey pitch into the Twins' bullpen.

After the Zobrist blast, Pelfrey, who had a 10.22 ERA in his previous three starts, gave up an infield single to left fielder Alex Gordon and hit Cain with a pitch before he was removed.

Left-hander Neal Cotts was beckoned, and he retired first baseman Eric Hosmer and designated hitter Kendrys Morales on fly balls to center.

The Royals tied the game in the eighth off Trevor May. Zobrist started the inning with a triple to right-center and scored on Cain's sacrifice fly.

Both starters got a no-decision. Pelfrey was charged with one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Medlen yielded two runs on three hits and two walks in six innings.

NOTES: The Royals broke their season attendance record with the crowd of 32,286 pushing the total to 2,506,913. The previous record of 2,477,700 was set in 1989. The Royals still have six home games remaining. ... Twins RHP Phil Hughes threw 45 pitches in a three-inning simulated game with no issues. Hughes is on the disabled list due to back inflammation. ... Twins LHP Glen Perkins, who has not pitched since Sept. 1 because of a bad back, received his second cortisone shot. ... The Twins will skip RHP Tyler Duffey's start, but manager Paul Molitor said Duffey would make another start this season. ... Royals 2B Omar Infante, who is hitting .217, did not start any of three games against the Twins. Ben Zobrist started all three at second base. ... The Twins are off Thursday before continuing the trip with a weekend series against the Chicago White Sox. ... Royals LHP Danny Duffy and Orioles RHP Mike Wright are the probables Thursday in Baltimore.