Toronto ? Raul Ibanez made the Toronto Blue Jays pay for intentionally walking Mike Sweeney.

Ibanez hit a three-run homer in the 12th inning, then the Kansas City Royals held on for a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Toronto shortstop Chris Woodward crashes into Kansas City's Luis Ordaz, bottom, after tagging him out on a steal attempt at second base. The Royals held on to defeat the Blue Jays, 6-5, in 12 innings Tuesday in Toronto.

In the top of the 12th, Aaron Guiel walked and advanced to second on Michael Tucker’s sacrifice. Scott Cassidy (0-2) then intentionally walked Sweeney, who is hitting an AL leading .349, before Ibanez hit his 21st homer.

“That’s the right move. Mike Sweeney is the leading hitter in the league,” Ibanez said. “I would have walked Mike Sweeney every time to get to me in that situation.”

Ibanez hit a 3-2 pitch off SkyDome’s Windows restaurant beyond the center-field wall to put the Royals up 6-3.

“When somebody gets intentionally walked before you, you try to make it hurt,” Ibanez said.

Kansas City manager Tony Pena said he knew that by having Tucker sacrifice the Blue Jays would walk Sweeney to face Ibanez.

“Raul has been one of the best clutch hitters that we’ve had this year,” Pena said.

After Ibanez’s homer, closer Roberto Hernandez nearly gave it all back.

Josh Phelps led off the bottom of the 12th with a single. After an out, Orlando Hudson singled off the glove of third baseman Luis Alicea and Dave Berg singled to left to load the bases. Pedro Swan followed with an RBI grounder to first and Ken Huckaby added a run-scoring single to right to make it 6-5.

Hernandez then got Shannon Stewart to pop up to first baseman Mike Sweeney with runners on first and second for his 22nd save.

“Like Yogi said ‘The game is not over until you make 27 outs.’ Today was not 27, today was 33,” Pena said.

The Blue Jays had 16 hits all singles.

“We had some chances there. We just couldn’t get the hit at the right time,” Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said.

Jeremy Affeldt (2-4) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win.

Kit Pellow hit his first major league home run for the Royals in the second to tie it 1-all.

Phelps gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single off Kansas City starter Miguel Asencio.

Tucker hit an RBI single in the third, but the Blue Jays scored two runs in the fourth on Vernon Wells’ RBI single and Berg’s run-scoring single.

Toronto starter Justin Miller walked Neifi Perez and Luis Ordaz to lead off the fifth before Tucker hit a sacrifice fly, tying it at 3.

Mark Hendrickson relieved with runners on first and second and got Ibanez to fly out to deep left.

Miller went 4 2-3 innings, giving up three runs and four hits. He walked three and struck out one.

Asencio allowed three runs two earned on seven hits in six innings.

Notes: Kansas City outfielder Chuck Knoblauch didn’t start because of tightness in his left forearm. … Asencio is winless in seven starts since July 14. … Kansas City’s Luis Ordaz, who entered the game hitting .167, went 1-for-2 with three walks.