Minneapolis ? When your starting pitcher gives up three home runs, you need to take advantage of every offensive opportunity you create. The Kansas City Royals blew a big chance Saturday night.

Brian Dozier hit his 25th home run of the season and the 100th of his career, leading Tyler Duffey and the Minnesota Twins over the Royals, 5-3.

Tied 1-1 in the fifth inning, the Royals got a leadoff walk to Alex Gordon and a single by Alcides Escobar. But No. 9 hitter Raul Mondesi popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt, and the Twins turned a double play on a hard-hit grounder by Paulo Orlando to get out of the inning.

“That was a big play because if we get the bunt down, Paulo’s ball — probably, if they play the infield in — goes through for two runs,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He’s an excellent bunter. It just shows you though there’s nothing in this game that is a sure thing no matter how good you are at it.”

For the second time this season, the Twins homered three times off Royals starter Dillon Gee (4-6), who gave up five earned runs on 11 hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings.

“The first five innings … we were battling pretty good and the curveball was good,” Gee said. “We were able to battle our way through five, and in the sixth it just fell apart.”

Robbie Grossman homered in the fifth inning to put Minnesota ahead 2-1. In the sixth, Kurt Suzuki hit a one-out single and Eddie Rosario drove a belt-high fastball into the bullpen in left-center for his eighth home run of the season.

Dozier then hit the same pitch deep into the second deck in left, ending Gee’s night.

“The ball just started elevating and I wasn’t commanding it very well,” Gee said. “They put good swings on mistakes.”

Duffey (8-8) won for the third time in three starts this month. He allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings, striking out six. His outing was especially timely given the recent troubles of Minnesota’s starting staff. In the previous three games, Twins starters lasted a combined 10 innings.

“The more that the short outings get compounded, the more that it taxes your team collectively,” Molitor said. “You need a little relief. Long starts are right up there with off days.”

Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless eighth and Brandon Kintzler allowed an unearned run in the ninth but held on for his 11th save in 12 chances.

Cheslor Cuthbert hit his 10th home run of the season in the third inning to tie the game 1-1. But Grossman hit a leadoff home run in the fifth to put the Twins on top for good.