Kansas City, MO -- (Sports Network) - Tony Pena, Jr. ripped an RBI single in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Minnesota Twins, 5-4, and avoid the three-game sweep at Kauffman Stadium.

Mark Teahen scored three runs on three hits for the Royals, who stopped a four-game slide.

Adam Everett collected two hits, two RBI and a run scored, but committed a costly error for the Twins, who fell out of first place in the AL Central. With a win over the Boston Red Sox earlier in the day, the Chicago White Sox sit atop the division by a half game.

The game was even at four, but Teahen got it going for the Royals in the 12th with a one-out double to right. After the Twins decided to intentionally walk Jose Guillen, Pena smacked a 1-0 pitch through the middle to bring around Teahen.

Robinson Tejeda (1-2) earned his first win of the season in a perfect inning of work in which he tallied a strikeout.

Craig Breslow (0-1) suffered his first defeat after surrendering the one run on four hits and two walks in 2 1/3 frames.

The two starting pitchers walked away with no-decisons. Scott Baker posted his third straight no-decison for the Twins after allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk, while striking out seven in seven frames,

Kansas City's Gil Meche, who had won his last four starts, yielded four runs on five hits and seven walks in 6 1/3 innings in which he had six strikeouts.

Minnesota opened the scoring in the third inning as it took advantage of a lead-off walk to Mike Lamb. Lamb hustled to third on a single by Brian Buscher and touched the plate thanks to an Everett base hit to right. With two outs, Joe Mauer drew a walk to load the bases and Meche then walked Justin Morneau to force in Buscher.

The Royals tied the affair with two runs on four hits and one costly Minnesota error in the sixth. Mitch Maier and Teahen smacked a pair of one-out singles and then Maier came home as Baker threw away a pick-off attempt. Teahen advanced to third on the errant throw and was then driven in by a Guillen base hit.

The Twins scored two runs in the seventh to grab a 4-2 edge. Buscher got it going with a one-out double and came around one batter later courtesy of an Everett single up the middle. Everett raced to second on a throwing error and then to third on a wild pitch by Meche before eventually crossing the plate on a groundout by Mauer.

However, the Royals got even once again with two runs in the eighth. Teahen led off with an infield single and one out later, moved to third on a base hit by Billy Butler. Dennys Reyes then took over on the hill for Matt Guerrier and threw a wild pitch which allowed Teahen to come around. Pena, who entered the game as a pinch-runner for Butler, moved to second on the wild pitch, then to third on an Alex Gordon groundout and scored when Everett allowed Ross Gload to reach safely thanks to a high throw to first base.

"It cost us the game," said Everett about his error. "You can slice it and dice it. You can try to word it any way you want to. It cost us the game."

Game Notes:

Royals pitcher Josh Newman joined the club after being recalled from Omaha...Pena had his first hit since the Fourth of July Weekend in the 10th inning...Meche has not won in three starts against Minnesota this year...The Royals improved to 5-5 in extra innings...It was Teahen's first three-hit game since June 19.