MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Denard Span delivered a key two-run triple Wednesday and Minnesota survived a shaky ninth inning to edge Kansas City 4-3.

The Twins won their sixth straight, finished an 8-1 homestand and increased their lead over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central to 5 1/2 games.

Brian Duensing (8-2) allowed a run on six hits with seven strikeouts to get the win. He had suffered a loss and two no-decisions in his previous three starts.

Matt Capps entered the game in the ninth to protect a 4-1 advantage and gave up a lead-off double to Wilson Betemit. Two groundouts brought Betemit around to score, after which Capps walked Kila Ka'aihue.

Ka'aihue took second on fielder's indifference and scored on a single by Alex Gordon to bring the Royals within one. Gordon stole second, but Capps finally ended the game by getting Mitch Maier on a fly ball to left. It was the 37th save for Capps.

The triple by Span came in the fifth inning and gave the Twins a 3-1 lead. J.J. Hardy added a solo homer, his sixth this season, in the seventh.

Zach Greinke (8-12) went the distance, giving up only five hits.