KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Whit Merrifield had a big day, and the Kansas City Royals won a big series.

Merrifield had three hits, including two doubles, and stole three bases as the Royals bested the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Sunday.

The Royals took three of four from the Twins in the series. The teams are tied for second in the American League Central with 41-40 records, three games behind Cleveland.

"We're playing good baseball right now," Merrifield said. "We're right in the middle of the hunt. All in all, we're in a pretty good spot."

The Royals had lost seven of their first eight games to the Twins this season.

"Huge," Kansas City starter Travis Wood said of winning the series. "To take three out of four from these guys, who were ahead of us, shows that we're here to play some good ball and keep moving forward."

Twins left-hander Hector Santiago (4-8) was removed after 3 1/3 innings after allowing four runs, four hits, a walk and a hit batter. He has not won since May 3 and his ERA is 5.63.

The Royals scored three runs in the third inning and two in the fourth.

Alex Gordon was hit by a pitch with one out in the third inning and scored on Merrifield's double into the left-center gap. Merrifield stole third and scored on Eric Hosmer's two-out double to right. Salvador Perez singled to center, scoring Hosmer.

"I didn't know they (outfielders) were that far over, for sure," Santiago said. "You try to pitch, get the guy out, some him soft contact, so I went a little bit slower on the curveball and when it went up, I thought fly ball to right field, but nobody's there so they get a double of it.

"It definitely (stinks) and then you make good pitches to Salvy and he hits it off the end of the bat and bloops it over the shortstop, so good piece of hitting on his part and good job by Hosmer to make that adjustment and pull it over there."

Ramon Torres led off the fourth with a walk and scored on Alcides Escobar's double. Gordon singled to right to drive in Escobar. Santiago didn't make it out of the inning.

"He couldn't get off the field in the third, and then he walked the leadoff hitter in the fourth," Molitor said. "I thought we still had a chance, given the state of their bullpen and usage in the doubleheader and I tried to minimize there and keep us in the game as close as we could."

Left-hander Wood, who has making his first start since Sept. 19, 2015, while with the Chicago Cubs, held the Twins scoreless for the first four innings but was removed in the fifth when he faced three batters and retired none as his pitch count ascended.

"The fifth inning didn't go the way I wanted it," Wood said. "You can't walk the leadoff guy there. That's unacceptable."

Byron Buxton led off the inning with a five-pitch walk. Jason Castro and Brian Dozier singled for the first run. Scott Alexander (1-2) replaced Wood, who had thrown a season-high 81 pitches.

Alexander gave up a run-producing single to Robbie Groasman. After retiring Joe Mauer on a fielder's choice grounder, Alexander walked the dangerous Miguel Sano, who already had two singles, to load the bases with one out.

Alexander got out of the jam when Eduardo Escobar grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Royals tacked on a run in the fifth when Alcides Escobar's single scored Jorge Soler, who led off the inning with a double and stopped at third on Torres' single.

Kansas City manager Ned Yost had to squeeze five innings out of four relievers after Wood left. They responded by holding the Twins to two hits and no runs.

"The analogy is you get on a horse and ride it until it drops dead," Yost said. "And that's what I feel like we're doing to the bullpen right now as the result of four games in a short period. That takes a toll."

NOTES: Royals LHP Matt Strahm suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. He will pursue a second opinion. It is undetermined whether surgery will be required. ... Twins INF Ehrie Adrianza, who is rehabbing with Triple-A Rochester from an abdominal injury, might come off the disabled list Monday. ... The Twins signed international blue-chip SS prospects Jelfry Marte of the Dominican Republic for a reported $3 million. ... Royals Gold Glove LF Alex Gordon made his second career start in center. ... Twins rookie LHP Adelberto Mejia and Angels RHP Alex Meyer are the Monday probables at Target Field. ... Royals RHP Ian Kennedy and Mariners RHP Andrew Moore will start the opener Monday in Seattle.