KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Tony Graffanino wasted little time making an impact.

Activated from the disabled list prior to the game, Graffanino's infield hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning plated Wilton Guerrero with the winning run as the Kansas City Royals edged the Minnesota Twins , 2-1.

Graffanino had been sidelined with a meniscus tear in his left knee and was hitless in his first three at-bats but came through as the Royals beat the Twins for just the second time in seven games this season.

Juan Rincon (6-3) started the ninth by striking out Matt Stairs but walked Ken Harvey on four pitches and Guerrero came on to run. Joe Randa walked and both runners moved up on a groundout.

Graffanino bounced the first pitch he saw from the reliever into the hole and beat the throw of shortstop Cristian Guzman with a dive into first base.

"No diving," said Graffanino. "But I think under special circumstances you are allowed to dive. Right then, I didn't think I had a choice. I knew it was going to be close. I just figured diving would give me the best shot.

"When I hit it, I knew Guzman was probably going to get to it. I just put my head down and started running. You kind of have an idea when you see the first baseman starting to stretch. I just dove. I didn't know if I was out or not."

Graffanino was 3-for-14 in four games during a rehabilitation stint.

"I don't know if I really envisioned anything for my first game," Graffanino said. "I'm just glad my knee feels good. It was a good win for everybody."

The win was Kansas City's sixth in its final at-bat and enabled the Royals to bounce back from Thursday's thrashing in which they allowed 27 hits in a 17-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers .

Royals rookie Zack Greinke was impressive in his second major league start, allowing a run and seven hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out two.

Jeremy Affeldt (1-3) worked a hitless top of the ninth for the Royals and notched the win.

Minnesota starter Brad Radke also allowed a run and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four and ran his streak of innings without a walk to 24.

"(Greinke) looked liked Radke," Gardenhire said. "Radke pitched very, very well for us, and the kid pitched very, very well for them. The kid changed speeds and located the ball. He did everything he had to do. The difference in the those two pitchers tonight was one guy has been doing it 10 years."

Radke, a 31-year-old righthander, has won 120 games in the major leagues, while Greinke, is the youngest player in either league at 20.

"I liked how (Radke) pitches," Greinke said. "It's nice to be compared to him. I was thinking about that in the game. He's got such good control. I just hope I develop a changeup like he has. He kept everyone off-balance. I like watching him pitch."

Radke has not received a decision in any of his last five starts and the Twins have scored one run or less in four of those outings.

"I just go out and do my job," Radke said. "There's not a lot I can control on the other side."

The Twins run came in the fifth when Michael Cuddyer snapped an 0-for-15 skid with a leadoff homer.

The Royals' Ken Harvey went 3-for-3 with a walk and raised his average to .353.