Twins begin June with two homers, top Rays 6-2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Marwin Gonzalez and Byron Buxton both homered and drove in two runs as the Minnesota Twins kept scoring, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Saturday.

Minnesota, which owns the best record in the majors at 39-18, has scored at least three runs in 25 straight games, setting a single-season franchise record.

The Twins, who lead the majors with 108 homers, failed to go deep while splitting the first two games of the series at Tropicana Field.

Kyle Gibson (6-2) allowed one unearned run and six hits over five innings for Minnesota.

Minnesota went up 2-1 on consecutive RBI doubles by Jorge Polanco and Gonzalez in the third off Yonny Chirinos (6-2).

After Buxton had an RBI single during the fourth, Gonzalez made it 4-1 on a fifth-inning solo shot.

The Twins took a 5-1 lead on Buxton’s homer in the sixth off Hunter Wood.

Miguel Sano had an RBI double during the seventh to complete a stretch where Minnesota scored in five consecutive innings.

Travis d’Arnaud had a run-scoring single in the second for the Rays.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases with two outs in the third but Gibson got a grounder from Christian Arroyo.

Arroyo hit a solo homer in the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: DH Nelson Cruz, sidelined by a strained left wrist since May 14, is joining Class A Fort Myers for a short rehab stint.

Rays: Backup C Michael Perez (strained right oblique) could start a rehab assignment Sunday with Class A Charlotte.

ROSTER SHUFFLE

With Tampa Bay starting outfielders Tommy Pham (right calf cramp) and Avisail Garcia (hamstring) out of the lineup for the second straight game, 1B Nate Lowe was recalled from Triple-A Durham and reliever Adam Kolarek was optioned to the International League club.

PAGAN’S OK

Rays reliever Emilio Pagan said he has small bruise on the right cheek one day after having Jonathan Schoop‘s liner Friday night graze both a knuckle on the right hand and his face. Pagan was able to remain in the game.

DANGER ZONE

Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe was taking his lead from third base in foul ground when he fell to the ground after being hit on the lower leg by Arroyo’s foul ball in the third. Lowe stayed in the game.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP Jake Odorizzi (7-2) will go against an unannounced Tampa Bay reliever in Sunday’s series finale.