Josh Bell and Byron Buxton each homered to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night in Arlington.
Bell launched a three-run shot in the first inning after Austin Martin doubled and Royce Lewis walked. The 376-foot blast gave Minnesota an early 3-0 lead.
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It was Bell's eighth home run of the season. He extended his hitting streak to seven games and improved his career batting average in Arlington to .
372.
The Rangers answered in the third when Elias Diaz singled and Joc Pederson followed with a two-run homer off Twins rookie Mike Paredes, cutting the lead to 3-2.
Buxton restored the two-run cushion in the sixth with a solo home run, his 23rd of the year.
He was recently named American League Player of the Week.
Paredes lasted 4 2/3 innings in his second MLB start, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Four Twins relievers combined to give up just one hit over the final 4 1/3 innings.
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Taylor Rogers earned the win, improving to 3-3, after striking out Pederson to end the fifth.
Andrew Morris pitched a perfect sixth, Eric Orze allowed one single in 1 2/3 innings, and Yoendrys Gómez retired all four batters he faced for his seventh save.
Rangers starter Mackenzie Gore took the loss, falling to 4-6.
He allowed four runs on four hits over seven innings, striking out a season-high 10 and walking two on 102 pitches.
Texas played without shortstop Corey Seager, who entered the seven-day concussion list after a home-plate collision Thursday.
Second baseman Josh Smith returned from the injured list and fouled out as a pinch hitter in the sixth.
Twins outfielder Kyler Fedko made his MLB debut, starting in left field and going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
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The series continues Tuesday with Minnesota's Zebby Matthews facing Texas's Kumar Rocker.
