MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Yan Gomes and Jason Kipnis each had three hits including a home run, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 9-3 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader Thursday.
Gomes hit a three-run homer in the eighth for his first three-hit game since April 23, 2016. Kipnis went deep two batters later to make it 7-2.
Winners of six straight, the Indians are 9-0 at Target Field this year, outscoring the Twins 65-19.
Byron Buxton homered for Minnesota, which set a franchise record by striking out 19 times in a nine-inning game.
Carlos Carrasco (12-5) allowed five hits in five innings. He retired nine straight batters- including five straight strikeouts - after Buxton's second-inning home run.
Kyle Gibson (6-10) allowed three runs on seven hits in four-plus innings for the Twins. This is the 15th time in 21 starts this season that Gibson didn't pitch six innings.
In the ninth, Twins reliever Glen Perkins made his way back to the mound for the first time since April of 2016. It was a shaky return for the Minnesota native. He hit two of the four batters he faced, and allowed two runs off of two singles before getting the hook from Paul Molitor. Perkins finished throwing 10 strikes in 19 pitches.
After the game, Perkins said it was a milestone on his road to recovery, but he knows there is only room to get better.