Michael A. Taylor and Ryan Jeffers each hit a two-run homer, and the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Thursday night.

The Twins took two of three from the Cardinals and increased their division lead to 2 1/2 games over idle Cleveland. Minnesota has won just twice in its last eight games.

Sonny Gray (5-4) picked up the win in his first start with the Twins, giving up two runs and five hits in seven innings. In getting his first win since April 30, Gray snapped a four-game losing streak over a span of 15 starts.

Jhoan Duran gave up a leadoff single in the ninth to Alex Burleson, his third hit in a 3-for-4 night. Burleson scored on a ground out. After a two-out infield single, Duran struck out Taylor Motter to pick up his 19th save.

Matthew Liberatore (1-4) pitched 5 2/3 innings before chased with the bases loaded in the sixth. Drew Verhagen issued a walk to Taylor for a run before getting a strikeout to end the threat. Liberatore allowed five earned runs and six hits with two walks.

Minnesota stung Liberatore with the pair of two-run home runs in the second.

effers hit a curveball for a homer to center field to score Edouard Julien.

Willie Castro followed with a double off Liberatore’s foot as the ball caromed into short left field. After stealing third, he walked home when Taylor hit a 3-0 fastball into Big Mac Land in the third deck in left field for a 4-0 lead.

St. Louis got a run back in the second when Dylan Carlson sliced a double to left, scoring Tommy Edman. The hit snapped an 0-for-11 streak for Carlson.

Alec Burleson hit a one-out home run into the right-field bullpen, cutting the Twins lead to 5-2.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (6-5, 3.19) will face Arizona RHP Merrill Kelly (9-5, 3.23).

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (3-5, 7.18) faces Colorado RHP Chris Flexen (0-5, 8.08).