TAMPA, Fla. >> Jonathan Aranda hit a three-run homer, and Danny Jansen added a two-run shot as the Tampa Bay Rays extended their winning streak to six games with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Zack Littell (4-5) allowed three hits through six shutout innings. He left with one out in the seventh after hitting Ty France with his 72nd pitch. Carlos Correa followed with a two-run homer, pulling the Twins within 3-2.

But José Caballero’s two-out, two-run double ignited a four-run eighth that was punctuated by Jansen’s homer.

Kody Funderburk, the Twins’ only left-handed reliever, entered with one out in the eighth and the bases empty and allowed back-to-back singles to Aranda and Curtis Mead. A two-out, two-run double by Caballero and Jansen’s fourth homer made it 7-2.

Aranda broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning, hitting a 1-2 pitch from Minnesota reliever Brock Stewart 365 feet to right field for a 3-0 lead. Twins starter Chris Paddock breezed through five innings before leaving with one out in the sixth after Brandon Lowe singled and Junior Caminero doubled.

Littell, who lost his first five starts this season, allowed one run on three hits in 6? innings. Manuel Rodríguez and Mason Montgomery each pitched a scoreless inning to close it out.

Paddock (2-5) gave up two runs in 5? innings on five hits. Funderburk retired two batters and allowed four runs on six hits.

Brandon Lowe went 2 for 4 and extended his hitting streak to nine games for the Rays (27-26). Curtis Mead has hit in eight straight after going 1 for 4.

The Twins (29-24) dropped the opener of a 10-game trip. Minnesota is 16-4 in its last 20 games.

Briefly

Twins infielder Kody Clemens went 1 for 2 with a single in the 5th inning and has hit safely in each of his past seven games with an at-bat, a new career high. In 14 straight games, Clemens has batted .440 (11-for-25) with three doubles, two homers and five RBIs during the streak, and has also reached base safely in 14 straight games. a .488 on-base percentage. ... All four of Correa’s home runs this season have come against left-handers. He is hitting .355 (11-for-31) with an .806 slugging percentage against lefties this season. ... The Rays’ win streak has come at temporary home George M. Steinbrenner Field, where Tampa Bay improved to 17-18.

Up next

RHP Joe Ryan (4-2, 2.68) starts Tuesday for the Twins against Rays RHP Taj Bradley (4-3, 4.61)..