MINNEAPOLIS, July 13 (UPI) -- Rafael Palmeiro had a pair of two-run doubles and Alex Rodriguez hit his 29th homer and drove in three runs Saturday night, allowing the Texas Rangers to snap a four-game losing streak with an 8-1 whipping of the Minnesota Twins.
After Torii Hunter doubled in Cristian Guzman to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Rodriguez tied the contest two innings later with a one-out, solo shot to left field off Juan Rincon (0-1), who was making just his second career start.
Rodriguez's home run, his second in as many games, pulled him even with Houston's Lance Berkman for the major league lead.
Palmeiro gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning, delivering a one-out double to right field that plated Michael Young and Juan Gonzalez, who had reached base when Guzman bobbled his potential double-play grounder at shortstop. Carl Everett made it 4-1 with a two-out single to right.
Rodriguez and Palmeiro each added two-run doubles an inning later off reliever Jose Rodriguez, turning the contest into a rout.
Rangers starter Kenny Rogers (2-1) yielded one run and five hits over seven innings as he improved to 2-1 against the Twins this season.
Rogers made an impressive defensive play with Corey Koskie on third and two outs in the fifth inning, handling Matthew LeCroy's chopper and diving to the first-base bag just ahead of the charging runner.
Despite the loss, the Twins saw their lead in the American League Central Division increase to nine games over the Chicago White Sox, who were swept by Detroit in a doubleheader.
