The Minnesota Twins are playing their best baseball this month, steamrolling the Texas Rangers during a 12-2 victory Tuesday at Globe Life Field, and rotation reinforcements are likely on the way.

Mick Abel struck out five batters over five innings while pitching for the Class AAA St. Paul Saints on a rehab assignment, and the next step may be rejoining the Twins for the first time in two months.

Abel allowed four hits and two runs (one earned) while totaling five strikeouts and zero walks.

It’s welcome news for the Twins, who were short on starting pitchers until rookie Mike Paredes was thrust into the rotation. Abel, who was sidelined because of right elbow inflammation, had pitched 13 scoreless innings over his last two starts in the major leagues.

Abel, making his second rehab appearance for the Saints, was scheduled to throw up to 65 pitches. He needed only 61 to complete five innings, yielding four hits and two runs (one earned). His fastball topped out at 97 mph, and it was responsible for four of his five strikeouts.

The Twins will wait to see how the 24-year-old Abel recovers from his outing before determining where he will make his next start, but he could pitch for the Twins as early as Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Abel, who threw 44 of his 61 pitches for strikes, retired his final seven batters after a run scored in the third inning when a throw from the outfield toward third base deflected off an umpire’s leg and rolled out of play.

Meanwhile, in Texas, the Twins tallied a season-high 17 hits and jumped to a 10-0 lead by the fourth inning. Zebby Matthews allowed two runs over seven innings, matching his longest start for the third time this season.

The Twins have won three consecutive games, their longest streak since they won four games in a row from May 20-24, which included a sweep over the Red Sox in Boston.

The Twins put up seven runs against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker, who had allowed eight runs over his last six starts. Trevor Larnach opened the game with a homer on Rocker’s second pitch, depositing a down-the-middle fastball into the right field seats.

Byron Buxton, the reigning American League player of the week, created another run after he followed Larnach’s homer with a single. Buxton stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a two-out RBI single from Josh Bell, who swung in a 3-0 count.

Larnach hit a leadoff single in the third inning, Buxton drew a walk and Kody Clemens clobbered a three-run homer when he lined a changeup above the yellow home run line in right field. It was Clemens’ 11th home run of the season.

In the fourth inning, after Alex Jackson hit a leadoff double against Rocker, Buxton hit a fly ball to the warning track in right-center field that Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo dropped for an error. Buxton sheepishly looked at his dugout if he was permitted to do his typical “Buck Truck” celebration. The Rangers opted to intentionally walk Clemens, and Royce Lewis tore up that game plan with a two-run single.

The Twins made it a five-run fourth inning, sending nine batters to the plate, after an RBI double from Bell — Lewis scored via an error when Nimmo was throwing the ball back into the infield — and Luke Keaschall added a two-out RBI single. Bell has 13 RBI and six extra-base hits in his last 11 games.

Texas used catcher Kyle Higashioka to pitch the ninth inning, and the Twins added two more runs. Kyler Fedko, looking for his first major league hit, produced a sacrifice fly.

Culpepper lands on IL

Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper, who left Saturday’s game at St. Paul in the fourth inning, was placed on the seven-day minor league injured list Tuesday because of a left hip strain.

Culpepper, 23, was hitting .304 with nine homers, 27 RBI and 35 runs in his last 35 games at Class AAA.

Up next

The Twins have a rare mid-series off-day Wednesday because of a World Cup game in Dallas, then they will finish their three-game series against the Rangers at 2:35 p.m. ET Thursday. Joe Ryan (4-3, 3.17 ERA) and Rangers right-hander Jack Leiter (3-6, 4.97) are the scheduled starting pitchers.

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