Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Brian Duensing sparkled on the mound for a second straight start, this time tossing eight innings of one-run ball, as the Twins grabbed a 7-2 win over the Angels at Target Field.
Duensing (7-1), who tossed his first career complete game in a 2-0 win over Oakland last Saturday, gave up seven hits and fanned six batters in the opener of this three-game set. He moved to 9-1 in 15 career starts.
Jason Kubel hit a three-run homer off Dan Haren in the third inning as Minnesota widened its lead to 4 1/2 games over Chicago in the AL Central. The White Sox had their game at Kansas City postponed by rain Friday, causing a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Twins, who have won seven of their last eight overall, have captured 10 of their last 11 at home.
Haren (1-4) was touched for 11 hits and seven runs over seven innings as Los Angeles lost for the fourth time in five games.
Howie Kendrick had three of LA's eight hits and scored on Torii Hunter's double-play grounder in the fourth inning.
It was rough-going for Haren at the start as Denard Span and Orlando Hudson singled. Joe Mauer followed with a sacrifice fly to center.
J.J. Hardy doubled to begin the bottom of the third and two outs later Mauer was given an intentional walk. Kubel followed with a three-run blast to right field.
The Twins padded their lead to 7-1 in the fourth. Jim Thome tripled for the 26th time in his career and Delmon Young singled to center. After Danny Valencia doubled, Hardy lifted a sac fly to left. Hudson singled up the middle later in the frame for another run.
Duensing gave up a one-out double to Peter Bourjos in the eighth, but came back to get Bobby Abreu and Kendrick on ground balls to escape the inning.
Alberto Callaspo doubled off Matt Guerrier in the ninth and scored on a Juan Rivera groundout.
Earlier in the day, the Twins placed infielder Nick Punto on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. The team also recalled infielder Matt Tolbert from Triple-A Rochester...The Angels, who went 0-for-5 with men in scoring position, have lost 18 of their last 24 road games.