Byron Buxton hit two home runs and drove in all four runs to back Bailey Ober’s best start of the season as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Texas Rangers 4-0 on Thursday afternoon in the rubber game of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.

Ober (6-9) faced just one batter over the minimum during his six-inning stint as he allowed two hits and one walk with five strikeouts. It marked the right-hander’s only scoreless outing in his 27 starts this year and served as a huge bounce back from his last start, when he surrendered six runs on eight hits in five innings Friday during a home loss to Cleveland.

The Twins (69-90), who have won three of their past four, got two hits apiece from Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Christian Vazquez and Edouard Julian to complete their 10-hit attack. The Twins end their season with a three-game set at Philadelphia.

The Rangers (80-79) head to Cleveland for a three-game series to conclude their campaign. Texas, which had just three hits on Thursday and went 2-of-7 with runners in scoring position in the series, has dropped nine of its past 10 games.

Buxton homered to open the game for the second straight contest — the first homer allowed by Rangers starter Tyler Mahle (6-4) in 10 starts at home this season.

The Twins also got the lead runner aboard in the second, third and fourth innings but could not further dent Mahle, who allowed five hits and one walk while striking out four over five innings. He finished with a 0.84 home ERA.

Buxton boosted the lead in the eighth when he blasted a three-run home run to center off Texas reliever Chris Martin to score pinch runner Ryan Fitzgerald and Vazquez in front of him.

Ober was pulled after six innings in favor of Kody Funderburk, who struck out two in a perfect inning. Pierson Ohl allowed a double in the eighth and Cole Sands pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

–Field Level Media