Buxton powers Twins past Reds to stop 6-game slide

CINCINNATI (AP) – Byron Buxton hit two home runs, including the second of back-to-back shots with Kody Clemens, and Ryan Jeffers had a homer and four RBIs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-5 on Thursday to end a six-game losing streak.

Buxton, who went deep in all three games of the series, drove a 1-2 pitch from Nick Martinez out to left field to give him leadoff homers in consecutive games. Buxton then launched his 15th homer in the second inning for a 4-2 lead following a two-run shot by Clemens.

Jeffers walked ahead of Clemens’ seventh homer, which gave Minnesota the lead for good. Ty France had an RBI double, and Jeffers delivered a two-run double to chase Martinez and give the Twins a 7-2 advantage with two outs in the third.

Jeffers added his fifth homer in the eighth, with Carlos Correa aboard.

Trevor Larnach doubled in a run against reliever Lyon Richardson and Correa – who had three hits – singled for a 9-4 lead in the fourth.

Buxton also doubled in the fifth, and Willi Castro scored three runs for Minnesota.

TJ Friedl went 3 for 4 with a double and scored twice for Cincinnati. He has reached base 121 times from the leadoff spot – second only to Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. Gavin Lux hit his third homer, a two-run shot, and Tyler Stephenson and Spencer Steer each had an RBI double.

Chris Paddack (3-6) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings for the Twins.

Martinez (4-8) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. He has served up three homers in each of his past two starts.

Brooks Lee doubled to extend his hitting streak to 18 games for Minnesota (37-37).

Minnesota never trailed after Clemens and Buxton went deep in the second.

Buxton has 12 career leadoff homers and 14 multihomer games.

Reds RHP Brady Singer (7-4, 4.34 ERA) starts Friday’s opener of a three-game series in St. Louis against RHP Andres Pallante (4-3, 4.83).

Twins RHP Joe Ryan (7-2, 2.93 ERA) pitches Friday against the Brewers. Rookie RHP Jacob Misiorowski makes his second career start for Milwaukee after throwing five no-hit innings against the Cardinals last week to win his debut.