Alec Burleson hit a three-run homer and Lars Nootbaar hit a two-run shot as the host St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-3 on Tuesday night.

Tyler O'Neill and Jordan Walker added solo homers for the Cardinals, who won for just the fourth time in 12 games.

Matt Wallner hit a three-run homer for the Twins, who lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.

Dakota Hudson (2-0) made a successful return to the Cardinals rotation, allowing three runs on two hits over seven innings while replacing the traded Jack Flaherty. Hudson walked three and struck out seven.

Reliever Andre Pallante worked a scoreless eighth inning and JoJo Romero closed out the ninth for the Cardinals.

Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (9-8) allowed seven runs on nine hits, including four homers, in four innings. Ryan has allowed eight homers in his last three games.

The Cardinals broke out to a 4-0 second-inning lead. After O'Neill and Walker hit their homers, Tommy Edman reached on a single and Nootbaar hit his two-run blast.

St. Louis' assault continued in the third inning. Nolan Arenado hit a double, Willson Contreras hit a single and Burleson blasted his three-run homer to make it 7-0.

Hudson retired the first 11 batters he faced and held the Twins hitless for 5 1/3 innings. He finally lost steam in the seventh inning when he walked Max Kepler and hit Kyle Farmer with a pitch.

Wallner followed with his three-run homer to cut the Cardinals' lead to 7-3.

In the bottom of the inning, Contreras hit a single, stole second base and moved to third on a throwing error. But Josh Winder struck out O'Neill to end the inning and strand Contreras.

The Twins threatened in the eighth inning when Joey Gallo hit a leadoff single and Pallante hit Willi Castro with a one-out pitch. But Pallante escaped the inning when Edouard Julien grounded into a double play.

--Field Level Media