CLEVELAND -- For a team that was trying to end a five-game losing streak, this came dangerously close to being the worst loss of all.

"That would have been a difficult one to swallow," said Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor.

Instead, Torii Hunter came riding to the rescue. Hunter's home run in the top of the ninth inning lifted the Twins to a wild 10-9 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night at Progressive Field.

The victory snapped the Twins' five-game losing streak, although it looked a little shaky after the Twins blew an early 6-0 lead.

With the score tied 9-9 and one out in the top of the ninth, right fielder Hunter belted the first pitch to him by right-hander Bryan Shaw (1-2) over the right field wall for his 18th home run of the season.

"That's about as good a ball as I've seen hit to right field in a long time," said Molitor.

Hunter fell a triple short of hitting for the cycle. He had a single, double, home run and three RBIs in five at-bats. It's Hunter's 21st career home run at Progressive Field, the second most of any visiting player, behind Detroit's Miguel Cabrera's 23.

"He's really beat us up. I've seen him do that for too many years," said Cleveland manager Terry Francona of Hunter.

Twins right-hander Trevor May (8-7) pitched a scoreless eighth to get the win. Left-hander Glen Perkins pitched the ninth to pick up his American League-leading 30th save.

Perkins made it interesting by giving up a walk and a single. But with runners at first and second and two outs, Perkins retired first baseman Jerry Sands on a called third strike to end the game.

"When you score 10 and then have to hang on to win, that's kind of tough," said Molitor.

After blowing an early 6-0 lead, the Twins fell behind 9-7. They scored a run in the fifth to make it 9-8, then tied it with a run in the sixth on a home run by second baseman Brian Dozier off right-hander Zach McAllister.

Center fielder Aaron Hicks added three hits for the Twins, who banged out 15 hits, nine of them for extra bases.

Twins pitchers gave up a combined nine runs in the third and fourth innings but then held the Indians scoreless on three hits in the last five innings.

After combining for no runs and two hits in the first two innings, the teams produced 10 runs and 11 hits in the third.

The Twins scored six runs in the top of the inning -- all charged to rookie right-hander Cody Anderson, who never made it out of the third.

The big hits in that inning were a two-run double by third baseman Trevor Plouffe and a two-run single by Hunter.

Anderson, who was removed from the game after Hunter's hit, gave up six runs and five hits in 2 2/3 innings. In his first four starts this season, he had a 0.89 ERA and an opponent's batting average of .165. In Anderson's next four starts, he had a 10.19 ERA and a .380 opponent's batting average.

"I felt good coming into the game. It just didn't work out," said Anderson.

Right-hander Austin Adams relieved Anderson, and left fielder Eddie Rosario greeted Adams with an RBI triple, giving the Twins a 6-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Indians batted around and produced four runs and five hits against right-hander Mike Pelfrey.

Left fielder Michael Brantley drove in a run with a single to left and designated hitter Carlos Santana drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-2.

A sacrifice fly by catcher Yan Gomes and a two-out RBI single by right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall cut the Minnesota lead to 6-4.

Designated hitter Miguel Sano's RBI double in the top of the fourth made it 7-4, but Brantley's two-run double in the bottom of the inning cut it to 7-6 and knocked Pelfrey from the game.

Right-hander A.J. Achter relieved Pelfrey, who in 3 2/3 innings gave up seven runs and 10 hits.

"I made a lot of mistakes in the middle of the plate and every time I did it seemed like it go hit," said Pelfrey. "I didn't do anything good. I need to be better than that."

After intentionally walking Santana, Achter served up a three-run homer to Gomes, putting the Indians in front 9-7.

But in the top of the fifth, the Twins made it 9-8 on an RBI single by Hicks.

NOTES: The Indians traded OF Michael Bourn, OF Nick Swisher and cash to Atlanta for INF Chris Johnson, who is expected to join the Indians on Saturday. ... The Indians' waiver claim of RHP Deolis Guerra from Pittsburgh on Aug. 5 has been rescinded because of a previous left knee injury. He has been returned to the Pirates and placed on the 15-day disabled list. LHP Michael Roth, who was designated for assignment by the Indians following the Guerra waiver claim, has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Columbus. ... The Twins recalled C Chris Herrmann and RHP A.J. Achter from Triple-A Rochester. RHP Tyler Duffey was optioned to Rochester and C Eric Fryer was designated for assignment.