MINNEAPOLIS -- Tyler Duffey was in danger of being dropped from the Minnesota Twins rotation.

His performance Monday may have convinced the Twins to keep him.

Duffey pitched six innings of one-run ball in Minnesota's 3-1 win over the Houston Astros.

Duffey (7-8) allowed just four hits and struck out eight while walking one in earning his second consecutive win. The right-hander had allowed at least five runs in three consecutive starts entering the night, at least four in four straight and had a 7.71 ERA in his previous six starts after allowing two hits in eight innings June 26 at Yankee Stadium.

"It all started with my fastball command," Duffey said. "It allowed me to really get the breaking ball going. They're a pretty aggressive team and that plays into my game if I'm throwing a good sinker and the breaking ball is there.

Eddie Rosario had three hits, and Jorge Polanco and Danny Santana added two hits apiece to lead Minnesota, which won for the seventh time in nine games.

Their win improved the Twins to 21-13 since July 1 and moved them ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and out of the American League cellar for the first time this season.

"I would think that these guys are aware of those things," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We're enjoying what we're doing right now, guys are having fun, a lot of joking going around which is good as long as the focus is where it needs to be."

Taylor Rogers, Ryan Pressly and closer Brandon Kintzler combined for three hitless innings of relief. Kintzler worked a scoreless ninth for his 10th save.

Twins second baseman Brian Dozier went 0-for-4, snapping his career-best, 16-game hitting streak.

Collin McHugh (7-9) was solid for the Astros, allowing three runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out six in seven innings.

"The line doesn't represent how well he pitched," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. "There were a few balls hit hard and a few balls that could have been played behind him."

George Springer had an RBI double in the sixth inning that provided the Astros with their only run. Houston has lost six of its past seven and nine of 11 overall.

"We didn't play well enough to win and it's been troublesome for a couple of weeks now," Hinch said. "You gotta play better to win."

After Minnesota scored three times in the bottom of the fifth, Houston had a chance to at least draw even in the next half, getting a one-out walk from Tony Kemp and a single by Alex Bregman. Springer's double scored Kemp, but Bregman stopped at third, allowing Duffey to strand both runners thanks to a groundout by Carlos Correa and a strikeout of Evan Gattis.

"When (the rally happens) right after we score three, you're hoping that he finds a way to get out but you get the bullpen going just in case," Molitor said. "But he stifled it."

McHugh allowed just one hit through four innings but gave up four-consecutive hits to start the fifth. After Rosario rolled a single to right, Polanco ripped a hit to center that eluded Carlos Gomez and rolled to the wall, scoring Rosario and allowing Polanco to reach third.

It was just the beginning of Gomez's defensive struggles.

The next batter, Juan Centeno, hit one to deep center field that Gomez initially ran in on before losing it in the lights. The ball landed near the warning track, and Polanco scored while Centeno cruised into third with his first career triple.

"We didn't lose because of (defensive miscues)," McHugh said. "We lost because I gave up 10 hits. They strung some hits together and got some guys on base and scored more runs than we did. One or two plays isn't deciding the game, that's for sure."

Santana followed with an RBI single to give the Twins a 3-0 lead.

NOTES: Astros 2B Jose Altuve was not in the starting lineup, getting a day off. It was just the second time this season Altuve did not start;his failure to enter the game snapped a streak of 202 consecutive games played, the longest in the Majors.... Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe was activated off the 15-day disabled list after missing a month of action because of a fractured rib. He hit .316 with a homer and two RBIs in five rehab games with Triple-A Rochester. ... Twins CF Byron Buxton was optioned to Rochester. He was hitting just .193 with 80 strikeouts in 197 at-bats in the majors in 2016. ... The Astros and Twins will continue their four-game series Tuesday night at Target Field. Houston RHP Mike Fiers (7-5, 4.34 ERA) will oppose LHP Hector Santiago (10-5, 4.37 ERA), who will make his home debut as a member of the Twins.