CLEVELAND -- Joe Mauer and Byron Buxton homered and Torii Hunter drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Cleveland Indians 7-1 in the first game of a doubleheader at Progressive Field on Wednesday.

The Twins, who started the day 1 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Angels for the second wild card spot in the American League, broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning that knocked right-hander Carlos Carrasco (14-12) out of the game.

Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson (11-11) pitched six scoreless innings on four hits, while matching his career high with nine strikeouts.

Carrasco had a strange game, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced. But he failed to retire a batter in the fourth inning, allowing the first six batters to reach base before he was removed from the game.

First baseman Mauer's solo home run gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Carrasco then retired the next eight batters he faced in a row, five on strikeouts.

But in the fourth, Mauer led off with a double and went to second on a single by designated hitter Miguel Sano. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe singled to left field, scoring Mauer to make it 2-0. Left fielder Eddie Rosario drew a walk, loading the bases.

Right fielder Hunter unloaded them with a double to left field, scoring Sano, Plouffe and Rosario and extending the Minnesota lead to 5-0. Carrasco, in his 30th and final start of the season, walked the next batter, shortstop Eduardo Nunez, and was removed from the game. In three innings, Carrasco gave up five runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

The Twins added another run in the seventh inning off right-hander Gavin Floyd. Nunez doubled, stole third and scored on a single by center fielder Buxton, giving the Twins a 6-0 lead. Buxton added a home run in the ninth inning off right-hander Shawn Armstrong.

Cleveland scored its only run in the seventh inning on an RBI single by second baseman Jason Kipnis, who had three of Cleveland's eight hits.

NOTES: Indians OF Michael Brantley will not play in any of the Indians' remaining games. He is being shutdown with inflammation in his right shoulder. ... Indians RHP Trevor Bauer will start Thursday's game. It will be Bauer's first start since Sept. 13. Bauer was removed from the rotation after that start, and sent to the bullpen, where he made one relief appearance, on Sept. 19. ... Twins OF Torii Hunter has more career games played, hits, runs scored, and doubles against Cleveland than any active player. ... RHP Tyler Duffey, who in his last three starts is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA, will start for the Twins in Thursday's series finale.