PITTSBURGH -- Joe Mauer's first home run of the season proved to be worth the wait for the Minnesota Twins.

Mauer's solo shot in the 13th inning lifted the Twins to a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

"The timing certainly couldn't have been better," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

Mauer sent a 1-1 hanging slider from left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo (0-1) over the right-field wall with one out to give the Twins (23-17) a sweep of the two-game interleague series and their fourth win in five games.

The homer came in the first baseman's 155th at-bat.

"It's nice to get that first one out of the way but I'd rather not have had to wait until the 13th inning for it to happen," Mauer, the 2009 American League MVP, said with a smile. "I knew I put a good swing on it but I didn't know if I hit it high enough to clear the (21-foot) wall.

"It's nice to hit one to win a game. Home runs have always tended to come in bunches, so hopefully this gets things going."

The Twins, who are 14-5 in their last 19 games, had been held scoreless since the first inning when right fielder Torii Hunter had a three-run double for the first of his three hits.

"It can be tough to keep the energy level up in a game like this but our guys are professionals and they really hung in there," Molitor said.

Mauer and starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey, a .098 career hitter coming into the game, added two hits each.

Right fielder Josh Harrison had three hits for the Pirates to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen had his fifth homer amo ng three hits and left fielder Starling Marte doubled twice.

The Pirates (18-22) lost for the sixth time in seven games while falling to 0-6 in extra innings.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't frustrated," Harrison said. "You want to win every game. Every time you are right in the game and it doesn't go your way, it's frustrating but you've got to put it behind you. Still work to be done."

Left-handed reliever Brian Duensing (1-0) pitched one perfect inning for the win and closer Glen Perkins worked around a one-out single by McCutchen in the 13th for his major league-leading 15th save in as many opportunities.

Pelfrey gave up only one run and five hits in six innings, striking out five and walking none. The Twins are 6-2 in his eight starts.

Despite giving up the big hit to Hunter early, Pirates starter Jeff Locke lasted six innings. The left-hander allowed three runs and seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts but remained winless in five starts since beating the Milwaukee Brewers in each of his first two outings of the season.

The Twins are 13-5 against lefty starters.

McCutchen forced extra innings with his homer, a solo shot in the eighth off reliever Blaine Boyle that knotted the score 3-3.

The Pirates got within a run in the seventh on pinch-hitter Jose Tabata's RBI single, making him 2-for-2 with two RBIs since being called up Tuesday from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Hunter opened the scoring with his three-run double off the right-field wall after the Twins loaded the bases on a double by shortstop Danny Santana, a single by Mauer and a walk to third baseman Trevor Plouffe.

Marte doubled in a run in the bottom of the first for the Pirates.

NOTES: Twins RHP Casey Fien (right shoulder soreness) threw a bullpen before the game and said he felt fine. He is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Rochester. Fien has been on the disabled list since April 30. ... Pirates C Francisco Cervelli was back in the lineup and was 0-for-4. He was removed from the game Wednesday night before the start of the sixth inning after being hit on the mask with a foul tip. ... Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco was not in the lineup after going 0-for-10 with five strikeouts in his previous three games. 3B Josh Harrison started in right field, SS Jung Ho Kang at third base and INF Jordy Mercer at shortstop. ... Twins 2B Brian Dozier's 10-gane hitting streak ended as he went 0-for-5. … Both teams are off Thursday before opening three-game series on Friday night. Minnesota will play the White Sox in Chicago with Twins RHP Phil Hughes (3-4, 4.76 ERA) facing RHP Jeff Samardzija (3-2, 4.58 ERA). Pittsburgh will host the New York Mets with Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (5-2, 2.40 ERA) opposing rookie RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-1, 3.18 ERA).