ARLINGTON, Texas -- It took a career night from Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus and a little help from the Minnesota Twins defense to get the Rangers out of their offensive funk.

The Rangers trailed by one run and were in the midst of a 20-inning scoreless streak before Andrus slammed a two-run homer in the seventh inning Friday.

His two-run single an inning later capped a four-run eighth and helped the Rangers to a 6-2 victory.

Minnesota center fielder Aaron Hicks committed a two-base error in a liner from first baseman Mitch Moreland with two outs in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie and give the Rangers and Andrus some much-needed momentum. Andrus followed with a two-run single to give him a career high four RBI.

It was a much better ending for the night for Andrus than how it started. He slammed his bat to the ground in the fourth inning after striking out swinging against Minnesota left-hander Tommy Milone. He began to make amends in his next at-bat.

"I'm feeling good today especially after the first two at-bats I was starting to get mad," Andrus said. "I was swinging at too many pitches. In that at-bat (the seventh inning homer) I was looking for my pitch. I was happy to hit that homer and we got back in the game."

Hicks aided the cause in the eighth inning. Minnesota had tied the game in the top of the eighth at 2-2 on a solo homer from second baseman Brian Dozier off Tanner Scheppers.

The Rangers got something going in the bottom of the eighth by putting runners on second and third with two outs. Lefty Brian Duensing then walked designated hitter Prince Fielder to get to Moreland.

Moreland drilled the first pitch he saw to Hicks, who had the ball hit off the tip of his glove to score two runs. Andrus followed with his insurance single but Hicks knows it shouldn't have come to that.

"It was just a low-liner that that was hit hard, and for me, that's a ball I catch all the time," Hicks said. "I just happened to miss it and that's it. It's a pretty tough play, but I believe in myself and I know I make that play all the time. So, I just happened to miss it today."

Minnesota did what it could to try and avoid the eighth, using four pitchers to try and stop the rally. Three of them gave up runs and all four allowed at least one baserunner.

"We always have options," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "We were trying to extend the game best we way we can. We weren't looking for a lead-off walk. That's going to hurt you late in the game. Moreland was 1-for-11 against Duensing going into that at bat, so you take your chances and then we just tried to minimize with (Michael) Tonkin. It just didn't work out."

The wild final three innings changed the complexion of an early pitchers' duel. The only run in the first six innings came on a sacrifice fly from Minnesota third baseman Trevor Plouffe in the top of the first.

Milone had a one-hitter through six innings before giving up the Andrus homer in the seventh. He struck out a season-high eight.

Texas manager Jeff Banister was confident his team would find its offensive footing eventually despite a drought that reached 2 for 49 at the plate going in to the seventh.

"We were in a little bit of a stretch there where we hadn't driven any runs across the plate," Banister said. "It's going to happen. We talked a little bit about that with the club, where we had trended to for a couple of days. I told our guys to stay stubborn with their approach."

Texas starter Wandy Rodriguez allowed just the Plouffe sacrifice fly and retired 18 straight at one point.

NOTES: Texas LHP Matt Harrison (spinal fusion surgery) is slated to make his third rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Round Rock. Harrison is scheduled to throw 100 pitches. ... Rangers RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez is just the second pitcher since 1981 to throw at least 20 innings and have