Playing for the first time in three days, Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer in the first inning in leading the Minnesota Twins to a 9-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday.

Morneau left Tuesday's game in Detroit when his back stiffened up but looked like his old self against Fausto Carmona, hitting a 1-0 pitch to dead center.

Kevin Slowey (3-2) allowed three runs in five innings to take the win. He was starting in place of Nick Blackburn, who was placed on the family medical emergency list prior to the game.

Slowey pitched four scoreless innings before allowing three runs in the fifth inning on run-scoring singles by Grady Sizemore and Austin Kearns and an RBI double by Travis Hafner.

Carmona (3-1) allowed six runs in six innings for his first loss in five starts.

After scoring twice in the first, the Twins added three in the second on Denard Span's groundout and Orlando Hudson's two-run single. Michael Cuddyer, Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel also drove in runs for the Twins.