ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Sidney Ponson pitched seven impressive innings and Michael Cuddyer drove in two runs before leaving with an injury, leading the Minnesota Twins past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9-1.

Ponson (2-3) gave up five hits. Both of his wins this season have come against the Devil Rays.

The top of the sixth ended on a strange play when Cuddyer lost his balance rounding second base on Justin Morneau’s two-out single and did a forward roll before being tagged out by third baseman Ty Wigginton. Cuddyer left one inning later with a bruised back.

Minnesota’s Torii Hunter doubled in the seventh, extending his career-high hitting streak to 16 games. The Twins have won 17 of their last 20 against Tampa Bay.

Delmon Young homered in the second for the Devil Rays.

The Twins took a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI grounder by Joe Mauer and Cuddyer’s sacrifice fly.

A pair of defensive mistakes keyed Minnesota’s four-run second that made it 6-0.

Hunter and Jason Kubel opened the inning with walks. Jason Tyner then reached safely when no one covered first on his bunt single. Pitcher Edwin Jackson, who fielded the ball, looked at first before making an errant throw past third that allowed Hunter and Kubel to scored. Jason Bartlett and Cuddyer added run-scoring grounders.

Jackson (0-4) allowed six runs – four earned – and five hits in 1 1-3 innings. He has given up 11 runs over 4 1-3 innings in two losses against Minnesota this year.

Tyner extended Minnesota’s lead to 7-1 with an RBI single in the seventh. Morneau had a run-scoring double in the eighth.

Notes: Minnesota activated INF Jeff Cirillo (left knee) from the 15-day disabled list and optioned INF Alexi Casilla to Triple-A Rochester. … Tampa Bay has been outscored 26-4 in the first inning this season. … Twins 2B Luis Castillo (quadriceps) was in the lineup for the first time since April 20. … Jackson has an 18.90 ERA (14 earned runs in 6 2-3 innings) in five career outings against the Twins. … Minnesota has at least one double in 21 straight games.

AP-ES-05-01-07 2217EDT