Phillies end 9-game skid, Galvis drives in 5 to top Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- Freddy Galvis had struggled at the plate most of June, Ryan Howard was stuck in a season-long slump and Cesar Hernandez wasn't supposed to play at all.

Together, they combined to help the Philadelphia Phillies end a nine-game losing streak Thursday with a 7-3 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Galvis homered and drove in a career-high five runs, Hernandez tied a career high with four hits and Howard homered.

"Sometimes you put too much pressure, but instead of that you have to have fun playing baseball," Galvis said.

Philadelphia avoided the team's first double-digit losing skid since an 11-game slide in 1999.

The Phillies won for just the second time in 15 games. The Twins had won three in a row.

Jerad Eickhoff (5-9) gave up one earned run and five hits in six innings. In winning three of his past four starts, Eickhoff has allowed five earned runs in 24 2/3 innings. The last three Philadelphia wins over a 17-game span were all Eickhoff victories.

Looking to become the Twins first pitcher with four wins, Ricky Nolasco (3-5) allowed 10 hits and four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.

"No matter how you feel, you've still got to go out there and get outs," he said. "The only thing I was thinking was to get as deep as possible into the game, knowing I didn't have much going."

Galvis entered the game in an 8-for-78 slide since May 31 that dropped his batting average to .211. He hit a no-doubt, three-run homer to right field off reliever Kevin Jepsen in the eighth inning to make it 7-2.

Galvis, whose sacrifice bunt in the fourth led to a Philadelphia run, had an RBI triple in the sixth to score Hernandez, who got on base by beating out a slow roller to first by stepping on the bag a split-second before Nolasco.

"For a guy like Freddy, it's important he did something," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Same thing with Cesar. He was probably not feeling real good about himself because he hasn't been playing. By default, he played today and came up with four hits."

Hernandez played second base after first baseman Tommy Joseph was a late scratch with an illness. Andres Blanco moved to first.

On the triple, Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton, who crashed into the outfield wall making a catch Wednesday night, just missed making a similar play as he hit the padded surface and crumpled onto the warning track. He stayed in the game.

Brian Dozier's RBI double gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the first, but Howard homered and Cody Asche beat the throw home on a slow roller up the first-base line in the second to make it 2-1.

It's been a rough season at the plate for the 36-year-old Howard, in his 13th season in Philadelphia. He had his first multihit game since April 29 -- in the 36 games since that last one, Howard batted .095 with 41 strikeouts in 105 at-bats.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: 3B Trevor Plouffe left the game after the sixth inning with a mild right groin strain. He's considered day-to-day. . Miguel Sano will play 3B to start his rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Rochester before moving to DH and RF. ... LHP Glen Perkins was scheduled for shoulder surgery Thursday afternoon to repair a torn labrum and assess damage in his rotator cuff. The hope is to have him ready for spring training next year. ... RHP Trevor May will throw a bullpen session Friday and then join Sano in Rochester for about a week. Manager Paul Molitor said he'll continue as a reliever upon his return.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Zach Eflin (0-2, 10.80) is scheduled to start Friday when Philadelphia opens a three-game series in San Francisco. Jake Peavy (3-6, 5.47) is to start for the Giants. Eflin allowed eight earned runs in less than three innings in his first career start June 14, but allowed two earned runs and in 5 2/3 innings last Sunday.

Twins: Minnesota starts a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Friday with Tommy Milone (0-1, 5.79) scheduled to face Masahiro Tanaka (4-2, 2.91). Milone, who started four games early this season for the Twins, will be making his first start since being recalled June 18. In seven starts at Triple-A Rochester, Milone was 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA, 41 strikeouts and four walks.