Minneapolis, MN -- (Sports Network) - Delmon Young went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and finished with four runs driven in, and Nick Punto hit a solo home run while also driving in four runs, as the Minnesota Twins crushed the Cleveland Indians, 12-3, in the opener of a three-game set from the Metrodome.

Justin Morneau went 2-for-3 with two doubles, scored twice and had two RBI for the Twins, who have won three in a row, four of five and eight of their last 10 overall. Livan Hernandez (9-5) took the win as he hurled six innings and was touched for just three runs on five hits.

Kelly Shoppach went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer for the Tribe, who have dropped six straight and eight of their last 10 contests overall. Ben Francisco accounted for the other Cleveland run with a solo shot. Paul Byrd (3-10) took the loss as he was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

"It's been extremely frustrating," Byrd said. "I don't mind the solo shots, it's the three-run shots that get to me."

Punto took Byrd's 3-1 fastball over the fence in right for a 1-0 Twins lead in the first inning.

"It's definitely important to start the game off like that," Punto said. "Especially when your facing a guy like Paul Byrd."

Minnesota tacked on another run in the second inning. Young led off with a single and scored as Brian Buscher belted a double to center.

Cleveland tied it up in the third. Ryan Garko opened the frame with a single and Shoppach followed with a home run, knotting it up at two runs apiece.

The Twins broke the tie in the home third, however. Morneau worked a two-out walk and Jason Kubel laced a double to right before Young deposited a 1-1 curveball deep into the seats in left field for a 5-2 Minnesota lead.

Francisco led off the sixth with a home run, which cut Cleveland's deficit to two runs.

Minnesota got the run back in the home sixth, though. Kubel led off with a single, but was out at second as Young grounded into a force. Buscher then walked and Brendan Harris followed with an RBI line drive to center, and it was 6-3.

Punto worked a walk off Jensen Lewis to begin the seventh frame and, after Joe Mauer struck out, Morneau cracked an RBI double to left. Kubel flied out to right, which moved Morneau to third, and Young connected on an RBI single to make it an 8-3 game.

Harris led the home eighth off with a single off Brian Slocum. Denard Span followed with another base hit, and Carlos Gomez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Punto kept it going with a three-run double and Mauer put runners on the corners with a single. Morneau offered up a sac fly to plate Punto and pinch-hitter Mike Lamb hit a single.

Edward Mujica was called in from the 'pen and got out of the jam, but the Twins brought nine batters to the plate and ran the score to 12-3.

Jesse Crain kept the Indians off the board in the ninth despite allowing two hits.

Game Notes

Minnesota has amassed an impressive 16-3 record since June 13, a surge that has vaulted the Twins to within one game of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central standings. Most of that damage has come at home, where Minnesota has won 11 of its last 13 games and owns an outstanding 30-18 mark at the Metrodome this season...Cleveland has been going in a far opposite direction than Minnesota as of late. The defending Central champion Indians currently reside in the division basement.