Eddie Rosario homered, Nelson Cruz hit an RBI double, and Alex Avila, another Minnesota newcomer, added an RBI single. Taylor Rogers pitched a perfect ninth for his first save, and the Twins finished a two-game sweep to improve to 4-1.

The 40-year-old Hill needed only 68 pitches to pick up his first victory for the team that signed him this winter with the assumption he'd be ready around midsummer after his recovery from elbow surgery. When the coronavirus pandemic put baseball on pause for four months, Hill was available for the rotation right away.

The left-hander even had his start pushed back by four days out of caution for some inflammation in his shoulder, and he was in fine form, allowing two singles and a walk.

The Cardinals, after winning their first two games against Pittsburgh, have scored four runs on 15 hits over a three-game losing streak.

Daniel Ponce de Leon (0-1) struck out eight over 3 2/3 innings. He gave up two hits, three walks and all three runs as a fill-in for Miles Mikolas, who was declared out for the season for forearm surgery.

After an off-day Thursday, the team's second in four days, RHP Jack Flaherty takes the mound on Friday night to begin a three-game series in Milwaukee.