MINNEAPOLIS -- Kyle Gibson matched a career high with eight strikeouts, Chris Parmelee hit a two-run single after entering the game for an injured Joe Mauer, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3 on Tuesday night.
"Obviously, I'd like to have eight or 10 more of those kind of outings this year, but unfortunately, I didn't," Gibson said. "It's been some ups and downs, that's for sure. You guys have seen it. But I definitely want to finish on a good note."
Gibson (13-11) might even end up influencing the AL Central pennant race. He's set to start the season finale against Detroit on Sept 28.
Trevor Plouffe added four singles and Aaron Hicks two hits and an RBI for the Twins, who won for the 67th time, their highest total since 2010.
After getting hit in the right elbow by Andrew Chafin (0-1) in the first inning, Mauer played defense in the second before coming out with a bruised elbow. The Twins say he is day to day.
Parmelee hit in Mauer's spot and singled down the left-field line to drive in Hicks and Eduardo Escobar, giving Minnesota a 3-0 lead in the second.
"He comes up in a big situation and rolls one down the line," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's what guys have to do. Be ready off the bench."
That was plenty of support for Gibson, who allowed one run in seven innings and won for just the second time in his last eight starts.
Chafin gave up four runs on seven hits and was removed after the first two batters he faced in the fourth reached base.
"Overall a good experience for him. He's been up here for three starts," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "It's about fastball command. I know Hark (pitching coach Mike Harkey) talked to him after he came out of the game about that. He needs to have a good offseason and be ready to pitch next year."
Ender Inciarte lined his fourth single of the game to score Cody Ross and make it 6-3 in the ninth before Jared Burton got A.J. Pollack to ground out with runners on first and second to end it.
