Kennys Vargas hit a three-run homer in his first home game for Minnesota, powering the Twins past Jesse Hahn and the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Phil Hughes had a season-high nine strikeouts in six innings to snap a three-start losing streak. Glen Perkins earned his 28th save in 31 attempts despite giving up a pair of singles in the ninth.
Yonder Alonso hit his first home run almost two months after spending much of the summer on the disabled list but his drive to the upper deck in right field in the fifth inning was all the Padres put together against Hughes.
In the sixth, Vargas made his first major league homer a memorable one, a two-out drive that was the first off Hahn since his debut on June 3.
