ARLINGTON, Texas -- Once the Texas Rangers got out of the habit of hitting into double plays Saturday, there was no stopping the offense.

Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder kept the fourth inning alive by beating out a grounder and then the offense erupted for six runs as Texas rolled to a 11-7 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

The win moved the Rangers four games above .500 for the third time this season and 1 1/2 games behind Houston in the American League West. They have yet to reach five games above .500.

Texas hit into double plays in each of the first three innings and the score was tied at 3 going into the fourth.

Fielder avoided a double play and picked up an RBI on the grounder to first against Mike Pelfrey to give the Rangers another opportunity to score with runners on the corners.

First baseman Mitch Moreland followed with a three-run homer to right, third baseman Joey Gallo added a 461-foot homer into the upper deck in right center and the Rangers were off to the races with an 8-3 lead.

Texas had 15 hits, seven for extra bases, but Fielder's grounder gave the Rangers the much-needed extra out.

"It's big when you get your guys to play hard like that and it's something we talked about also in spring training," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "Double plays just kill the inning for you. For guys to run down the line hard and go into second base hard and to send another hitter to the plate, it's huge."

The beneficiary of the offense was Texas right-hander Colby Lewis. After giving up two runs in the third inning, Lewis responded by retiring the final 15 batters he faced.

Lewis exited his seven-inning stint after a one-hour, 19-minute rain delay. He did so after extending the club's streak of quality starts to nine, one shy of the club record.

Lewis, who allowed four runs and struck out six, wanted to have quick innings and keep the offensive momentum going.

"It's always kind of been my MO to go out there and throw strikes and try to get quick outs," said Lewis, who had a seven-pitch fourth inning. "In a game like today or any game as you move forward to summer here in Texas, you want to get that opposing pitcher who's not used to the heat back out there.”

That opposing pitcher was Pelfrey, who came in not having allowed more than one earned run in four consecutive outings. He was charged with a season-high eight runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The fourth inning did him in as the Rangers sent nine batters to the plate and scored six times.

"I was just terrible," Pelfrey said. "It was just one of those days that nothing worked. I got my tail kicked."

Texas finished with 15 hits, including seven for extra bases, and every starter had a hit by the sixth inning.

The Twins took a 3-1 lead in the third on a two-run double from left fielder Eddie Rosario and a run-scoring double from designated hitter Joe Mauer. Minnesota also scored four times with two outs in the ninth.

Those runs could have been meaningful if the Twins had gotten Fielder out in the fourth.

"The big play was not completing the 3-6-1 double play to keep it at 4-3," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "And then the big home run. That's execution that you work on and you try to emphasize."

NOTES: Minnesota RF Torii Hunter dropped the appeal of his two-game suspension and began serving it on Saturday. Hunter will be eligible to play in Monday's game against St. Louis. Hunter was suspended for his actions after his ejection in Wednesday's game. ... Texas LHP Martin Perez has been pulled from his rehab assignment because of tightness in his left groin. Perez said he started feeling some discomfort in a Wednesday rehab start and is scheduled to be inactive for about a week. ... When Texas SS Elvis Andrus hits a home run, good things normally happen for the Rang