MINNEAPOLIS -- Trailing by one run in the bottom of the seventh inning, Minnesota Twins right-hander Phil Hughes looked like he was going to be the tough-luck loser for the second time in his last five starts.

But a single by center fielder Aaron Hicks and an RBI triple by shortstop Danny Santana tied the score and second baseman Brian Dozier's sacrifice fly to center made sure Hughes was a winner as the Twins rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Target Field on Friday.

With the Rays leading 2-1, Santana smashed a splitter left up by Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi into the right-field corner, scoring Hicks from first on a stand-up triple.

Odorizzi, who was at 98 pitches entering the inning, was charged with facing the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters in the Minnesota batting order. But a leadoff single by Hicks and Santana's triple -- in the span of six pitches -- turned a potential win into a loss.

"Going into the game, the last three games I don't think he's had a walk, so he pumps the zone. We only had (eight) hits against him, but a lot of hard outs, a lot of good swings, so that's always good. We saw him pretty well," Dozier said. "We left some runners on early, but after that, we got runners on, Hicksie and Santana coming up with the big hit. It was huge."

Rays manager Kevin Cash said he trusted Odorizzi's off-speed stuff against Hicks and Santana, the final two guys he would have faced regardless of the outcome, especially with the Twins lineup rolling over.

Odorizzi said he felt like he let the club down.

"It looks like a bad position now, but I was fine going back out there," Odorizzi said. "Probably the worst-case scenario that could have happened, happened.

"If it's placed anywhere different, the run probably doesn't score and he doesn't stand on third base. It was just the worst-case scenario."

For Odorizzi, it was his seventh quality start of the season, tied for most among American League starters. He has now gone 109 consecutive batters without allowing a walk.

"Jake threw the ball really well," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We put him in a tough situation. He gave us plenty to help us win tonight."

Hughes, who lost his first four decisions this season, has now won his last three after allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings, also fanning three.

"He had a nice night. He was obviously attacking the strike zone. He used all his pitches," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "He made some close pitches that just missed at times when we thought we might have gotten some strikeouts to kind of help his pitch count."

It was Hughes' third quality start in eight outings this season.

"I would have liked for my stuff to be a little bit crisper, but the result is kind of what we're looking for at this point, just progress," Hughes said. "Hopefully I keep going here in the right direction and springboard off this one and hopefully rally together a few good starts."

Twins righty Blaine Boyer worked around a leadoff single in the eighth and closer Glen Perkins pitched a scoreless ninth for his 12th save this season and 100th of his career.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Tampa, who won the final three games of a four-game series against the American East-leading New York Yankees earlier this week.

The Rays opened the scoring in the second inning when designated hitter David DeJesus turned on a 1-0 fastball from Hughes for his third homer of the season.

Minnesota evened the score when Dozier led off the third with his fifth homer of the season. For Dozier, the two-RBI night came on his 28th birthday.

But the Rays took advantage of some shaky outfield defense in the fifth, getting a one-out double by left fielder Joey Butler. Two batters later, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier blooped a single that landed in front of left fielder Eduardo Escobar, who appeared to slow down to set up a throw to the plate. Escobar, a career infielder, fielded the bounce cleanly, but Butler was already halfway between third and home, leaving him no play.

NOTES: Rays RHP Alex Cobb had successful Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Thursday. He will miss the remainder of this season and most of 2016. ... Rays LHP Matt Moore threw a bullpen session and pitched in a simulated game in Port Charlotte, Fla. on Friday as he attempts to return from Tommy John surgery. ... The Twins signed INF Ryan Wheeler and assigned him to Triple-A Rochester. Wheeler was released by the Los Angeles Angels last week. ... Twins OF Oswaldo Arcia took swings in the cage on Friday. He is on the disabled list with a right hip flexor strain. ... Twins RHP Casey Fien will throw a bullpen session, perhaps as soon as this weekend, and begin a rehabilitation assignment in the next week. Fien was placed on the disabled list April 30 with a sore throwing shoulder. ... The Rays and Twins will play the second game of a three-game series at Target Field on Saturday. Rays RHP Alex Colome (2-1, 5.63 ERA) will oppose Twins RHP Trevor May (2-3, 5.40 ERA).