Joe Mauer homered for the Twins, too, tying the game in the eighth to answer Jason Heyward’s solo shot for the Cardinals in the seventh.

Vargas grounded into two double plays, ruining a bases-loaded rally on one of those with one out in the seventh inning. He more than made up for that with his game-ending drive into the right-field seats off a slow curveball from Carlos Villanueva (3-2).

Vargas, who is 5 for 27 since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester, was mobbed at home plate by his teammates.

Blaine Boyer (2-2) pitched the ninth for the victory, after eight dominant innings by Mike Pelfrey in an old-fashioned duel with Jaime Garcia.