Jim Thome homered twice and Matt Tolbert drove in a career-high five runs as the Minnesota Twins pounded the Texas Rangers, 12-4, on Saturday.

Carl Pavano (16-10) allowed three runs in eight strong innings for the Twins, who maintained a four-game edge over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central.

Minnesota began its assault on Texas starter Colby Lewis in the first when J.J. Hardy’s ground-rule double plated two and Tolbert’s first triple of the afternoon added three more. Thome went to work in the third, tying Mark McGwire for ninth place on the all-time home run list with a solo blast.

Thome was at it again in the fourth, ending Lewis’ day with a three-run blast that moved him past McGwire with 584 career homers and gave the Twins a commanding 9-0 lead.

Lewis (9-12) was charged with all nine runs in his worst outing of the season. The 31-year-old right-hander fell to 0-7 in his last nine starts.

Tolbert added two more RBIs in the seventh with his second triple of the day and came in to score on Rich Harden’s wild pitch.