PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Minnesota Twins aren't taking any momentum into the All-Star break, and they made certain the Pittsburgh Pirates won't, either.

Corey Koskie homered and drove in three runs to back Mark Redman's effective pitching, and the Twins avoided going into the break with an eight-game losing streak by beating the Pirates 3-2 Sunday.

Redman (6-4), who lasted only two innings in an 11-8 loss to Cleveland on July 5, allowed a run on five hits over seven innings to prevent a sweep, as well as the Pirates' first five-game winning streak this season.

The Twins had lost seven in a row and 14 of 21, and were 3-8 in interleague play.

"It's a bad feeling when you have a long losing streak. We ended the year like that last year, and it bothers you," said Matt Lawton, referring to the Twins' eight-game streak that ended last season. "You didn't want to take that into the break because that's all you'd be thinking about."

Redman limited the Pirates to Kevin Young's second solo homer in as many games, a one-out shot in the second that briefly gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. The left-hander struck out four and walked one before being lifted for a pinch-hitter after throwing 103 pitches.

"I looked at films of my last couple of starts, and I wasn't as aggressive as I needed to be. So I went right at them," Redman said. "It seems like they didn't adjust to the fastball, they kept popping up a lot. So I just challenged them."

So did Young, who challenged the Pirates to make something out of a season in which they are 10 games under .500 (38-48) at the break, compared to 43-44 a year ago.

Last winter, owner Kevin McClatchy predicted they could win 90 games.

"I keep hearing questions, 'Is it realistic for you to get back to .500?' " Young said. "I still think it's possible for us to win 90. When a team gets down like this, people start lowering their expectations, but I still think we can play a good second half. There's good players on this team."

However, the Pirates couldn't get key hits when they needed them Sunday. Redman struck out Pat Meares with a runner on second to end the second and Chad Hermansen went down swinging with two on in the fourth. Redman got Aramis Ramirez to fly out with two on in the sixth.

In the ninth, the Pirates had runners on first and second with one out, but LaTroy Hawkins retired Mike Benjamin and Warren Morris on fly balls for his fourth save in as many chances. The Pirates stranded eight runners.

Koskie gave Redman all the offensive support he needed, following Matt Lawton's single in the third with a two-out homer off Jose Silva (5-3). Lawton was 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and reached base five times, twice on walks. He raised his average to .330.

"He got some hits, stole some bases, ran around the outfield a little bit," manager Tom Kelly said. "He set a good example for everybody. He made the All-Star team and he went out the last day before the break and played a whale of a game. That was impressive."

Cristian Guzman singled leading off the fifth and eventually scored on Koskie's sacrifice fly. Koskie, who also homered Saturday, has five of his six homers and 29 of his 40 RBI in his last 36 games.

Silva allowed six hits and three runs over six innings to lose his seventh consecutive decision as a starter since May 15, 1999. Despite a respectable 3.10 ERA in five starts this season, Silva is 1-9 in his last 17 starts.

Brian Giles had a run-scoring double in the eighth off reliever Eddie Guardado.

The Pirates' problems are largely attributable to their 10-18 mark in one-run games.

"I thought we'd be over .500," manager Gene Lamont said. "But we won our last two series, and that's what you've got to do: win series."

Game notes
The Pirates haven't had a five-game winning streak since they won seven in a row from May 28-June 4, 1999. ... Young's homer was his 13th and the Pirates' 10th in five games. ... The Twins finished 2-4 in Three Rivers Stadium, which will be demolished early next year. ... Redman faced the Pirates for the first time.