7 Joe Mauer, C

Twins catcher Joe Mauer returned from back stiffness to go 2 for 5 with a double and a run as the the designated hitter in a 12-6 loss to the Red Sox Saturday.

The two-hit performance extends Mauer's hitting streak to 15 games and raises his season line to .351/.430/.503 in 172 plate appearances.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who missed Friday's game due to a stiff back, returned to the starting lineup Saturday against Boston.

Mauer is the designated hitter and batting second.

Twins designated hitter Joe Mauer was held out of Friday's lineup against the Red Sox due to back stiffness.

Mauer has a .462/.556/.673 slash line in his first 13 May games. He is hitting .349 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 146 at-bats. He is listed as day to day.

Twins designated hitter Joe Mauer, who was given Wednesday's day game off from starting behind the plate, recorded three hits during a loss to Chicago. 

Mauer, batting second, went 3 for 5 with a double but didn't drive in or score a run. He's batting .349 and is currently among the top five in the American League in hitting. 

Mauer has hit in 14 straight ballgames and has gone 25 for 56 (.446) over that stretch with 11 doubles. That said, he has just five RBI and no other extra-base hits during the streak. 

The Twins have had one of the AL's top offenses in May and it's no surprise the usual suspects are leading the charge. Catcher Joe Mauer rides an 11-game hitting streak into Monday's game against the White Sox, while Justin Morneau has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games.

Mauer is batting .444 (20 for 45) with five RBI, eight walks, 10 doubles and 11 runs during his hitting streak, and Morneau is batting .339 (21 for 62) with one home run, four doubles, 10 runs and 15 RBI in his last 16 games.

"Joe had his little cold stretch we probably won't see again this year, but is back on fire. And Justin has been staying on the ball really good and putting some really nice swings on it," manager Ron Gardenhire said, per MLB.com. "We know we can score some runs and our offense is starting to click a little bit, and that's fun to watch."