MINNEAPOLIS -- An off-day before a four-game series against the Twins allowed the Rangers a chance to take a break following a season-high six-game losing streak.

After jumping out quickly against Minnesota starter Pablo López, who entered Thursday night’s series opener with 19 consecutive scoreless innings, it looked like the day off was just the reset Texas needed.

Unfortunately, the bullpen faltered again as Ryan Jeffers hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer off Will Smith to give the Rangers their seventh straight loss -- 7-5 at Target Field.

The four-game series between two division leaders is an important one for Texas (72-55), which was coming off back-to-back series sweeps and saw its lead in the American League West shrink to one game over Seattle (71-56) and Houston (72-57).

“Kind of had a good feeling early on in that game that we were going to break this skid and go out and put up about 10 runs, and kind of cruise into it, and it didn’t happen,” said outfielder Travis Jankowski, who had three hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Leody Taveras all homered as the Rangers grabbed a 5-2 lead against López. But Josh Winder pitched three scoreless innings in relief of López and Texas only put up one hit over the final five innings.

“I saw an offense that did a really nice job against a guy that was on a good roll,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had some great at-bats, put five runs on the board, and their long guy came in and shut us down. On a night like tonight the way the ball was flying, you’re hoping you can tack on, but he did a great job for them and they kept chipping away.”

A warm and very humid night at Target Field helped contribute to eight total homers between the teams. Texas hit three of the first five homers, all solo shots. But Minnesota added three solo shots of its own, including two by Michael A. Taylor, against starter Andrew Heaney.

Royce Lewis hit one in the sixth and Jeffers followed with his homer to the second deck in left field off Smith in the eighth.

Smith entered with men on first and second after Josh Sborz (5-6) surrendered one run on two hits and a walk. Smith got a double-play ground ball, but Jeffers connected on the next pitch for the go-ahead homer.

Jeffers was ready for Smith.

“In the seventh inning, I walked into the cage and the machine was like super-high,” Twins shortstop Carlos Correa said of Jeffers working in the cage before the at-bat. “And I was like, ‘How come the machine is so high?’ And he said, ‘I’m going to hit Will Smith’s slider, and he’s got the high release.’ And [Jeffers] started hitting sliders in the sixth and seventh innings.

"And then when he came up to bat, I was like, ‘Will Smith is going to throw him a slider, and he’s been practicing the slider for two innings already.’”

The Rangers’ bullpen has allowed 21 earned runs during the seven-game losing streak. The relievers have blown four save opportunities in the past six games after only one blown save in the previous 20 games.

“We got to get things sorted out there,” Bochy said of the bullpen. “Sborzy, he’s been throwing well. Go figure he has an off night tonight. … It’s a big part of the game. It’s where a lot of games are determined, and right now, we have a couple guys who aren’t quite getting it done.”

Semien led off the game with his 20th homer. It was Semien’s sixth leadoff homer of the season, which is the sixth most in a season in Rangers history.

“It’s really just disappointing,” Heaney said. “It kind of feels like we’re just not quite clicking. … Nobody here is questioning anybody’s effort, their preparedness or anything like that.

“We’re in a rut. We’ve got to keep going. There’s no alternative.”