Twins 9, Tigers 5
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins pounded out 16 hits and overcame a shaky outing from right-hander Phil Hughes in a 9-5 win over the Detroit Tigers at Target Field on Saturday.
Minnesota (48-40) will go for the four-game series win on Sunday afternoon, leading Detroit (44-43) by 3 1/2 games in the American League Central Division standings with one game remaining before the All-Star break.
Hughes lasted just five innings, allowing four runs on eight hits but got the win anyway thanks to a pair of big offensive innings early in the game.
Every player in the Twins' lineup had at least one hit as Minnesota overwhelmed Tigers righty Alfredo Simon, knocking him around for seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits over just 2 1/3 innings.
Simon has now allowed at least five runs in each of his last five outings and has seen his ERA balloon from 2.58 on June 14 to 4.53. Simon had allowed five runs or more just once over his first 12 starts this season.
The Twins scored three runs in the second inning to grab the early lead. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe, left fielder Eddie Rosario and center fielder Aaron Hicks started the inning with singles to load the bases for catcher Kurt Suzuki, who singled through the hole in short, driving in two.
Shortstop Danny Santana followed with an RBI double down the first-base line, driving in Suzuki for a three-run lead.
Hughes had his only 1-2-3 inning in the third, setting up the Twins' offense for the knockout blow -- a four-run third that gave Minnesota a 7-0 lead.
First baseman Joe Mauer reached on an error to open the inning and scored on designated hitter Miguel Sano's double high off the right-field wall. Sano was thrown out trying to advance to third.
Singles by Plouffe and Rosario set up Hicks, who tripled off the right-field wall. Santana knocked in his second run of the day two batters later with an infield single.
Detroit got to Hughes for three runs in the fourth inning, getting a leadoff homer by designated hitter Victor Martinez and a two-run single by catcher James McCann.
A ground-rule double by left fielder Yoenis Cespedes in the fifth got the Tigers to 7-4, but they got no closer.
Former Tiger Torii Hunter blasted a two-run homer into the third deck in left field for a 9-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Plouffe and Rosario had three hits apiece and each accounted for two runs. Hicks had a pair of hits and a walk and knocked in two. The 5-9 hitters in Minnesota's lineup went a combined 11-for-19 with six RBIs and scored six runs.
NOTES: The Tigers agreed to terms with RHP Neftali Feliz, who was 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 18 appearances with the Texas Rangers before being designated for assignment on July 4. Feliz was available for duty Saturday. ... Tigers RHP Jeff Ferrell was optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Ferrell has a 13.50 ERA in two appearances with the major-league club this season. ... Twins manager Paul Molitor said RHP Trevor May will remain with the big-league club in the bullpen rather than be sent to Triple-A Rochester to pitch in the rotation. May is 2-0 in two innings since being moved to the bullpen on July 5. ... The Tigers and Twins will wrap up their four-game series on Sunday at Target Field. Detroit's Shane Greene (4-6, 5.82 ERA) will oppose Minnesota's Kyle Gibson (7-6, 3.04).