Minnesota 2 at Detroit 7 - Recap

DETROIT -- Ian Kinsler and J.D. Martinez clubbed back-to-back homers during a seven-run, seventh-inning outburst and the Detroit Tigers won their third straight by overpowering the Minnesota Twins 7-2 on Tuesday at Comerica Park.

The two-run shot by Kinsler, the Tigers' leadoff hitter, gave him a team-high nine homers. Martinez, who had two hits, hit his eighth of the season.

Jose Iglesias contributed a two-run single and Miguel Cabrera had two hits, including a leadoff triple, during the Tigers' big inning.

Kyle Ryan (1-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win. Starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano homered for the Twins, who have lost 14 of their last 17 games.

Twins starter Phil Hughes, who had given up 15 earned runs over 11 innings in his previous three starts, allowed one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings in his best outing this season. Losing pitcher Michael Tonkin (1-2) surrendered three runs in one-third of an inning.

Sano led off the sixth with his seventh homer to make it 2-0.

Hughes retired 13 consecutive batters before Cabrera's triple to deep right center, which center fielder Danny Santana nearly tracked down. Victor Martinez followed with a sacrifice fly and Twins manager Paul Molitor replaced Hughes with Tonkin. He was touched for three consecutive hits, capped by Cameron Maybin's run-scoring single.

With two out, Iglesias greeted Trevor May with a two-run single. Kinsler and J.D. Martinez followed with their back-to-back homers.

Detroit manager Brad Ausmus served a one-game suspension for his antics after he was ejected during Monday's series opener. Ausmus took off his sweatshirt and placed it on home plate before leaving the field. Bench coach Gene Lamont filled in for Ausmus.

Mauer broke the scoreless deadlock with two out in the fifth when he yanked a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall. It was the second homer of the season for the Twins' leadoff hitter, who was hitless in his previous 14 at-bats.

NOTES: The Twins optioned RHP Jose Berrios to Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday and recalled LHP Taylor Rogers from the same club. The 21-year-old Berrios, who failed to get out of the first inning on Monday in Detroit, had a 1-1 record and 10.20 ERA in four starts. "Jose's had a tough time," manager Paul Molitor said. "What we've seen up here in his starts wasn't as good as what he was showing down there in Triple A." ... LHP Pat Dean will make his first major league start on Saturday against Toronto, Molitor announced. Dean pitched 5 1/3 innings of relief against Detroit on Monday and took the loss, allowing two runs on 10 hits. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander, who is scheduled to oppose RHP Ricky Nolasco in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday, needs seven strikeouts to reach 2,000 for his career. ... Tigers RHP Francisco Rodriguez has converted his last 10 save opportunities, including Sunday and Monday.