Twins beat Tigers 5-3 at Target Field
Phil Hughes threw seven strong innings and Josmil Pinto hit his fifth homer of the season and the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 yesterday.
Hughes (2-1) had six strikeouts with no walks. He retired 16 straight at one point and has won two straight -- a welcome sight for a Twins rotation that had produced only six quality starts this season.
Jared Burton pitched a scoreless eighth and Glen Perkins worked the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Detroit led 2-0 before starter Anibal Sanchez left in the third with a blister on his middle finger on his throwing hand, forcing newly recalled Jose Ortega (0-1) into action.
Ortega, who had just arrived from Triple-A Toledo, and Phil Coke then combined to walk six Twins batters -- five in the fifth.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.