A 10-game road trip started poorly for the Twins with a 4-3 loss in Detroit (14-10) Monday night.
Josh Willingham gave the Twins a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a solo home run to left, his fourth of the season.
Minnesota scored runs in the second and fourth innings thanks to an RBI groundout by Aaron Hicks and an RBI double by fellow rookie Oswaldo Arcia.
Mike Pelfrey (2-3) started for Minnesota (11-11) and cruised through the first two innings before giving up a solo homer to Andy Dirks in the third. He settled down and held the Tigers in check until the sixth inning, when Prince Fielder smacked a three-run homer to center field.
The long ball put Detroit on top 4-3, and in the lead for good.
Pelfrey was charged with four runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings.
Tigers starter Max Scherzer (3-0) was brilliant. The right-hander allowed three runs on six hits while striking out 10 in 7.1 innings.
Joe Mauer went 0-4 at the plate. It’s the first time in Mauer’s career that he’s gone five straight games without a hit.
