The Twins blew a four-run lead in the top of the sixth inning, and wound up falling to the Detroit Tigers 10-7 at Target Field Wednesday afternoon.
Down by three in the ninth the Twins had a chance, but Tigers closer Joakim Soria struck out Trevor Plouffe, who represented the game-tying run with a pair of runners on base and two outs. It was Soria’s ninth save of the season.
The game really flipped on the Twins much earlier than that though.
After scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead, the Twins promptly gave it all back in the sixth as the Tigers slugged three home runs in the inning off of Twins relievers Tim Stauffer and Aaron Thompson.
Detroit then took the lead by adding one in the eighth off Twins reliever Casey Fien (1-2). Miguel Cabrera provided the insurance runs with a two-run homer in the ninth – his second of the afternoon.
Cabrera finished 3-for-4 with the two homers and four RBIs. Catcher James McCann was 3-for-4 on the afternoon with a home run as well, as the pair helped to lead a 17-hit effort by the Tigers.
Joe Mauer led the Twins at the plate he finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Oswaldo Arcia added a towering home run and Plouffe homered earlier in the game as well.
Twins starter Phil Hughes pitched well enough to win. He held the Tigers to three runs on seven hits in five innings, while striking out four. But he left the game after the fifth.
Phil Hughes left with a mild left hip flexor strain
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) April 29, 2015
The Twins send Trevor May (1-1) back to the mound as open a weekend series with the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night at Target Field.
