MINNEAPOLIS — Opening Day at Target Field was cold, blustery and unsuccessful for the Minnesota Twins, who lost to Detroit, 4-2 Monday afternoon.
The game featured a pitching matchup between Justin Verlander of Detroit and Vance Worley of the Twins.
Verlander allowed three hits and struck out seven in five scoreless innings. Worley finished with a quality start, but he didn’t begin the game well.
The right-hander, making his first start for the Twins after being traded from Philadelphia for Ben Revere during the offseason, gave up two runs in the first inning and one more in the second. He allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three.
With Verlander out of the game, the Twins struck in the sixth when Trevor Plouffe scored on a wild pitch by Drew Smyle.
Casey Fien, in his second season with the Twins, relieved Worley and struck out the side in the seventh.
Ryan Doumit made it a one run game with a single that scored Joe Mauer in the seventh, but Plouffe and Chris Parmelee struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Left-hander Brian Duensing entered the game in the eighth. He loaded the bases before striking out Alex Avila for the second out of the inning. Manager Ron Gardenhire pulled Duensing and called upon right-hander Josh Roenicke to face Omar Infante.
The first pitch Roenicke threw — the first of his career with the Twins — was wild and went between catcher Joe Mauer’s legs, allowing Prince Fielder to trot home, giving Detroit a 4-2 lead. Roenicke returned for the ninth and pitched a 1-2-3 frame.
Notes: Twins rookie Aaron Hicks went 0-4 and struck out three times in his big league debut; Joe Mauer finished 2-4 with a double.
Game two of the three game series is scheduled for Wednesday. Kevin Correia will start for the Twins while Annibal Sanchez goes for Detroit. First pitch at 3:10 p.m.
