The Twins drew eight walks Saturday to propel the team to a confidence-boosting 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Target Field.
Five walks in the fifth inning helped the Twins score four of its five runs. A two-run single with the bases loaded by Trevor Plouffe ended up being the game-winning hit in the fifth as the Twins went up 4-3.
Twins catcher Josmil Pinto added a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth to give the Twins a 5-3 lead and eventual victory.
Right-hander Phil Hughes got the win for the Twins, improving his record to 2-1 with a 5.14 ERA. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Hughes relaxed into a stretch where he retired 16 batters in a row.
Hughes threw seven innings for the Twins, and was replaced by right-hander Jared Burton in the eighth. The Tigers loaded up the bases against Burton, but the manager Ron Gardenhire stuck with the reliever, who got out of the jam.
Left-handed closer Glen Perkins pitched in the ninth for the Twins for the save.
The win boosted the Twins’ record to 12-11. The club lost the series opener to the Tigers Friday night 10-6.
The Twins take on the Tigers at 1:10 p.m. Sunday at Target Field to wrap up the series.
