A nine-run, 45-minute bottom of the sixth inning led the Twins to a 20-6 win over the Detroit Tigers.
The Twins also put up six runs in the second inning, and cruised to the victory.
The #MNTwins have 20 runs and 20 hits tonight. Last time with 20 runs was May 21, 2009.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) August 23, 2014
Eduardo Escobar had a big night. He was 5-for-6 with three runs scored. He was a double short of the cycle on the night as the Twins shortstop homered, tripled and had two singles.
Escobar singles to right for his fifth hit of the night to set a career-high but is still a double short of the cycle.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) August 23, 2014
Danny Santana and Trevor Plouffe also had three hits and home runs for the Twins.
Tigers’ starter Robbie Ray didn’t get out of the second inning, he recorded just four outs while the Twins put up six runs against him.
For awhile, the Tigers’ bullpen kept the Twins off the scoreboard, while their offense and some Twins miscues allowed Detroit back into the game.
The Tigers put up four in the fifth to chase Twins’ starter Tommy Milone and cut the Twins lead to one at 6-5.
Detroit had a chance to do more damage in the sixth, but with the tying-run on third and the go-ahead run on first with one out in the sixth everything changed. Twins reliever Ryan Pressly (2-0) got Victor Martinez to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Minnesota responded by putting nine runs up on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Joe Mauer drove in three of the runs in the inning, including a two-run single and a bases loaded walk.
Pressly picked up two outs in the sixth, he is credited with the win.
The Tigers turned to second baseman Andrew Romine to pitch the eighth inning.He gave up a leadoff double to Kennys Vargas, and was followed by back-to-back home runs from Oswaldo Arcia and Plouffe.
The same two teams will return on Saturday for a doubleheader. Yohan Pino starts for Minnesota in the first game, Trevor May will start in the second.
