MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins pounded out 16 hits in a 9-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

The Twins battered Detroit starter Alfredo Simon for 10 hits and seven runs in the first three innings.

The bottom three batters of the Twins lineup -- Aaron Hicks, Kurt Suzuki and Danny Santana -- each had two RBI in the game.

Trevor Plouffe and Eddie Rosario each went 3-for-4 with two runs scored as Minnesota built a 7-0 lead.

Minnesota starter Phil Hughes had an uneven outing, allowing four runs on eight hits through five innings, but picked up his 8th win of the season.

After the Tigers scored four unanswered runs, Torii Hunter answered back in a big way with a sixth inning bomb that landed in the third deck in left field.

Hunter's long home run was his 14th of the season and it scored Brian Dozier, who will be an All Star replacement for Toronto's injured Jose Bautista.

With the win, the Twins improve to 48-40 on the season. Minnesota and Detroit finishes the four-game series today at 1:10 p.m. with Kyle Gibson (7-6) taking the mound for the Twins against Shane Greene (4-6) and the Tigers.

 

 

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