DETROIT (AP) — Trailing Minnesota by six runs in the eighth inning and headed to a 38-43 home record — Detroit's worst since 2004 — Tigers manager Brad Ausmus emptied his bench as if he was watching a spring training game.
Dixon Machado, Bryan Holaday and Jefry Marte pinch hit for Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in the same inning.
Steven Moya replaced J.D. Martinez in the field in the top of the ninth, and the game with the last-place Tigers losing 7-1.
"I was thinking back to a year ago, when we were coming up the stairs and getting ready to dump champagne on each other," said Ausmus, who learned Friday he had been retained for next season. "That's a much better feeling, but baseball is a difficult game, and this wasn't our year."
A day after rookie Tyler Diffey beat the Tigers with six strong innings, another one of Minnesota's prospects came through. Byron Buxton doubled in a six-run second inning, then hit his first career homer in the eighth.
"I'm in my first season, and I just got help my team win a game in a pennant race," he said. "I don't know what could be better than this."
Ervin Santana (7-4) cruised through seven innings, allowing one run, six hits and two walks, while striking out five.
"It is tough for the pitcher when you get a big early lead, because you have to stay focused and keep throwing strikes," he said. "But it is great for the team, especially in a situation like this."
Randy Wolf (0-5) gave up six runs and seven hits in 1 1-3 innings.
"I was getting ahead 0-1, 0-2 or 1-2, but I couldn't put guys away," the 39-year-old said. "That's what is so frustrating. I was one pitch away so many times."
Minnesota broke open the game with a six-run second inning. Torii Hunter's RBI single gave the Twins a six-run lead and brought Kyle Ryan out of the Tigers bullpen.
"We got a little bit of a break, because that ball took a little bit of a hop off the dirt and (Castellanos) couldn't handle it," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "But errors happen, and I'm very proud of the way we took advantage and turned it into a big inning."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: C Kurt Suzuki started Sunday, despite the normal policy of catchers getting a day game off after a night game. Suzuki has been logging a lot of time behind the plate down the stretch, but Molitor plans to give him a day off Monday in Cleveland.
Tigers: Ausmus said SS Jose Iglesias (broken finger) was available for pinch-running Sunday and might accompany the team on the season-ending, seven-game trip.
UP NEXT
Twins: The Twins hop across Lake Erie to start a four-game series against Cleveland as both teams try to stay in the wild-card race. Phil Hughes (11-9, 4.43) will pitch Monday's opener for Minnesota, with Corey Kluber (8-15, 3.55) going for the Indians.
Tigers: Detroit will get another chance to help Houston and Los Angeles, as the Tigers fly to Texas for a three-game series with the Rangers. Justin Verlander (4-8, 3.49) starts Monday against Colby Lewis (17-8, 4.36).
