Liriano couldn't stop Tigers pals

Twins lefthander Francisco Liriano entered Sunday with a career 4-5 record and 5.06 ERA against Detroit. Before the game, manager Ron Gardenhire said Liriano is friends with several Tigers players and worried he would get too hyped for his outing.

Well, Liriano was knocked out in the third inning Sunday after giving up four runs on six hits and four walks. Fans cheered when Gardenhire hooked him from the game with one out in the inning.

Was Liriano out of whack because he was trying too hard to beat Detroit?

"I don't know," Gardenhire said. "You'll have to ask him that question."

But Liriano was long gone after the game. It's unknown if he forgot about meeting the press or intentionally left Target Field, but Sunday was his shortest outing of the year -- and one of his worst.

"He didn't throw the ball over," Gardenhire said. "It didn't matter who was up there. It didn't matter what team we were facing. The ball just didn't go over the plate."

Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who was unsuccessful in his attempts to calm Liriano down, was asked the same question.

Skipper feels better Gardenhire has been hampered in recent weeks because of viral and sinus infections, enough that he was unable to work the game from the bench during the recent heat wave.

But on Sunday, Gardenhire sounded as healthy as he's been in awhile when he met with the media before the game.

"I've got my energy back, everything is good," he said. "The cough is almost suppressed. I've got plenty more drugs to go. I've got to keep taking them. My chest feels a lot better. ... [Saturday] was the first day I actually screamed at some of my coaches."

Gardenhire maintained throughout the week that he would make the upcoming road trip, but his recent recovery erased any doubts.

"I've had enough blood tests," he said. "I've had enough needles stuck in me. I'm ready to move forward. They told me to stay out of the heat in Texas as much as possible. It's 105 [degrees], how are you going to stay out of the heat?"

• Righthander Anthony Swarzak pitched in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He threw 22 pitches Saturday during an inning of work. On Sunday, he pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up one run, while throwing 57 pitches. Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson said Swarzak will need at least a couple days off before he can be used again.