Sanchez says he is now pain free, but short outing not enough to lift Tigers over Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — Anibal Sanchez didn't pitch particularly well against the Minnesota Twins. But because he is healthy, the Detroit Tigers are happy.

Sanchez lasted just 3 2-3 innings in the Tigers' 6-3 loss on Saturday and gave up two runs, five hits and a season-high tying four walks.

The left-hander, pitching for the first time in 11 days after being scratched from his previous start due to shoulder tightness, hasn't won a road start since April 14. Since then he is 0-4 with a 5.61 ERA in five road outings. He has failed to complete four innings in two of his last three starts away from Detroit.

"I feel normal, I feel good," Sanchez said. "The only thing I don't have is my power on the mound. But at the end, I'm painless. For me, that's the most important."

Darin Downs (0-2) took the loss, allowing three runs in 2 1-3 innings.

Twins starter Sam Deduno (3-1) gave up two runs and seven hits to win his third straight decision since being recalled in May. Glen Perkins added his 16th save in 18 chances.

Trevor Plouffe, back after missing 22 games because of a concussion and left calf strain, was a triple shy of the cycle for Minnesota. The third baseman, who turned 27 on Saturday, homered in the fourth inning and nearly hit another in the eighth, driving the ball high off the left-field fence. Plouffe homered twice on his birthday last season.

"I like swinging up here," Plouffe said. "It's good to be back. I've been itching to come back and be back with the boys, especially this series against the Tigers. It's a big series for us whenever we play them. I'm just happy to be back."

Jhonny Peralta drove in two of Detroit's runs with a broken bat single in the fourth inning, extending his hitting streak against the Twins to nine games. Austin Jackson, Prince Fielder and Don Kelly all had two hits.

The Twins responded in the fourth with Justin Morneau's leadoff single and Plouffe's homer two batters later. It was just the fourth home run allowed by Sanchez this season, and the first to a right-handed hitter.

Sanchez recorded the next out before a walk and single to the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters ended his night after 72 pitches.

"He wasn't himself, obviously, but I didn't really expect him to be," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I didn't want to push it too hard."

Leyland, who visited Sanchez on the mound with head trainer Kevin Rand after back-to-back walks to lead off the second inning, planned on limiting Sanchez to 80 pitches.

"I was a little suspicious early on because he didn't look quite right," Leyland said. "But the good news is he's healthy. He felt fine. Probably a little sluggish just trying to get his rhythm back and mechanics back."

Plouffe doubled and scored on Brian Dozier's single in the sixth inning, and Joe Mauer singled home two more runs three batters later.

Miguel Cabrera doubled in the eighth inning and scored on Pedro Florimon's throwing error for Detroit's final run. Peralta represented the tying run with two on and one out after Victor Martinez followed Florimon's error with a walk, but he grounded into a double play to end the threat.

The Tigers had two more potential runs erased on plays at the plate. Kelly was thrown on a contact play in the third inning while trying to score on Alex Avila's grounder with the infield pulled in. Fielder tried to score from second in the sixth inning on Kelly's two-out single, but was cut down by Chris Parmelee's throw from right field.

NOTES: Peralta is hitting .353 with a home run, four doubles and five RBI during his hitting streak against Minnesota. He has hit safely in 45 of his last 55 games and owns a .333 batting average, third best in the American League. . Fielder has reached base in 48 of his last 52 games. . The Twins sent OF Wilkin Ramirez, on the disabled list with a concussion, to their facilities in Florida on Saturday to start doing baseball work. . P.J. Walters (2-1, 2.49) will start on Sunday for Minnesota. Walters, called up on May 24, has allowed one earned run over his last two starts in 13 1-3 innings. He will be making his fifth major league start of the season. Detroit will counter with Doug Fister (5-4, 3.28 ERA). Fister has gone at least eight innings and allowed three runs in each of his last two outings, but lost both. He is looking to break a personal three-game losing streak.