Twins manager Paul Molitor said after the game that the plan is for righthander Ervin Santana to make his next scheduled start. He didn't stutter when he said it, either.
Santana now has an 8.03 ERA and has given up nine home runs in five games since his return from finger surgery.
Things were shaping up nicely for Santana to win his first game since Sept. 21 of last season - which came against the Tigers. He had settled down after a rocky first inning and the Twins got a three-run homer from Jorge Polanco in the bottom of the inning then scored five runs in the second.
He had an 8-2 lead to work with. But Santana currently lacks lockdown stuff. He has to be crafty, and his control must be immaculate. If he can't do that, he can get into trouble.
And trouble came a' knockin' during his second trip through the Tigers batting order.
Victor Martinez led off the fourth with a double down the left field line that fooled the Twins' shift. While facing Mikie Mahtook, catcher Mitch Garver called for a pitch near the knees. Instead, Santana's 88 miles per hour fastball was up in the strike zone, and Mahtook crushed the pitch out to left for a two-run home run to cut the Twins lead to 8-4.
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James McCann dug in, and Garver, again, set up for a pitch at the knees. Santana threw a 90 mph fastball that was in the middle of the zone, and McCann clobbered it to right for a solo homer to make it 8-5.
Santana got out of the inning and was three outs away from qualifying for a win.
Jim Adduci led off the fifth with a sharp single to center. That brought up Nick Castellanos, who had clubbed a two-run home run in the first inning. Castellanos squared up another Santana pitch, blasting a double to center that put runners on second and third. Santana then fell behind Niko Goodrum 3-0 before walking him to load the bases.
