Minneapolis, MN – Torii Hunter connected on his 300th career home run to back 7 2/3 strong innings from Doug Fister as the Detroit Tigers took the rubber match of a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins by posting a 5-2 decision at Target Field.
Hunter added an RBI double in addition to his milestone homer, a two-run shot in the first inning, while Austin Jackson had a two-run blast of his own later on as part of a 2-for-5 day at the plate.
Fister (6-4), meanwhile, carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and yielded just two hits and a pair of runs over his stint. He added seven strikeouts in halting a five-start winless streak.
"For me to be a part of [Hunter's milestone], it's such an honor for me," said Fister afterward.
Minnesota managed just three hits for the game, with Brian Dozier going 2- for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored in the setback.
P.J. Walters (2-2) served up both Detroit homers and was reached for four runs on nine hits while walking three over 5 1/3 innings.
"My job is to pitch better than them, and I didn't do it today," said Walters.
Fister didn't need much support on a day in which he dominated Minnesota's hitters, but received some early aid when Jackson opened the game with a single and Hunter -- who hit 192 of his career homers as a member of the Twins -- deposited a 2-0 pitch from Walters into the seats in left.
"Not exactly happy when he does it against you, but I'm proud of [Torii]," said Minnesota skipper Ron Gardenhire, who managed Hunter for six seasons with the Twins from 2002-07. "He started in this organization [and] he's had a heck of a career. He still plays the game with all the enthusiasm that he played when he was here."
The Tigers doubled the lead three innings later, with Alex Avila reaching on a single in front of Jackson's deep shot into the second deck in left field.
Fister had been working on a perfect game at the time, as he set down the first 11 men he faced before walking Ryan Doumit with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. The right-hander then retired four more in a row until Dozier broke up the shutout and no-hit bid by leading off Minnesota's half of the sixth with his fourth homer of the season.
The Twins didn't have another baserunner until Dozier doubled with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Fister then walked Pedro Florimon and was removed in favor of Joaquin Benoit, who was greeted by Clete Thomas' RBI single to left that cut the deficit to 4-2.
However, Detroit tacked on an insurance run when Omar Infante singled in the top of the ninth and later came around on Hunter's two-out ground-rule double. Benoit set the Twins down in order in the bottom of the frame to notch his fourth save of the season.
Game Notes
Avila, who entered the game in an 0-for-19 rut, went 2-for-3 before being removed in the ninth after being hit by a pitch ... Fister, who had been 0-3 with a 3.60 ERA in five starts since defeating Houston on May 14, had walked one man or less in nine consecutive outings prior to issuing two on Sunday ... Twins outfielder/DH Josh Willingham sat out a second straight game with a sore left knee ... Minnesota's Trevor Plouffe had a nine-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-3 ... Detroit hurlers have now registered a quality start in 20 of the club's last 22 games.
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