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Carroll comes through, Twins tame Tigers

May 17, 2012 - 5:19 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Jamey Carroll delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and the Twins beat their nemeses, the Tigers, by an 11-7 final in the opener of a two-game series.

Brian Dozier belted a three-run homer, Trevor Plouffe added a two-run shot and Josh Willingham went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and another driven in for Minnesota, which was coming off a 3-6 homestand and had lost 18 of its previous 22 meetings against Detroit.

"It's a big [win]. They're all big right now," said Plouffe. "We're trying to scrape them together and get a couple in a row. To come into Detroit and out- slug them, that says a lot about our team."

Nick Blackburn, coming off his first win of the season, lasted just two innings after surrendering six runs on six hits, but the Twins bullpen combined to give up one run on five hits over the next seven frames.

Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder each drove in a pair for a Tigers club trying to put a 4-5 road trip behind it.

Detroit starter Rick Porcello didn't fare much better than his counterpart, as he allowed six runs -- only two earned -- on six hits over four frames.

Eleven runs were scored in the first two innings, and the Tigers were on top, 7-6 following Cabrera's RBI double in the fifth.

Alex Burnett (1-0) stranded runners on the corners that inning, and the Twins took the lead in their next turn when Carroll doubled off Duane Below (2-1) to bring home Ryan Doumit and Alexi Casilla.

Casilla tacked on another run in the seventh with a bases-loaded single, and Plouffe took Collin Balester deep to left for a two-run shot in the ninth.

Glen Perkins faced the minimum in the ninth to cap Minnesota's stellar relief effort.

"It's frustrating," said Fielder about hitting well and still losing. "It happens. We just didn't get it done."

Run-scoring doubles from Joe Mauer and Willingham were countered by Fielder's sacrifice fly in the home first.

Dozier, in his 10th game since having his contract selected from Triple-A Rochester, made it 5-1 with his round-tripper in the second, but Detroit put up a five-spot in the home half.

Four of the Tigers' runs came on consecutive RBI hits from Ramon Santiago, Austin Jackson, Andy Dirks and Cabrera. The last crossed on Fielder's sac fly.

Doumit plated Willingham in the third to tie it.

Game Notes

Jackson departed in the fourth inning after suffering an abdominal strain...Twins first baseman Justin Morneau went 1-for-5 in his return from the disabled list...Dirks had three hits for Detroit, which committed four errors.