DETROIT — Devin Smeltzer pitched 6 2⁄3 strong innings and Max Kepler had three hits and drove in three runs as the Twins won the opener of a doubleheader by beating the Tigers 8-2 on Tuesday at Comerica Park.
Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer for the Twins, who improved to 30-20.
Game 2 was set to start at 6:10 p.m.
Trevor Larnach put the Twins up 2-0 with a two-run double in the first inning. Detroit starter Rony Garcia gave up three consecutive hits to start the third inning, including an RBI double from Kepler before Sanchez homered three batters later.
The Twins' widened their lead in the seventh, taking advantage of two Tigers' fielding errors. Kepler hit a two-run single as the designated hitter playing his first game since Saturday after dealing with a quad injury.
Twins starter Devin Smeltzer gave up six hits and two runs, improving to 2-0, before Griffen Jax finished.
Rookie Jermaine Palacios made his major league debut for the Twins at shortstop, and was 0-for-3, scoring a run after getting on base because of an error.
