DETROIT � And on Sunday, the Bomba Squad rested.
After hitting six home runs and establishing a new Major League single-season record with 268 home runs in a 10-7 loss Saturday night, the slugging Minnesota Twins stayed in the yard Sunday and won.
Go figure.
The Central Division-leading Twins scored five runs in the second inning against starter Spencer Turnbull and rode that to a 8-3 win over the Tigers.
The Twins banged out 12 hits, three by Nelson Cruz, who also knocked in a pair of runs. Jake Cave also drove in two with a pair of hits.
Consistency and efficiency continue to elude Turnbull.
After an encouraging, 14-pitch, two-strikeout first inning � his first clean inning in three starts � Turnbull got himself entangled in a 35-pitch, 10-batter, five-run second inning.
And as has been the case recently, his troubles escalated when he had to work out of the stretch. After a one-out walk, forcing him to work from the stretch for the first time in the game, Turnbull gave up five hits and hit a batter.
Two of the singles, by left-handed hitting Jason Castro and Cave, were hit through the vacated left side of the infield against the Tigers' defensive shift.
Turnbull, who endured his 14th loss, grinded his way through 4.2 innings on 102 pitches, allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks.
It was the continuation of Turnbull's downward spiral this season. After blanking the Royals over six innings on June 11, he had a 2.78 ERA with opponents hitting .234 (.670 OPS) in 14 starts.
In 10 starts after that, not including Sunday, he posted a 6.78 ERA with opponents hitting .305 (.928 OPS).
The Tigers have now lost 13 straight games started by Turnbull. According to MLB.com, that ties the longest losing streak in franchise history (since 1908). It was last done by Ted Gray between 1952-1953.
Believe it or not, despite all the losing, there are some positive things going on with the Tigers. Victor Reyes is one of them.
Reyes got two more hits and knocked in a run Sunday. It was his 17th multi-hit hit game, his 11th in the last 21 games. Over that span, he is hitting .351 with five double, two triples, a home run and nine RBIs. He's also stolen four bases.
Brandon Dixon, too, seems to have snapped out of his August funk (.227, 38 strikeouts in 105 plate appearance). After doubling twice on Saturday, he doubled home a run, walked, singled and scored Sunday.
Third baseman Dawel Lugo, who has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, also doubled and scored. He's hitting .382 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs in that stretch.
Jordy Mercer, who has a six-game hitting streak, had two hits, including his seventh home run of the season, a 416-footer to left.
