MINNEAPOLIS _ Jose Berrios couldn't have looked more out of sorts during a sunny but cold Sunday afternoon. He didn't have his best control, so he labored early.
He had to work out of a two-out jam in the first inning, during which he fell behind 1-0 to all five batters he faced and needed 27 pitches to get three outs. Then, when the offense gave him a two-run lead heading into the second inning, Berrios gave it right back in the form of a two-run home run to Gordon Beckham.
It wasn't the Berrios the Twins are used to seeing. But he wasn't around for long.
Berrios improved with every inning and the offense heated up to lead the Twins to a 6-4 win over the Tigers. After Friday's game was postponed because of snow and cold weather, the Twins won on Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday's game ended up being a nail-biter in the ninth as Blake Parker entered the game but loaded the bases with one out. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli went with Trevor Hildenberger, who struck out John Hicks and Grayson Greiner to end the game. Parker, for the second straight day, appeared to struggle to get the right feel for his trusty split-fingered fastball.
Beckham's home run seemed to slash cold water in Berrios' face. Tigers hitters suddenly were overmatched.
After Beckham took Berrios deep _ the third homer he's allowed so far _ the Twins right-hander retired 12 straight and 15 of the next 16 batters he faced. The one batter who did reach base was Christin Stewart, who was hit with an 0-2 pitch. After throwing 27 pitches in the first inning, Berrios needed 19 in the second inning, 11 in the third then only five in the fourth.
It didn't take long for Berrios to rediscover himself. Beckham's home run was the last Tigers hit off of Berrios.
And the Twins offense kept getting their licks in on Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmerman and whomever followed him. Byron Buxton lined a RBI double to left in the second. C.J. Cron lined a two-run homer to left in the third. And Eddie Rosario lofted a solo home run to right-center in the seventh inning as the Twins took a 6-2 lead.
The Twins 14-hit attack included five doubles and two home runs by a team that entered the game seventh in the major leagues in team slugging percentage. In fact, the Twins probably regretted not having more runs to show for their efforts at the plate.
