Twins batter Edwin Jackson, Tigers 13-5

DETROIT (AP) — C.J. Cron homered and Jorge Polanco had three hits as the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 13-5 on Friday night.

The Twins have won five straight, including the first four of a 10-game road trip, and lead the Cleveland Indians by 4 1/2 games in the AL Central.

Cron hit Minnesota’s 262nd homer in the fourth inning, moving them within five of the major-league record of 267, set last year by the New York Yankees.

John Hicks and Ronny Rodriguez homered for the Tigers, who have lost six in a row. Detroit still needs five wins in its last 16 games at Comerica Park to avoid becoming the first modern major-league team to lose 60 times at home.

Kyle Gibson (13-6) picked up the win despite allowing four runs and 10 hits in five innings.

Tigers starter Edwin Jackson (3-8) allowed eight runs — six earned — with seven hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings.

The Twins didn’t need a home run to score three runs before Jackson recorded an out. Max Kepler led off with a walk, Polanco singled and Nelson Cruz and Eddie Rosario hit RBI singles.

Miguel Sano hit what looked like a routine double-play ball, but shortstop Willi Castro misplayed it, allowing the third run to score. Luis Arraez grounded into a force at second, driving in Rosario to make it 4-0, and C.J. Cron hit into an inning-ending double play.

The Tigers came back with two runs in the bottom of the first on Rodriguez’s RBI double off the third-base bag, a wild pitch and a run-scoring single by Dawel Lugo.

Minnesota made it 6-2 in the second on Kepler’s RBI double and Cruz’s sacrifice fly, but Jake Rogers ended a 1-for-36 slump with an RBI double in the bottom of the inning.

The Twins scored twice more in the third to take an 8-3 lead on a bases-loaded groundout by Jake Cave and Rogers’ seventh passed ball of the season. The rookie is tied for fourth in the American League despite only catching 22 games.

Rosario’s RBI groundout made it 9-3 in the fourth and Cron’s three-run homer off Matt Hall later in the inning put the Twins well into double figures.

Hicks hit a solo homer in the Tigers fourth. Rosario added an RBI single in the eighth, before Rodriguez made it 13-5 with a solo homer in the Tigers eighth.

TRAINERS ROOM

Tigers: DH Miguel Cabrera took batting practice for the first time since leaving Tuesday’s loss to Cleveland with left biceps tightness.

TAKING THE RECORD EVER FURTHER

The Twins now have 142 homers on the road this season, extending their own major-league record. The 2001 San Francisco Giants hit 138 home runs on the road, including 36 of Barry Bonds’ 73.

HOMER HORN?

With the Tigers holding a cross-over promotion with the Detroit Red Wings, both Tigers homers were greeted by the goal horn from nearby Little Caesars Arena.

UP NEXT

The teams play the second of four games on Saturday evening, with Detroit’s Matthew Boyd (6-10, 4.47) facing Minnesota’s Martin Perez (9-5, 4.53).