MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins arent picky about how the

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins arent picky about how they get on base this season. And if the most-walked team in the majors can get more starting pitching performances as they did Saturday, the Twins likely wont mind their status as a middle-of-the-pack team when it comes to batting average. Phil Hughes struck out six in seven innings, Josmil Pinto hit his fifth homer of the season and the Twins scored two runs in the fifth without a hit in their 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Minnesota looked to be in for a long afternoon after Detroit took an early 2-0 lead and Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez handled the Twins early. But Sanchez left in the third with a blister on his middle finger on his throwing hand, forcing newly recalled Jose Ortega (0-1) into action. Ortega, who had just arrived from Triple-A Toledo, and Phil Coke then combined to walk six Twins -- five in the fifth. A throwing error by catcher Bryan Holaday and a bases-loaded walk by Coke allowed Minnesota, hitless at that point, to tie the game. Minnesota entered the game with a majors-leading 113 walks this season, and added eight more on Saturday. "As weve talked about many times now, were taking our walks and getting people on, and you score runs like that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Thats a good way to go about your business." Especially with Hughes rolling. Hughes (2-1) didnt walk a batter, retired 16 straight at one point and has won two straight -- a welcome sight for a Twins rotation that had produced only six quality starts this season. Although he acknowledged the need for more innings from his starters, Gardenhire preached patience with his rotation earlier in the day, saying the team believes its starting pitchers will do well. For one afternoon, at least, Hughes gave his manager a glimpse of that. "Anytime your starter doesnt give you innings, its up to the next guy to kind of bounce back and hopefully save the bullpen a little bit," Hughes said a day after the Twins bullpen threw six-plus innings in Friday nights loss. Trevor Plouffes two-run single off Coke scored Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier put the Twins ahead for good in the fifth, and Pintos homer off Al Albuquerque in the eighth provided an insurance run. "It was a tough spot for the entire bullpen," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We were a little bit strapped going into today as it was. Sanchezs injury straps us even more." Detroit took a first-inning lead after Sam Fuld couldnt hang onto Miguel Cabreras fly to deep right, allowing Torii Hunter to score from first. Cabrera went to third on Fulds bad throw and scored on Victor Martinezs sacrifice fly. That was all the Tigers could muster against Hughes, though. The veteran right-hander made efficient work of Detroits lineup the next six innings. Jared Burton pitched a scoreless eighth and Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances. "After the first I was coming apart a little bit, and not really staying within myself, overthrowing a little bit and coming out of my mechanics," Hughes said. "But I was able to settle down pretty quick and get on a little bit of a roll, which was nice." Martinez led off the ninth with a homer. Sanchez threw 53 pitches without allowing a hit and was in the middle of Doziers at-bat when Holaday, head trainer Kevin Rand and pitching coach Jeff Jones went to the mound. Shortly after being joined by Ausmus, Rand and Sanchez walked off the field. "It looked nasty, it really did," Ausmus said. "As soon as I went out there and saw it I was caught between throwing up and pulling him out of the game. It looked gross." Notes: Trevor Plouffe took a pitch off the arm in the fourth and later came out of the game. Gardenhire said he would be day to day. ... The Tigers optioned RHP Justin Miller -- who pitched two-thirds innings on Friday night and allowed a run and two hits -- to Toledo to make room for Ortega. "It had nothing to do with how Justin pitched last night. He had pitched well the previous two outings, it was just we needed help for the bullpen," Ausmus said. ... Ausmus says he plans to put C Alex Avila (shin) back into the lineup Sunday. Avila was hurt sliding into home plate on Friday. Ausmus reiterated RHP Rick Porcello (elbow) should make his next scheduled start Wednesday. Porcello was hurt after a line drive deflected off his glove and hit his throwing elbow. ... A day after his relievers threw 6 2-3 innings, Ron Gardenhire put starter Mike Pelfrey in the bullpen as "an emergency-type guy." Asked about tweaking his starting rotation, Gardenhire said, "Youve got to give them a little bit of time here. These guys are here for a reason, we think theyre going to be good and hopefully theyll get rolling and we dont have to have this conversation." . The Tigers and Twins wrap up their three-game series on Sunday when Justin Verlander (3-1) takes the mound for Detroit. Minnesota righty Kyle Gibson (3-1) will make his start against the Tigers for the first time. Addison Reed Jersey . -- The Windsor Spitfires were left with just one goaltender Tuesday after having their starter walk out on them midway through Game 3 of their Ontario Hockey League playoff matchup with the London Knights. Miguel Sano Jersey . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. http://www.twinsrookiestore.com/Twins-A ... ds-Jersey/. In the Brewers six games this season, no starter has allowed more than three runs. "We see the guy in front of us do a great job and we want to do even better," Gallardo said after the Brewers beat the Red Sox 4-0 on Sunday, his second straight scoreless start. Kyle Gibson Jersey . -- Maxence Parrot of Bromont, Que. Jake Odorizzi Jersey .com) - The disappointing Ottawa Senators hope to record consecutive wins for the first time since early November, as they visit the Boston Bruins on Friday for the opener of a home-and-home series.PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Russell Henley made good on his second chance at the 18th hole Sunday and won the Honda Classic after a wild day that began with Tiger Woods walking off the course with a back injury and ended with a four-man playoff. The closing hour at PGA National was a series of blunders by the contenders -- and even the winner. Henley was in a three-way tie for the lead, 40 yards left of the flag on the par-5 18th in regulation, when he chunked a chip so badly that it only got halfway to the hole. He had to two-putt for par, and then watched as Rory McIlroy nearly made a great escape from an otherwise bad afternoon. McIlroy, who lost a two-shot lead, hit a 5-wood from 236 yards to just inside 12 feet for an eagle and the win. It narrowly slid by on the right. In the playoff, Henley was the only player to reach the 549-yard hole in two, and he two-putted from about 40 feet for birdie. Ryan Palmer missed a 10-foot birdie putt. McIlroy went from the back bunker to the front collar and had to scramble for par, and Russell Knox laid up and missed a 20-foot birdie attempt. "This isnt going to sink in for a while," Henley said. Thousands of fans who spent hours in the warmth and wind of south Florida surely felt the same way. David Hearn (67) of Brantford, Ont., finished 6-under par to tie with American Will MacKenzie for sixth. Woods abruptly quit after 13 holes and was driven straight to his car. He later said he had lower back pain and spasms, and was unsure if he could play at Doral next week. And then came all the mistakes by four guys trying to win. Palmer missed a 5-foot par in regulation that would have won it. He closed with a 69, the only player in the last six groups to break par. Knox needed a birdie on the last hole, but he went from the fairway bunker to the rough, well over the green and then calmly made a par putt just inside 10 feet for a 71 to get in the playoff. They all finished at 8-under 272. Canadas David Hearn fired a final round 67 to finish two shots off the pace. The conditions were tough. The play was so underwhelming that McIlroy said that if he had won, "It would have felt undeserved in a way." He wont know that feeling. Instead, the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland closed with a 74. It was his second straight tournament in stroke play that he played in the final group and shot 74. He tied for ninth in the Dubai Desert Classic. His undoing came on thee 16th, when McIlroy missed on a 6-iron from the bunker and went into the water, making double bogey.ddddddddddddHe fell out of the lead for the first time with a bogey from the bunker on the 17th. What should ease the pain was his finish -- a 5-wood he couldnt afford to miss that dropped from the sky to 12 feet left of the hole. "I was fortunate I was in the playoff," McIlroy said. "Seventy-four wasnt good enough to get the job done. To go out with a two-shot lead, you have to play well enough to win the thing. If I had won today, I would have counted myself as lucky. Ill pick myself up, get back it, try to get back at it at Doral and try to get the job done." Henley, who closed with a 72, won for the second time and qualified for the Masters. He also moves into the top 50 in the world ranking, making him eligible for the Cadillac Championship next week at Doral. It was the first playoff at PGA National since 2007, which also featured four players. McIlroy was at 13 under after a birdie on the fifth hole and appeared to be on his way, even after twice making bogey from the bunker to close out the front nine. PGA National was tougher than ever after a weekend of sunshine, and the stiff breeze in south Florida. The average score was 71.8, two shots harder than the third round. The contenders made it look like a beast. Henley tied for the lead by chipping in for birdie on the 14th, only to deposit his tee shot on the par-3 15th into the water for double bogey. Palmer missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, which wasnt nearly as damaging as the par putts he missed from 8 feet on the 16th and 5 feet on the 18th. Knox fell out of a brief share of the lead when he tried to play from the right rough on the 14th and had his shot carom into the water for a double bogey. At least they were still around. Woods was just a guy in a red shirt at PGA National when he shook hands with Luke Guthrie, his playing partner, and told him he was done. "Too early to tell," Woods said in a statement about playing next week at Doral. "Ill get treatment every day to try to calm it down. Just dont know yet. Wait until Thursday and see how it feels." It was the second straight year that the worlds No. 1 player walked out on the Honda Classic. A year ago, McIlroy was so frustrated with his game that he quit after 26 holes. At least this time, McIlroy stayed until the wild end. It just wasnt the finish he wanted. ' ' '