Hunter leads the way

MINNEAPOLIS -- Torii Hunter's value to the Minnesota Twins can't be measured in statistics alone.

Hunter hit a three-run homer and threw out two runners from center field Tuesday night, leading the Twins to an 11-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

"I don't worry about Torii," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "If he catches the ball like he catches it, you have to live with a little struggle here and there. I'll take my chances with Torii in center every night."

Dustan Mohr went 3-for-4 with a homer for the Twins, who lowered their magic number to five for clinching the AL Central and their first playoff berth since winning the World Series in 1991. They had a season-high 11 extra-base hits and scored their most runs since July 22, improving to 40-19 against their division.

Hunter's numbers have tailed off -- 20 of his career-high 28 homers came before the All-Star break -- but he's still batting .292 with a team-high 88 RBIs.

Cristian Guzman, who went 3-for-5, singled in the first and took third on a hit-and-run single by Corey Koskie. Then Hunter hit Shane Loux's first pitch 402 feet to straightaway center and put the Twins up 3-0.

Robert Fick singled leading off the second and scored on a triple by Carlos Pena. Eric Munson's groundout that glanced off Lohse's glove made it 3-2.

Lohse gave up three sharp singles in the fourth, but Hunter, a Gold Glove winner last year, preserved the 3-2 lead.

Bobby Higginson tried to stretch his leadoff hit into a double, but Hunter threw him out easily at second. Robert Fick singled and tried to take an extra base on Mike Rivera's single, but Hunter got him on a close play at third.

"That's why he's up for the MVP award," Gardenhire said. "That's the guy we know and love."

Detroit manager Luis Pujols was disappointed with Fick's decision.

"I know you want to be aggressive," he said, "but you've got to be smart, too."

Lohse (12-8) was pitching for the first time since Aug. 31 because of a handful of off days. He surrendered four runs and nine hits in five innings while striking out seven.

Pulling to 6-4, the Tigers got four straight one-out hits in the fifth. Gardenhire considered pulling Lohse, who then struck out Bobby Higginson and got Fick to fly out to Hunter to earn his second victory since July 24.

"I knew I was struggling," Lohse said, "but I always feel like I can get out of it. Hopefully, he (Gardenhire) knows it, too."

He does now, if not before.

"You have to give him a little leeway there, but he battled through it," Gardenhire said.

Omar Infante hit a two-run homer -- his first in the majors -- for the Tigers, who have lost 11 of 13. Loux (0-1) lost his major league debut, giving up six runs -- five earned -- and six hits in four innings.

Loux, drafted out of high school in the second round by Detroit in 1997, retired eight straight after Hunter's homer, but he was roughed up in the fourth.

The Twins scored three times with three straight two-out hits -- the last coming when A.J. Pierzynski tripled and scored on an error when second baseman Damion Easley's relay throw sailed over Chris Truby's head at third and nearly into the seats.

"The first inning was kind of rough, but it was pretty much what I expected," said Loux, who had 17 family members in attendance. "I was pretty nervous."

Notes: Tigers radio announcer Ernie Harwell, making his farewell tour of AL cities in his 55th and final season behind the microphone, was honored before the game. Herb Carneal, once Harwell's broadcast partner in the late 1950s with Baltimore and the voice of the Twins for the past 41 years, took part in the ceremony.

DETROIT MINNESOTA

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Lmbrd cf 4 0 1 0 JJones lf 4 0 0 0

Easley 2b 4 0 1 0 Cddyer rf 1 0 1 0

Hggnsn lf 4 0 1 0 CGzmn ss 5 3 3 1

Fick rf 4 1 2 0 Koskie 3b 4 2 2 1

CPena 1b 4 1 2 1 DOrtiz dh 5 0 2 2

MiRvra c 4 0 2 0 THnter cf 4 1 1 3

Munson dh 4 0 0 1 Kielty cf 0 0 0 0

Truby 3b 4 1 1 0 Mntkw 1b 4 1 1 0

Infante ss 4 1 1 2 Mohr rf 4 2 3 2

Przyns c 3 2 2 1

LeCroy c 1 0 0 0

Rivas 2b 4 0 0 0

Totals 36 4 11 4 Totals 39 11 15 10

Detroit 020 020 000 -- 4

Minnesota 300 323 00x -- 11

E--Easley (8), Fick (10). LOB--Detroit 5, Minnesota 5. 2B--Cuddyer (3), Koskie (36), DOrtiz 2 (30), Mientkiewicz (28), Mohr (20), Pierzynski (29). 3B--CPena (3), CGuzman (6), Pierzynski (6). HR--Infante (1), THunter (28), Mohr (12).

IP H R ER BB SO

Detroit

Loux L,0-1 4 6 6 5 0 3

Bernero 1 5 4 4 0 1

JFarnsworth 2 3 1 1 1 1

Rodney 1 1 0 0 0 1

Minnesota

Lohse W,12-8 5 9 4 4 0 7

Santana 1 1 0 0 0 0

Fiore 2 1 0 0 0 0

Hawkins 1 0 0 0 0 0

Bernero pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.

WP--JFarnsworth. PB--LeCroy.

Umpires--Home, Greg Gibson; First, Mike Winters; Second, Gerry Davis; Third, Dan Iassogna.

T--2:42. A--12,408 (48,678).