MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Twins are looking for a big finish, and Jose Berrios has turned into a concern for the AL Central leaders.
Berrios surrendered Ronny Rodriguez's first career grand slam in the sixth inning of Minnesota's 9-6 loss to the lowly Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Berrios (10-7) allowed five runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. The All-Star right-hander has yielded at least five earned runs in two of his past four starts after having one such game in the first four months.
"Jose is a guy we have complete confidence in," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "He's a guy that we trust that he's going to be looking for what is next and how to get back to where he's been for a long period of time. But it's definitely a point where it's a little bit of a regrouping point."
Miguel Sano and Jake Cave each homered twice for Minnesota, which had its lead in the division trimmed to 2 1/2 games over Cleveland.
Rodriguez had three hits for Detroit, and Drew VerHagen struck out 11 in a career-high six innings. Rodriguez's 10th homer capped the Tigers' five-run sixth.
VerHagen (4-2) got another chance in the Tigers' beleaguered rotation and had the best outing of his career. He permitted three runs and five hits.
In four August starts, Berrios has an 8.43 ERA and the Twins have dropped three of the games. He left the Minnesota clubhouse before reporters were allowed in after the loss.
"He's going to make his next start," Baldelli said. "He feels good. But finding out where we can get to a point or how we can get to a point where he's executing the way he can."
Down 5-3, the Twins loaded the bases in the seventh against Jose Cisnero. But Buck Farmer entered and got Jorge Polanco to pop out in foul territory to end the inning.
"We know we have a really good team," Cave said. "We know that a couple losses don't really mean anything. One day at a time. You know, the old cliche. You can't really do anything else about it."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is nearing a return from a left shoulder subluxation after going through a round of full baseball activities before the game. Baldelli said Buxton will go on a rehab assignment "soon." ... OF Eddie Rosario was out of the lineup after leaving the previous game with a hamstring injury. Baldelli said an MRI was "clean" and Rosario said he was doing better.
UP NEXT
Tigers righthander Edwin Jackson (3-6, 8.46 ERA) starts on Saturday. Jackson has a 3.86 ERA for the Tigers this season after losing his last start at Houston, when he allowed five runs in five innings.
Twins righthander Kyle Gibson (11-6, 4.40 ERA) will make his second start of the season against Detroit. Gibson allowed five runs in five innings in a loss at Detroit on June 8.