Twins 8, Tigers 6: Joe Mauer had three hits, including a homer, and Ryan Doumit brought home the winning run in the seventh inning as Minnesota earned its season-best fifth consecutive victory.

Minnesota pushed across the go-ahead run after loading the bases with none out against Detroit reliever Brayan Villareal (3-2). After Trevor Plouffe hit a fly ball to center field that wasn't deep enough to score Mauer from third base, Doumit followed with a long fly that brought Mauer home with ease.

Mauer tacked on some insurance with a leadoff home run in the ninth, one of three home Minnesota home runs in the victory.

Jeff Gray (5-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings as the Twins bullpen limited the Tigers to a pair of hits over the final five frames. Glen Perkins recorded the last three outs for his fourth save.

Trailing 1-0, the Tigers leapt in front on the strength of a three-run second inning. Ryan Raburn tied the game with a run-scoring double and Brennan Boesch followed with a single to center that brought home a pair.

The Twins stormed back with five runs in the third - fueled by two-run homers from Josh Willingham and Plouffe - but couldn't hold the lead as Detroit answered with a Boesch solo homer and an Austin Jackson two-run shot in the fourth.

Minnesota starter Nick Blackburn was largely ineffective, tagged for six runs on eight hits over four innings. Tigers counterpart Duane Below also had a rough go of it in just his second major-league start, charged with five runs - one earned - on five hits with three strikeouts.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The start of the game was delayed 90 minutes by rain. ... All five Minnesota runs in the third inning came with two outs. ... Below made the start in place of RHP Max Scherzer, who was skipped with a hamstring injury. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said Monday that Scherzer, who ranks among the league leaders with 114 strikeouts, will only miss one start. ... The Twins have scored 36 runs during their winning streak. ... Gray is second on the team in victories despite making all 33 of his appearances in relief.