Pablo López throws seven shutout innings, Twins pummel Tigers behind Ryan Jeffers, Carlos Correa

The Twins had a four-run lead after five batters Monday, and that doesn't even cover the most surprising part.

The real surprise was they did it all against a lefthanded starting pitcher. Hitting lefties has been the primary weakness for the offense all year, and after the front office didn't address it at the trade deadline, Twins hitters are showing perhaps it wasn't such a glaring need.

The Twins had a seven-run lead by the second inning and cruised to a 9-3 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park. They have won five consecutive games, their longest winning streak of the season, and extended their lead in the AL Central to 5½ games over the Guardians.

Twins starter Pablo López pitched seven shutout innings, striking out eight.

"Down the stretch is when you want to be playing your best baseball, and that's exactly what we're doing," catcher Ryan Jeffers told Bally Sports North.

The Twins, who are batting .296 against lefties over the past week, forced Joey Wentz to throw 32 pitches in the first inning. Donovan Solano lined a double to center field on the game's first pitch and that was a harbinger of how they hit Wentz for the three innings he lasted. Carlos Correa followed two batters later with an RBI double down the left-field line.

After Max Kepler reached on an infield single, Jeffers clobbered a cutter that didn't cut for a three-run homer to left field. The homer extended Jeffers' hitting streak to 13 games, the longest by a Twins hitter since Jorge Polanco's 14-game hitting streak in 2019.

Jeffers got behind with a 0-2 count against Wentz, but he homered on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. It was his fourth home run in his past four games.

"When we've seen [Wentz], he's gone at us," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters in Detroit. "It's been tough. But we didn't wait around [Monday]. I don't think we let him settle in."

The Twins sent all nine of their starters to the plate in the first inning and that was just a warm-up act. In the second inning, Solano and Polanco hit back-to-back singles before Correa lifted a fly ball to right field that carried over the outstretched arm of Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter for a three-run homer.

Through the first two innings, Solano and Correa combined for four hits, four RBI and four runs. It was Correa's first home run since July 18.

"It doesn't always come together all at the same time, but when it does, and you get that roll going, it's fun," Baldelli said. "The clubhouse is really enjoying it at the moment. The dugout is in a good place. I think the guys feel confident and rightfully so."

Wentz, who entered with a 2.29 ERA in four career starts against the Twins, recorded only nine outs while giving up 10 hits and eight runs. Twins outfielder Jordan Luplow, claimed off waivers Friday to help against lefty pitching, had three hits in his first start with his new team.

For the second time in three games, the Twins' opponent required a position player to pitch the final inning.

López had a four-run lead before he took the mound, but he pitched like he didn't need much help. López scattered five singles across seven shutout innings. There was only one baserunner who touched second base against López, and the runner advanced through a wild pitch.

López, who threw 70 of his 96 pitches for strikes (73%) and did not issue a walk as he overpowered Tigers hitters with his curveball and slider. After Baldelli congratulated him on his outing, following the seventh inning, Jeffers offered him a hug.

"He's got so many pitches, so many ways that he can attack guys," Jeffers said. "Every time they come up there, three or four times in the order, he can have a different plan every time."

López has given up five runs over his past four starts (1.80 ERA) while striking out 28 in 25 innings. He is third in the majors with 173 strikeouts.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.