Brooks Lee blasted a grand slam in a six-run third inning and Byron Buxton added a solo homer Sunday afternoon to help Minnesota beat the visiting Detroit Tigers 8-1 and snap the Twins’ three-game losing streak.

Minnesota starter Thomas Hatch (2-0) struck out four and allowed one run on three hits over five innings. Hatch and four Twins relievers combined to pitch a shutout over the final six innings.

The Tigers were denied a rare four-game sweep of the Twins on the road, a feat that the franchise has never achieved in Minnesota. It would have been Detroit’s first four-game sweep of the franchise on the road since June 11-13, 1948, at the then-Washington Senators’ Griffith Stadium.

It was the second straight time that the Twins pounded former teammate Chris Paddack (4-11), who was obtained by Detroit on July 28. The Tigers starter gave up four runs on six hits in his first meeting on Aug. 5 and eight runs on nine hits on Sunday.

The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Royce Lewis hit a 376-foot homer to left field.

Colt Keith tied the game in the third when he scored from second off Kerry Carpenter’s single to right field.

Minnesota broke the game open in the third inning with six runs off Paddack. Buxton started it off with his solo shot that reached the second deck. Buxton, who was 1-for-13 in the first three games of the series, was 3-for-5 with two runs scored on Sunday.

After Trevor Larnach scored off Kody Clemens’ grounder and the Twins loaded the bases, Lee launched his first-career grand slam to right field, scoring Luke Keaschall, Ryan Jeffers and Lewis and giving Minnesota a 7-1 cushion.

Buxton added another run in the fourth on after Keaschall grounded into a fielder’s choice.

–Field Level Media