beating the Los Angeles Angels in his major league debut

DETROIT -- The Minnesota Twins are finally seeing the Hector Santiago they expected when they acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline.Santiago held the Detroit Tigers to one run in 5 ? innings on Thursday as the Twins earned a split of the four-game series with a 5-1 win.Hector had to dance out of trouble a few times, but he did a nice job, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. If he pitches like this, his spot with us next year will take care of itself.Santiago lost his first four starts with the Twins, posting a 10.89 ERA, but hes 2-0 in the last four with a 1.82 ERA.I made some adjustments when I got here, but I ended up leaving a bunch of pitches over the plate, he said. Now Im back to trying to throw good pitches, not just getting strike one.Santiago only got one ground-ball out and three strikeouts.I had really good command of the fastball, so I was able to keep jamming guys up and in, he said. They kept popping it up, so I kept throwing it.The Tigers can little afford losses in the crowded AL wild-card race. Detroit came into the series with a 10-2 record against Minnesota.This is obviously not what we wanted, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Any time you lose four out of seven, it isnt a good homestand.Mike Pelfrey (4-10) lost in his first major-league appearance since July 31. He started the game with a 60-pitch limit, but only lasted 36, giving up four runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings.The Twins took the lead in the second on Max Keplers RBI single, and he moved to third when Miguel Cabrera missed a pick-off attempt. Eduardo Escobar singled to make it 2-0, and Eddie Rosario beat out a bunt single.Juan Centeno bunted the runners over, and Pelfrey retired Byron Buxton. That brought up Brian Dozier with two on, two out and first base open. Despite his torrid numbers in the second half, Ausmus decided to pitch to him.With the bases loaded, you dont have any room to maneuver, he said. If he grounds out to third, no one is asking me about it.Instead, Dozier lined a soft single to left to give the Twins a 4-0 lead and bring Blaine Hardy out of the bullpen.Our guys were going to attack Mikes fastball, Molitor said of Pelfrey, who spent the last three seasons with the Twins. That helped us get those two early runs, and then Dozier came up with that huge hit to get the lead from two to four.The Tigers had two runners on in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but Santiago escaped all three jams without allowing a run.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: 3B Miguel Sano flew back to Minnesota to have more tests run on his sore back. Sano left Mondays game, and said that the problem hasnt improved. He will miss the weekend series against the Mets, but could return next week when the Twins return home.OLYMPIC WEEK CONCLUDESFor the fourth day in a row, the Tigers had a Rio Olympic medalist throw out the ceremonial first pitch. On Thursday, it was swimmer Connor Jaeger, who won silver in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Jaeger swam for Michigan.PITCHING WOESWith the Tigers fighting for a playoff spot, they have been badly let down by their starting pitching. In the last three games of the Twins series, Pelfrey, Anibal Sanchez and Matt Boyd combined to allow 17 runs in 9 1/3 innings.UP NEXTTwins: Travel to New York for a three-game weekend series against the Mets. Friday night, Minnesotas Jose Berrios (2-6. 9.27) faces New Yorks Bartolo Colon (13-7, 3.27).Tigers: Head to Cleveland for a three-game series and their last chance to get back into the AL Central race. Rookie of the Year favorite Michael Fulmer (10-6, 2.76) goes up against Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber (16-9, 3.05) in the opener. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon thought Jorge Soler might get a jolt out of returning to the majors after spending two months recovering from a nagging hamstring injury, including a two-week stint in the minors.Boy, was Maddon right.Soler hit a three-run home run in his first at-bat after being activated off the disabled list, Jon Lester pitched seven strong innings, and Chicago beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Friday night.Sometimes a guy just needs to show up and then he gets the adrenaline going on, and that was a big hit, Maddon said. I didnt think it was high enough to go out. It was out so quickly.Dexter Fowler also homered while Javier Baez added a two-run double to help Chicago win its fifth straight. The Cubs also improved to a major league-best 67-41.Lester (12-4) pitched for the As over the final two months of the 2014 season after getting traded from Boston. He returned to the Coliseum for the first time since then and faced a distinctly different Oakland team than the one he left.Any time youve been on the home side and come back as a visitor its different, said Lester, who had eight strikeouts, and allowed two runs on nine hits.I enjoyed pitching here. I wish it turned out a little different but I was with a good team and great fans. Its unbelievable to come here as a home player as opposed to a visitor.Soler, out since June 6 with a hamstring injury, celebrated his return to the majors with his home run in the first inning off As starter Dillon Overton (1-3).That capped a four-run burst by the Cubs that included Fowlers fifth game-opening home run this season.Soler also reached on a fielders choice and scored on Baezs double in the third. Jason Heyward added an RBI single in the inning to help extend Chicagos lead to 7-0.dddddddddddd wasnt feeling any pressure, I just wanted to put a good swing on the ball, Soler said through an interpreter. I was a little bit frustrated being out at least two months but I just wanted to keep the positive attitude and come here and try to do my best.Brett Eibner, called up from the minors earlier in the day, homered against Lester leading off the sixth for Oakland. Marcus Semien added an RBI single.ROOKIE ROUGHED UPOverton allowed seven runs in three innings but suffered his third consecutive loss. The rookie left-hander is winless since beating the Los Angeles Angels in his major league debut June 25. Believe it or not I was actually hitting my spots better tonight, Overton said. They were just hitting everything I threw. Youre going to have days like that You just have to work with it and keep grounded.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: Maddon said the plan is to ease Soler back in and get him some defensive work in the outfield before the team faces another NL team on Aug. 11. ... RHP Joe Nathan was designated for assignment. The 41-year-old was 1-0 in three appearances with the Chicago.Athletics: Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a bunion on his left foot. ... RHP Jesse Hahn also went on the DL with a strained right shoulder. ... RHP Andrew Triggs was called back up from Triple-A Nashville along with Eibner.UP NEXTCubs: RHP Jake Arrieta (12-5) pitches the middle game of the series at the Coliseum. The Chicago ace has lost three straight decisions.Athetics: RHP Sonny Gray (5-10) has won only twice in 11 starts since coming off the disabled list. Gray has a 5.57 ERA over that span. ' ' '