DETROIT (AP) _ Dean Palmer's single scored the winning run in the 11th inning as the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5 Saturday night.

Brad Ausmus, whose two-run double highlighted a three-run eighth that tied the game 5-all, singled off LaTroy Hawkins (2-5) to lead off the 11th. Jose Macias then bunted in front of the plate, and Hawkins' throwing error left runners on second and third.

Wendell Magee lofted a fly to medium right. Right fielder John Barnes made the catch and threw home in time to get Ausmus, who collided hard with catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

But after an intentional walk to Bobby Higginson, Palmer singled down the left field line to end it.

AL saves leader Todd Jones (1-4) got the win with three scoreless innings.

Luis Rivas scored after each of his three hits and U.S. Olympic hero Doug Mientkiewicz was 2-for-5 with two RBIs for the Twins, who hurt themselves with three errors.

The Tigers trailed 5-2 with two outs in the eighth when a short fly ball from Deivi Cruz off Bob Wells fell between shortstop Cristian Guzman and center fielder Torii Hunter. Robert Fick followed with a single, and Damion Easley hit an infield single to deep short that scored Cruz when Guzman threw the ball away for an error.

Ausmus broke an 0-for-15 slump with a two-run double to the right field gap. Eddie Guardado came in and got Jose Macias to pop out.

Twins starter Matt Kinney pitched six solid innings and left with a 5-2 lead. He gave up two runs and six hits with six strikeouts.

Steve Sparks allowed five runs on 11 hits in six-plus innings.

Three straight hits, including Fick's RBI single, gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the second.

Rivas just beat out a two-out infield single in the third and scored on Guzman's double off the left field wall.

Billy McMillon's sacrifice fly put Detroit up 2-1 in the home half after Hal Morris doubled and moved up on Palmer's infield single.

The Twins took a 4-2 lead with a five-hit fifth. Rivas and Matt LeCroy sandwiched run-scoring singles around a sacrifice fly from Mientkiewicz.

Rivas doubled in the seventh and scored Mientkiewicz's grounder to make it 5-2 in the seventh.

Notes: Mientkiewicz, who batted .414 for the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic team, is 4-for-9 with two RBIs in two games since he was recalled following his return from Sydney. Mientkiewicz and Olympics teammate Shane Heams, a Tigers minor league pitcher, were honored before the game. ... Tigers LF Bobby Higginson got his major league-leading 19th outfield assist in the sixth when he threw out Barnes trying to score from second on Pierzynski's single. Higginson also doubled for his 176th hit, a career high.