DETROIT — When Jordan Zimmermann started walking people in a rare display of wildness, the Minnesota Twins were ready to capitalize.

Max Kepler, Miguel Sano and Robbie Grossman all homered for Minnesota, and the Twins routed the Detroit Tigers 11-5 on Thursday. Zimmermann allowed a career-high five walks, all in the fourth and fifth innings, and that was when Minnesota’s offense began to break the game open.

“He’s not a guy that you typically think you can take advantage of in that way, which made it even better,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “He wasn’t missing by much, but we were able to stay patient with a lot of tough pitches. That’s something we’ve been good at all season.”

Zimmermann (1-1) allowed five runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Anibal Sanchez was even worse for the Tigers in relief, allowing six runs in 1 1/3 innings and letting two of Zimmermann’s runners score on Kepler’s three-run homer in the fifth.

Grossman hit a two-run shot in the third, and Sano connected for a three-run homer in the sixth.

Phil Hughes (2-0) allowed four runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Rookie Justin Haley worked the final 3 1/3 innings to earn his first career save, striking out six.

The Twins avoided a three-game sweep at Detroit and pulled even with the Tigers atop the AL Central.