MINNEAPOLIS -- Making his major league debut on Friday, Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer got two presents from his new teammates.

One came early in the form of three first-inning runs. The second came afterward, when he got a celebratory beer shower.

Fulmer pitched five innings and got plenty of help offensively as the Tigers won 9-2 over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

"I'd say a 3-0 head start before I even take the mound is a little bit of a confidence booster on its own," Fulmer said. "Just go out and pound the zone and not be afraid to give up hits and let the defense work."

Detroit got at least one hit from every man in the lineup and pounded out 18 in all, getting Fulmer his first win in his first start. Victor Martinez led the way with four hits, finishing a triple short of the cycle. Nick Castellanos and Justin Upton each had three hits and Castellanos knocked in three runs.

"Fulmer did a nice job in his first start, the bullpen did an excellent job, we hit, we ran the bases," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "All around, it was a good day for the Detroit Tigers."

Acquired from New York last season in the trade that sent Yoenis Cespedes to the Mets, Fulmer is one of Detroit's top prospects and sat in the mid-90s with his fastball even touching 97 mph on occasion. He left after five innings having given up two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four, throwing 93 pitches.

"He got a little tired at the end, started to miss his spots and they were starting to hit some balls hard," Ausmus said. "But he did his job. He did exactly what we wanted him to do."

Twins right-hander Phil Hughes took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits and a pair of walks in five innings.

"Command was all over the place, I couldn't really repeat my delivery or hit a spot," Hughes said. "Before I knew it, it's three runs and we're trying to climb out of a hole. Not the way you want to start a game and not the way you want to start a series."

Minnesota was within 4-2 as late as the eighth inning, but allowed solo homers to Victor Martinez and Castellanos then three-straight singles to the bottom third of the order as the Tigers jumped out to a 7-2 lead with three runs in the eighth.

Detroit tacked on two more in the ninth on RBI singles by Castellanos and Bobby Wilson.

Eduardo Escobar and Miguel Sano each had RBI hits for the Twins, who have lost back-to-back games.

Detroit led 1-0 two batters into the game following a leadoff walk by Ian Kinsler and a loud double off the center-field fence by J.D. Martinez.

Two batters later, Victor Martinez singled to right, scoring another run and Upton singled sharply to right, putting runners on the corners with one out. Castellanos' sac-fly to right field was just deep enough to score Victor Martinez from third for a 3-0 lead.

"Uncharacteristically, he walked the leadoff man and it bode particularly well after that," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "They're a team that attacks and he's a strike-thrower. They just didn't back off."

The Twins put together three consecutive two-out singles in the third inning, scoring a run on an RBI hit by Escobar, but the Tigers got it back in the next half inning on a solo home run by Miguel Cabrera.

Miguel Sano's run-scoring double in the bottom of the inning got the Twins back within two runs at 4-2.

"We tried to make a game out of it," Molitor said. "But once the flood gates opened, it got pretty ugly there."

NOTES: RHP Michael Fulmer was recalled before the game from Triple-A Toledo. ... Tigers RHP Shane Greene was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand. Greene's placement on the DL is retroactive to April 25. ... Twins LHP Tommy Milone was taken out of the starting rotation and moved into long relief. He will be replaced in the rotation by RHP Alex Meyer, who will make his first major league start on Tuesday. ... Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe left for a rehabilitation assignment to Class A Fort Myers this weekend. Plouffe (intercostal strain) has been on the 15-day disabled list since April 19. ... The Tigers and Twins will continue their three-game series on Saturday afternoon at Target Field. Detroit RHP Jordan Zimmermann (4-0, 0.35 ERA) will go against Minnesota RHP Tyler Duffey (0-0, 2.25).