Miggy swats pair as Tigers outslug Twins in wild finale
MINNEAPOLIS -- In a wild game that saw six combined homers, including an inside-the-parker, Andrew Romine connected on a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, keyed by a missed popup on the infield, to lead the Tigers to a 10-7 win over the Twins on Wednesday afternoon at Target Field.
With the game tied at 7 in the eighth, Yoenis Cespedes hit a high pop fly for what looked like an easy second out, but it dropped and hit off the base of the mound and was ruled an infield single off reliever Casey Fien. It came back to haunt the Twins, as James McCann singled with two outs to set up Romine for his game-winning RBI single to left. Fien came back out for the ninth, and gave up a two-run blast to Miguel Cabrera to give the Tigers insurance runs.
Video: DET@MIN: Miggy launches two homers, drives in four
Twins right-hander Phil Hughes went five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, but departed with a mild left hip flexor strain after just 71 pitches. He gave up runs on an RBI double to Cabrera in the fourth and RBI doubles by Nick Castellanos and McCann in the fifth. Hughes left with a four-run lead, but reliever Tim Stauffer served up solo shots to Cabrera and J.D. Martinez before Aaron Thompson gave up a game-tying, two-run, inside-the-park homer to McCann.
Video: DET@MIN: McCann's inside-the-park home run ties game
"It's unfortunate," said Hughes, who is hopeful he won't miss his next start. "It felt like I had good stuff early and thought it would be a good day. Unfortunately this thing pops up. We scored a lot of runs but we couldn't hold it for them. So a difficult day all around."
Hughes outpitched Tigers right-hander Shane Greene, who lasted just 4 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits while striking out eight. Joe Mauer had an RBI single in the fourth and an RBI double in the fifth, while Oswaldo Arcia crushed a two-run blast in the fourth and Trevor Plouffe smacked a three-run homer in the fifth. It was the second straight shaky outing for Greene, who gave up eight runs in four innings against the Indians in his previous start.
Video: DET@MIN: Greene strikes out eight over 4 1/3 innings
"Usually with Shane if the ball gets up in the zone he gets hit, and I think that was the case today, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "It's that middle area from the thigh to the belt with him - he's got to stay below that with his sinker and his changeup and his two breaking balls."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Plouffe's blast caps big fifth: With the game tied at 3, Danny Santana and Brian Dozier reached on back-to-back bunt singles before Mauer connected on an RBI single to center. It the stage for a three-run shot from Plouffe to give the Twins a four-run lead and knock Greene from the game.
Video: DET@MIN: Plouffe goes yard for three runs
Feast or famine: Between the fourth inning Tuesday and the third inning Wednesday, Twins pitchers retired 24 straight batters. Romine broke the streak with an infield single, and the next trip through the order, the Tigers went 6-for-9 with five doubles.
Arcia atones with a homer: After misplaying a double off the wall from Cabrera in the fourth that allowed a run to score, Arcia made up for it with a two-run blast to right in the bottom of the inning. The homer, estimated at 416 feet, scored Mauer after he doubled home Dozier.
Video: DET@MIN: Arcia's towering two-run home run
QUOTABLE
"I know people joke about being tired after running all the way around, but it doesn't matter who you are, you're tired. That's a long way to run and you're hauling butt." -- Romine, on McCann's inside-the-park home run
"It's one of those games where you can put it in the category where I don't really feel like we got beat." -- Twins manager Paul Molitor
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Cabrera's first home run was projected by Statcast to have traveled 465 feet, shy of being the longest home run at Target Field. Jim Thome blasted one an estimated 490 feet in 2011. More >
Joakim Soria's nine saves in April are the most by a Tigers pitcher in April in franchise history.
Video: DET@MIN: Soria fans Plouffe to close out Tigers' win
REPLAY REVIEW
With the Tigers threatening with two runners on and one out in the fifth, Romine tried to steal third base and was originally ruled safe by third-base umpire Dan Bellino. But Molitor issued a challenge on the play, and the call on the field was overturned. Ian Kinsler promptly grounded out to second to end the inning and the potential rally for Detroit.
Video: DET@MIN: Safe call overturned after challenge in 5th
WHAT'S NEXT
Tigers: The Tigers visit the Royals on Thursday at 8:10 p.m. ET with a chance to get an early jump on the race for the division title. It'll be Detroit's first look at the defending AL champions, against whom the Tigers went 13-6 last year. Right-hander Alfredo Simon takes his 4-0 record into Kauffman Stadium against Kansas City lefty Danny Duffy.
Twins: The Twins remain home at Target Field and begin a four-game series with the White Sox on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. CT. Right-hander Trevor May, who left his last start after being hit near his throwing elbow on a comebacker, has been cleared by the medical staff. He'll oppose White Sox ace Chris Sale.
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