The Detroit Tigers have leveled off since a five-game winning streak in late August, playing.500 ball over their last 16 games to slow their charge for a playoff berth. 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.
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That’s why it was surprising when everything blew up in his face against the Minnesota Twins. Cabrera hit into an inning-ending double play in the seventh.
The pitch thrown by the middle distance runner looked to land outside the strike zone but it got an OK from the Tigers’ Twitter account.
Tyler Duffey took another beating – giving up six runs in 3 2/3 innings – but escaped with a no-decision as the Twins lost to the Tigers on Wednesday.
Minnesota Twins’ Max Kepler singles against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016. That didn’t stop the Tigers from circling the bases though.
Byron Buxtons RBI single made it 5-1 in the ninth, and Brandon Kintzler finished Detroit off in the bottom of the inning. The former first-round pick is 1-0 with a 5.28 ERA in his career against the Twins, with whom he went 11-27 from 2013-15.WALK-OFFS1.
DETROIT – Say this for old friend Mike Pelfrey: He’s nothing if not predictable.
Mike Pelfrey gave up four runs Thursday while getting only five outs in a 5-1 loss.
Brian Dozier didn’t homer a night after hitting No. 41, but his two-run single with two down ended Pelfrey’s day after just 36 pitches and gave lefty Hector Santiago (12-8) all the cushion he would need. Fellow rookie Alex Wimmers came on to get the next six outs. Eduardo Escobar singled to make it 2-0, and Eddie Rosario beat out a bunt single. It was the first time he’s pitched in a major-league game since July 31. He has yielded at least four runs in seven of his last nine outings and surrendered nine home runs in his last eight turns.
Signed through next season at $8 million a year, Pelfrey has allowed 11 earned runs in 11 innings (9.00 ERA) against the Twins this year.
The Tigers split the four-game series with the last-place Twins.
The Minnesota Twins are finally seeing the Hector Santiago they expected when they acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline.
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The Tigers lost two of three games to the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles before splitting the four-game series against the Twins. Detroit (78-68) opens a crucial three-game series in Cleveland on Friday.
