The utility man came into the series riding a powerful hot streak, having hit three home runs in his previous four games, but was drastically cooled by the Detroit pitchers. In picking up the win in Tuesday’s 5-1 victory, Hill lasted seven frames, allowing just four hits and no walks while fanning eight. That will be too much for the Twins to deal with.
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Pelfrey is 0-4 with a 5.68 ERA in five starts.
“MINNEAPOLIS “ Brad Ausmus was asked before Friday night”s game what exactly would constitute a successful major league debut from right-hander Michael Fulmer.
The Tigers hung around with small ball: Castellanos sacrificed Victor Martinez home in the second inning and Jose Iglesias singled on a slow grounder off Nolasco’s glove to drive in a run in the fifth inning.
Kyle Ryan escaped a fifth-inning bases-loaded jam with minimal damage, Alex Wilson provided some length with 1 2/3 innings, Mark Lowe pitched an efficient, clean seventh inning, Justin Wilson racked up his 12th consecutive scoreless inning and Francisco Rodriguez picked up another save to preserve the 6-5 lead in the ninth.
In the first inning, the Twins scored twice on three singles and a walk. It was Cabrera’s sixth career home run off the Minnesota right-hander, his most off any pitcher. “But he settled in pretty good and I thought he pitched aggressively”.
Right-hander Jesse Hahn could be looking like a much more viable option, even with a minor blister problem, to join Manaea after Bassitt gave up 13 runs in two starts on a road trip that began with four straight victories, including a sweep of the New York Yankees.
After that, each time the Twins threatened, Zimmermann had an answer. But Detroit has not scored a single run while Pelfrey is in the game, being shut out in all 22 innings he has appeared in.
Duffey said he was anxious about Murphy’s safety if Upton hadn’t connected in the first inning.
Bassitt threw 94 pitches in 3 2/3 innings on Thursday.
It’s wonderful what a little hitting can do. “He called curveball and I threw a fastball”.
“That loss is on me because if I make that pitch I think we win that game”, Nolasco said.
Detroit will also seek its first three-game sweep in Minnesota since May 25-27, 2012. Plouffe (intercostal strain) has been on the 15-day disabled list since April 19. Barring any setbacks, he is expected to join the Twins in Houston on Tuesday. The group has seemed to benefit from more clearly defined roles compared to last season and there is no obvious spot for Pelfrey to occupy. Despite his limited Triple-A time, Fulmer has the upside to get off to a fast start and upgrade Detroit’s rotation, though it bears watching how he will hold up later in the season and how the Tigers will handle his workload at that point given his history.
For the second straight start, Hughes (1-4) struggled to get the first three outs for Minnesota, including a free pass to leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler, just the fifth walk issued by Hughes in five starts.
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Already 10 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central, the question now is whether these mistakes – and the pressure in trying to correct them – have put the Twins behind the eight-ball in what was supposed to be a promising summer in the Twin Cities.
