Perkins was able to strike out JD Martinez to keep the game tied. Instead, Davis’ inspired 14-pitch at-bat against Twins pitcher Casey Fien was the spark the Tigers needed when trailing 4-1 in the seventh.
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Glen Perkins crouched in front of the mound with his head down, trying to come to terms with a home run that put a bit of a dent in Minnesota’s playoff chances.
“That was beyond disappointing”, Perkins said after the Tigers held on to beat his Minnesota Twins.
Matt Boyd (1-5, 7.40 ERA) and the Detroit Tigers (71-81) meet Mike Pelfrey (6-10, 4.16 ERA) and the Minnesota Twins (78-74) in the first of a three-game division series at Comerica Park. The bullpen melted down, but the offense had just two hits.
“With the infield in, even though it didn’t take Kinsler back very far, it’s still a play where he was moving away from the infield”, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “We had it set up fairly well heading into the last nine outs of the game”. We aren’t just going to roll over and go home. “The whole second half of the season has been torture for me, because I know that if I pitch the way I’m capable of pitching, we’ve either clinched a playoff spot or we’re in a much better position”.
And yes, I only came up with Two Up for the Three Up section.
“It’s beyond frustrating”, Perkins said. “I’m at a loss for words”. In the second half of the season the southpaw has struggled to get anybody out. “It’s proving to be pretty valuable for him right now”. Two of the four runs were unearned.NOTES: Minnesota re-instated RHP Ricky Nolasco (right ankle surgery) off the 60-day disabled list, replacing him on the disabled list with LHP Logan Darnell, who has pneumonia. The Tigers’ designated hitter is now 7 for 19 (.368) with five runs batted in against Perkins. “He couldn’t find the plate on Cabrera”.
“I feel like the more pitches I see, the more advantage I have, being able to see the release point, able to pick it up faster. It’s just a hard one to swallow”.
The Rosario Show began in the second inning when J.D. Martinez tried to move from first to third on Nick Castellanos’ single to left. Facing the right-handed Davis with a base open, Molitor said he “still liked the matchup” against the Tigers’ No. 9 hitter and opted not to pitch around him to face lefty-swinging Anthony Gose.
In 17.1 innings pitched he’s given up 15 runs and seven home runs.
Victor Martinez: So, the Twins opted to kinda intentionally walk Cabrera.
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The Twins got the scoring started in the fifth inning when Eddie Rosario hit what appeared to be a Home Run. Duffey has won back to back contests with a run scored on ten hits and three BB in 13.1 frames. Hunter grounded to Castellanos at third, but he tried to underhand a throw to second and forced Ian Kinsler to jump for the ball while Plouffe slid in safely. He became the first rookie to have 15 triples in a season since Ray Lankford of St. Louis in 1991.
