Kinsler Homers, Price Pitches Tigers To 4-2 Win Over Twins
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI/AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Ian Kinsler had a leadoff homer, a double and three RBIs to back David Price's eight innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Thursday night.
Price (9-2) struck out eight in his final start before going to the All-Star Game. He allowed five hits and two unearned runs.
Yoenis Cespedes added two hits and an RBI for the Tigers. Joakim Soria earned his 20th save in 22 chances.
Mike Pelfrey (5-6) gave up four runs and eight hits in 7 2-3 innings for Minnesota. Torii Hunter had a base hit and an RBI, but the Twins had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Kinsler hit the second pitch of the game into the left-field seats, his 32nd career leadoff homer.
It was an ominous start for Pelfrey after he struggled mightily in his previous two outings. But the big right-hander settled in after that against a lineup that has continued to pile up the runs even while slugger Miguel Cabrera has been on the disabled list.
The Tigers scored 7.2 runs per game in the first five since Cabrera strained his calf, but they had to scratch and claw for everything they got against Pelfrey.
Anthony Gose scored on a fielder's choice to tie the game 2-all in the sixth, and Pelfrey couldn't quite finish off a strong outing. Kinsler and Cespedes had RBI doubles in the eighth inning, and Price slammed the door on the Twins.
The left-hander was sharp as usual, and the Twins needed an error from third baseman Nick Castellanos and another ball to glance off his glove in the fifth to help them score their two unearned runs.
Price struck out heavy-hitting Twins rookie Miguel Sano three times and retired the final 10 hitters he faced before giving way to Soria.
Sano went hitless in four at-bats, the first time in his eight-game career in the big leagues that he has not had a hit.
Gose had two hits, including a double, for the Tigers.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco will have surgery on Monday to try to correct a chronic issue in his right ankle. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will send RHP Justin Verlander (0-2, 6.75 ERA) to the mound to face Twins RHP Ervin Santana (0-0, 2.25). Verlander was tagged for seven runs in five innings against the Blue Jays in his last start. Santana will be making his second start since returning from an 80-game suspension for taking a banned substance.
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