Fielder Homers In 8th To Rally Tigers Past Twins
DETROIT (AP) - Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to break a tie and Delmon Young followed with a solo shot to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 7-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday and a split of the four-game series.
Miguel Cabrera's RBI single for Detroit in the eighth tied it 3-all. The hit scored Austin Jackson, who tripled with one out before pinch hitter Quintin Berry walked.
The damage all came against Alex Burnett (2-1), who relieved starter Scott Diamond to begin the inning after Diamond allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Burnett, who allowed three runs and two hits in 1-3 of an inning, was relieved by Tyler Robertson after Cabrera's tying hit. Fielder then hammered Robertson's 1-0 pitch into the right-field stands for his 13th homer of the season.
Anthony Swarzak replaced Robertson and Young sent a 0-1 pitch over the fence in right center. It was originally called a double but it went to instant replay and was changed to a homer. It was Young's seventh home run.
Octavio Dotel (2-2) got the win in relief, allowing one hit in 1 1-3 innings. Jose Valverde pitched a scoreless ninth for Detroit.
Minnesota, which had 15 hits, took a 1-0 lead in the second on three consecutive singles. Brian Dozier got the RBI single on a bouncer up the middle to give the Twins runners on first and third with one out.
But two consecutive runners were thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Jamey Carroll hit a chopper down the third base line and Cabrera charged the ball, picked it up and made a perfect running throw to catcher Gerald Laird, who tagged out a sliding Darin Mastroianni.
Dozier advanced to second on the play and Denard Span followed with a line single that left fielder Ryan Raburn corralled before throwing out Dozier at the plate.
Laird got the worst of a collision with starter Rick Porcello and first baseman Fielder in the top of the fourth.
With runners on first and second and none out, Carroll attempted a bunt and popped it up foul a few feet from the plate down the third base line. It appeared to be Laird's ball, but both Porcello and Fielder went after it.
Porcello got a glove on the ball, but the 275-pound Fielder, running at full speed, knocked both players to the ground and the ball out of Porcello's glove. Laird lay face down on the ground and had to be checked by Detroit's medical staff. He eventually got to his feet and remained in the game.
Porcello was given an error on the play and Carroll eventually flied out to center.
The Twins extended their lead to 3-0 on an infield RBI single by Span and a run-scoring line single to left by Joe Mauer.
Porcello was lifted after the next batter, Ryan Doumit, drilled a liner off Porcello's body. Porcello couldn't find the ball after it fell to the ground and Doumit was credited with a single.
Rand came out to check Porcello and Tigers manager Jim Leyland pulled him in favor of Darin Downs. Porcello allowed three runs on 12 hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Cabrera's RBI single put Detroit on the board in the fourth.
The Tigers pulled to 3-2 in the fourth on Brennan Boesch's run-scoring double into the left-center gap. It scored Jhonny Peralta, who led off with a single and moved to second on an error.
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 22 minutes. It was the third straight game in the series that began after a rain delay. ... Detroit OF Jackson was 2 for 4 to stretch his hitting streak to 12 games. He is hitting .420 (21 for 50) during the streak. ... The Tigers open a weekend series with Kansas City at Comerica Park on Friday night. Tigers rookie left-hander Drew Smyly (3-3, 4.54 ERA) will face Jonathan Sanchez (1-4. 6.80). ... The Twins open a three-game series at Texas on Friday night. Francisco Liriano (2-7. 5.40) will oppose the Rangers' Martin Perez (1-0, 9.00).
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