Tigers Rally Past Twins 4-2, Pull Within 1 Of Wild Card
NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera and Ian Kinsler homered, and the Detroit Tigers scored two runs in the seventh inning on close plays at the plate, rallying for a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.
Andrew Romine slid in safely with the tying run on a double by Jose Iglesias, and Iglesias scored on Kinsler's sacrifice fly to put the Tigers ahead 3-2. Cabrera's homer in the eighth gave Detroit an insurance run, and the Tigers pulled within a game of Baltimore for the American League's second wild card.
Shane Greene (4-4) got the win in relief, and Bruce Rondon worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth. Francisco Rodriguez walked two in the ninth but held on for his 41st save in 45 chances.
Brian Dozier hit his 40th homer, and Kurt Suzuki also went deep for the Twins.
Alex Wimmers (1-2) took the loss.
Daniel Norris struck out a career-high 11 in 6 1/3 innings for the Tigers, but solo homers by Dozier and Suzuki gave the Twins a 2-1 lead.
Romine walked with one out in the seventh and barely made it home when Iglesias hit a double to the corner in left field. Romine slid in feet first, right as the relay was arriving. He was called safe, and the run stood after a review.
Iglesias advanced to third on that play at the plate. When Kinsler flied out to center, Iglesias came diving in just ahead of Byron Buxton's throw home.
Kinsler led off the bottom of the first with his 26th homer of the season. Cabrera's home run was his 32nd.
Ervin Santana allowed one run and three hits in five innings for the Twins.
Norris allowed two runs and five hits.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: 3B Miguel Sano left the game in the seventh with lower back tightness.
Tigers: LF Justin Upton came out at the beginning of the fourth with a left calf strain.
UP NEXT
Twins: Minnesota sends RHP Kyle Gibson (5-9) to the mound Tuesday night in the second game of this four-game series.
Tigers: LHP Matt Boyd (5-3) starts for Detroit. He won his previous two starts against Minnesota this season.
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