Cabrera Homers, Tigers Beat Twins 4-2
By NOAH TRISTER/AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) - Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez homered, Max Scherzer made it through six tough innings and the Detroit Tigers moved closer to another AL Central title with a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
The Tigers, who have already clinched a postseason berth, can wrap up a fourth straight division championship as early as Friday. Martinez hit a two-run homer in the first, and Cabrera added a solo shot in the fourth.
Scherzer (18-5) allowed two runs and five hits. Joakim Soria pitched the seventh, Joba Chamberlain handled the eighth and Joe Nathan finished for his 34th save in 41 chances. The Detroit bullpen retired all nine hitters.
Minnesota's Trevor May (3-6) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
The Tigers came into the night with a two-game advantage over second-place Kansas City, and Martinez gave Detroit an early lead with his 32nd homer of the year. Cabrera's 24th made it 3-0, but the Twins made Scherzer work. After escaping trouble in the second and fourth, the right-hander allowed a two-run double to Joe Mauer in the fifth.
Scherzer struck out nine and walked four while throwing 116 pitches, but Detroit's much-maligned bullpen held on rather easily. Nathan struck out two in the ninth.
Minnesota has given the Tigers problems of late, splitting a four-game set in late August and taking two of three from Detroit earlier this month. The Twins scored 60 runs in those seven games, but they were quiet offensively Thursday.
Rajai Davis doubled home an insurance run for Detroit in the seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Minnesota does not expect 3B Trevor Plouffe to need surgery after he broke his left forearm Wednesday, but he's seeking a second opinion just to be sure.
Tigers: Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez was up in the bullpen briefly, but he didn't come into the game. Sanchez hasn't pitched since being activated Tuesday from the disabled list. He was on the DL with a pectoral strain.
UP NEXT
The Tigers send Rick Porcello (15-12) to the mound Friday against Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak (3-2) on a night Detroit hopes will turn celebratory. The Tigers have not clinched a division title at home since 1987.
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