Escobar Homers, Drives In 3 To Lead Twins Over Tigers, 6-2

DETROIT (AP) — Eduardo Escobar homered and drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins kept pace in the AL wild-card race with a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers Saturday night.

The Twins blew a late lead Friday and, with Houston winning Saturday, remained 1 1/2 games short of the second wild-card spot.

Tigers general manager Al Avila announced before the game that Brad Ausmus will return as the team's manager in 2016. Ausmus' future had been considered in doubt with the four-time defending AL Central champion Tigers falling into the division basement.

Rookie Tyler Duffey (5-1) allowed two runs on eight hits and one walk in six innings.

Detroit's Alfredo Simon (13-11) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk in eight innings.

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead when Brian Dozier led off with a double, took third on Joe Mauer's single and scored on Dixon Machado's fielding error.

The Twins doubled the lead in the third on Escobar's triple and Dozier's sacrifice fly, but the Tigers tied it in the fourth.

Miguel Cabrera led off with a single and moved to third on J.D. Martinez's one-out double. Nick Castellanos made it 2-1 with an RBI double, and James McCann singled to bring Martinez home. The Tigers still had runners on the corners with one out, but Duffey escaped the inning.

Minnesota went back in front in the seventh on a rally started when former Tiger Torii Hunter walked with one out. Aaron Hicks and Kurt Suzuki followed with singles, the latter bringing home Hunter. Hicks stole third to put runners on the corners, and Escobar beat out a 3-6-3 double-play attempt, allowing Hicks to score Minnesota's fourth run.

The Twins added two insurance runs in the ninth on Escobar's 12th homer.

HEADS UP

For the second time in as many nights, a fan had to be helped by paramedics after being hit by a foul ball. This time, it appeared to be a male who was hit by a Castellanos liner over the end of the Tigers dugout. After lengthy treatment at his seat, he was able to walk up to the concourse under his own power.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: Trevor May, who hadn't pitched since Sept. 19 due to a back problem, came in for the eighth inning. During May's absence, Twins manager Paul Molitor was forced to use Glen Perkins, who is also bothered by back problems, in the late innings with poor results.

Tigers: Ausmus said he does not expect SS Jose Iglesias (broken finger) to play again this season. Iglesias, a first-time All-Star this year who hasn't played since the injury on Sept. 3, would finish the season with a .300 batting average.

UP NEXT

The teams finish their three-game series Sunday in Detroit's last home game of the season. Minnesota's Ervin Santana (6-4, 4.31) is scheduled to face Randy Wolf (0-4, 5.91). The 39-year-old Wolf, who is making his seventh start for the Tigers, has just one win in 10 starts since 2012.

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