Tigers Blow 8-0 Lead, But Get Late Homers To Beat Twins, 10-8
DAVE HOGG
Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Nick Castellanos hit a tie-breaking homer in the seventh inning as the Detroit Tigers avoided a humiliating loss Monday night, beating the Minnesota Twins 10-8.
The Tigers led 8-0 after one inning with AL ERA leader Jordan Zimmermann on the mound, only to see the Twins come back to tie the game in the seventh. Detroit manager Brad Ausmus was ejected in the middle of the rally for arguing a called third strike. During the argument, he took off his sweatshirt and used it to cover up the plate.
Castellanos homered off Pat Dean (0-1) in the bottom of the seventh to put Detroit back in front. Dean had entered the game in the first inning and threw 90 pitches in 5 1/3 innings.
J.D. Martinez, whose dropped fly ball allowed the tying run to score in the seventh, homered in the eighth to give the Tigers a two-run lead.
Zimmermann (6-2) had only allowed eight earned runs in his seven starts this season, but gave up seven more, plus an unearned run, on 11 hits in seven innings. He struck out nine without walking a batter. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 10th save.
Ian Kinsler gave the Tigers a lead on the first pitch of the first, driving it into the left-field stands for Detroit's first leadoff homer of the season. The next two hitters walked, and Castellanos made it 2-0 with an RBI single.
Twins starter Jose Berrios continued to struggle to find the plate, walking Cameron Maybin to load the bases and Jarrod Saltalamacchia to give the Tigers a three-run lead. Jose Iglesias followed with a three-run double to make it 6-0 and end Berrios' night after nine batters.
Kinsler greeted Dean with an RBI double, and Martinez made it 8-0 with another double. It was Detroit's biggest first inning since they scored 10 at Kansas City on Sept. 23, 2006.
Kurt Suzuki homered in the second to pull the Twins within six, and Miguel Sano's home run cut the margin to 8-3 in the third. Trevor Plouffe added another run for the Twins when he stole third and scored on Saltalamacchia's throwing error in the fourth.
Things kept going right for the Twins in the inning, including a slow hopper up the middle that hit second base and two more infield singles. By the time Zimmerman struck out Byung Ho Park to end the inning, Minnesota was within 8-7.
Ausmus was ejected in the fourth after Castellanos struck out.
Zimmermann kept the one-run lead until the seventh, when Martinez dropped a routine fly ball in right, allowing Park to score the tying run.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson (shoulder) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Monday, and is expected to face hitters on Thursday before a possible rehab assignment.
Tigers: RHP Shane Greene (blister) is expected to throw on Tuesday or Wednesday. Ausmus said that if he gets through that without further trouble, he will be prepared to report for a minor-league rehab assignment.
MOMENTS OF SILENCE: The Tigers held a moment of silence before the game to honor two former players, both of whom passed away during Detroit's road trip. Dick McAuliffe played for the Tigers from 1960-73, playing in three All-Star Games. McAuliffe was the starting second baseman fir
John Young played two games in 1971, but went on to found the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program. One of its graduates, Justin Upton, is now Detroit's starting left fielder.
ROSTER MOVE: As expected, the Tigers activated CF Cameron Maybin from the disabled list before the game. He fills the roster spot left open when Detroit optioned Anthony Gose to Triple-A Toledo after Sunday's win in Baltimore. Maybin had been sidelined since spring training with wrist and shoulder injuries.
UP NEXT: The teams continue a three-game series with Phil Hughes (1-6. 6.44) facing former teammate Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 5.80). Hughes is 8-9 with a 4.63 ERA in 20 career outings against Detroit, while Pelfrey is 1-0 in his career against the Twins, but with a 6.30 ERA in two starts
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