After long rain delay, Twins' misery continues with loss to Tigers
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Tigers finally gave up a run Thursday.
They haven't done much else wrong.
Shane Greene allowed one run -- the first the Tigers had given up this season -- in eight innings as Detroit remained undefeated with a 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
During the game, the Tigers (3-0) set a modern-day American League record by extending their season-opening shutout streak to 24 innings. According to STATS, the previous longest streak by an American League team was 22 innings by the 1947 Chicago White Sox.
The Twins finally scored for the first time this season with one out in the seventh. Joe Mauer drew a walk off Greene, then came home when Kennys Vargas hit a single that was misplayed for an error by left fielder Yoenis Cespedes.
"The guys were joking around that at least we had one," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "We were down 22-0 for the season at that point, and you have to start somewhere."
In a game delayed 3 hours and 36 minutes by rain, Greene (1-0) allowed the lone run on four hits and a walk, striking out five. The Tigers still have not allowed an earned run this season.
"It actually turned out to be great weather for baseball, especially at this time of year," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We know Shane has very good stuff, and when he keeps it down like today, he's outstanding."
Kyle Gibson (0-1) allowed six runs on eight hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.
"I thought I executed a lot of pitches today, but I walked so many guys that I didn't give myself a chance," he said. "You can't overcome bad luck when you are giving them free baserunners."
After the Twins went down in order in the first, Gibson ran into immediate trouble in the home half.
Anthony Gose led off with a bloop double. After Ian Kinsler walked, Gibson retired Miguel Cabrera, but walked Victor Martinez to load the bases. J.D. Martinez and Cespedes followed with RBI singles to make it 2-0.
"That inning pretty much continued the first two games of the season," Molitor said.
Minnesota didn't score in the second inning, giving them a 20-inning scoreless streak to start the season and breaking the franchise record set by the 1940 Washington Senators.
The Tigers added a third run in the second and three more in the fourth, including two on a long homer by J.D. Martinez.
Meanwhile, Greene didn't allow his first three-ball count until the sixth inning, and the Twins didn't get a runner to third until Mauer scored.
"I still had some nerves at 1 (p.m.), but by the time the game finally started, I was fine," Greene said. "It was like watching paint dry, but we got it in, and now I can keep building off this."
