Twins topple sloppy Tigers, 7-1, in series opener
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Manager Brad Ausmus was matter-of-fact about the Detroit Tigers' early struggles Monday against the Minnesota Twins. Leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first and following it up with allowing six earned runs over the next two innings changes the feeling of a game awfully quickly.
"It's like taking a punch to the gut early," Ausmus said. "You hope something sparks you along the way."
Kyle Lobstein (3-8) gave up six runs on seven hits in just 1 2-3 innings of work, while Twins starter Tyler Duffey pitched strong into the seventh as Minnesota beat the Tigers 7-1.
Duffey (3-1) gave up one run on seven hits and walked two in 6 1-3 innings, and Joe Mauer went 3 for 5, extending his streak of games reaching base to 34 for the Twins, who trail the Texas Rangers by one game for the American League's second wild card.
It was another mess for the Tigers, with Martinez misplaying Plouffe's opposite field shot off the wall in right, Lobstein getting hit hard and being charged with a balk all in the first inning. The Twins sent 17 hitters to the plate in the first two innings.
"It's probably a lot of things -- obviously mechanics here are a big part of success and failure," Lobstein said. "But at the same time you've got to be able to go out there with confidence that you'll do well. So I'm just trying to figure things out before the next start."
It's been quite a reversal of fortunes for these two teams, with the once-mighty Tigers bottoming out this season and the Twins (75-68) -- losers of at least 90 games in each of the past four seasons -- vaulting back into the postseason picture.
Playing their first meaningful September games in five years, the Twins jumped on Lobstein and the Tigers right off the bat.
Mauer had three hits in the first three innings, Trevor Plouffe's two-run double highlighted a four-run first inning and Eduardo Escobar's homer landed in the second deck in left field to give Minnesota a 7-0 lead in the fourth.
The Twins, who just returned home from a 10-day road trip, will play 13 of their final 20 games at home--including 10 in a row against the Tigers, Angels and Indians.
The Tigers (65-78) are 19 games behind AL Central-leading Kansas City. J.D. Martinez had two hits for Detroit, but Steven Moya had four of the team's 11 strikeouts.
"It's disappointing," Ausmus said. "If you can jump on a starter early, it can change the identity of the game. But it doesn't always happen, and it didn't happen tonight."
SANCHEZ TO MISS WEDNESDAY'S START
Tigers pitcher Anibal Sanchez will miss Wednesday's start against Minnesota after experiencing shoulder tightness during a bullpen session Monday. Sanchez said he'll see a specialist, possibly Dr. James Andrews. Daniel Norris is expected to start in his place.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: All-Star closer Glen Perkins threw a bullpen session on Monday to test his ailing back. He said everything went well and he will throw another bullpen on Wednesday. If all goes well then, Perkins said he hoped to be ready to return to action by Friday.
UP NEXT
Phil Hughes (10-8, 4.49) will start for the Twins against Alfredo Simon (12-9, 4.94). Hughes will be pitching for the first time since Aug. 9 due to a back injury. Simon is coming off a rough no decision outing in which he allowed five runs on nine hits -- including a pair of home runs -- in 6 2-3 innings against Cleveland.
