|
 Second baseman Brian Dozier and right fielder Oswaldo Arcia had
three RBIs each to help the Twins defeat Detroit 11-4 Friday night
and stall the Tigers' drive to a fourth straight American League
Central Division title.
Kansas City's 3-1 victory over the White Sox in Chicago pulled the
Royals to within a game of first place in the AL Central with two
games left for each team.
The Tigers' magic number for clinching remained at two, but both
Kansas City and Detroit have clinched playoff berths, however.
"This was not a good night for us," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus
said. "It wasn't a good night for our pitching staff overall, but we
gotta find a win. We gotta find a way to win, regardless. We've got
two games to sew this thing up. Right now we're currently in the
lead, so it's in our hands. We have to do it."
"We didn't let Detroit get to celebrate," said Twins starting
right-hander Anthony Swarzak, who fell two outs shy of qualifying
for the victory that went to rookie right-handed teammate A.J.
Achter (1-0) instead. "That was the main thing. We wanted to play
spoiler the whole weekend. And that's what we did."
Achter earned his first major league victory in his seventh
appearance. He allowed two hits, one being first baseman Miguel
Cabrera's 25th home run, which came in the seventh. Right-hander
Lester Oliveros relieved after the home run with lefty Aaron
Thompson working the ninth.
Achter was drafted in the 46th round by Minnesota in 2010 following
his junior season at Michigan State.
The Twins didn't offer any money to sign, just the opportunity, so
Achter went to the Cape Cod League and pitched impressively,
switching to the bullpen. Minnesota gave him $50,000 to sign.
"My first win was against the team I grew up rooting for," said
Achter, who grew up in Northwest Ohio. "I took the game ball and
gave it to my mom right away. My dad couldn't make it. He's the
defensive coordinator (at Sylvania North University High School near
Toledo) and he had a game. He already missed one game to see my
first major league game."
Four of the first five batters to face Swarzak in the fifth singled,
with second baseman Ian Kinsler and Cabrera getting RBI hits. Achter
got designated hitter Victor Martinez to hit a fly ball on a 3-2
pitch that Arcia caught near the right-field fence, a ball that
would have tied the score had it gone over. Left fielder J.D.
Martinez then flied out to center.
"I hoped it was (out) but I thought it got in on him a little bit,
so I wasn't sold on it," Ausmus said. "I was just hoping it would
carry right into the corner between the wall and foul pole but, came
up a little short."
"He throws strikes, moves the ball in and out," Twins manager Ron
Gardenhire said of Achter. "And he threw a nice breaking ball when
he had to. He pitches with a lot of confidence. It was great to see
him get a win in front of his family."
[to top of second column]
|
Dozier had an RBI single in the first, a solo home run -- his
22nd -- in the third and an RBI single in the seventh. Additionally,
two runs came in when he hit a topper to third that Nick Castellanos
threw wildly to first.
Arcia hit a two-run home run, his 22nd, in the first, plus an RBI
single in the eighth. Catcher Kurt Suzuki had a two-run single in
the seventh and third baseman Eduardo Escobar also drove in a run
with a single in the seventh.
Minnesota jumped on right-hander Rick Porcello (15-13), who lasted
just 3 2/3 innings. He gave up six hits and walked three, two
intentionally. Two of the six runs he allowed were unearned.
Cabrera chased Swarzak in the fifth and also forced out Achter in
the seventh when he hit his home run. Victor Martinez had an RBI
single in the fourth.
With the game out of hand, Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez made
his first appearance since Aug. 8 in only the second relief job of
his career. He will work out of the bullpen in the playoffs after
recovering from a sore right pectoral muscle.
The Tigers will hand the ball to a rookie starter Saturday, lefty
Kyle Lobstein.
"I think with a young guy if I said anything it might make him more
nervous," Ausmus said. "Probably better if I just stay away from
him. I'm hoping I can say 'good job' some time later in the game."
NOTES: Whether Minnesota's Danny Santana plays short or center (or
both) next season will be determined between seasons, manager Ron
Gardenhire said Friday. ... Rookie LHP Kyle Lobstein is scheduled
for his sixth start with Detroit on Saturday. "You could make the
argument he's been our most consistent pitcher lately," manager Brad
Ausmus has said. ... The Twins had scored 257 runs since Aug. 1
entering Friday to rank first in baseball during that period. ...
Tigers DH Victor Martinez is hitting nearly double the league
average with two strikes on him at .337 entering Friday.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
