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 The durable veteran had a home run, a double and three RBIs to lead
the Detroit Tigers to a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins at Target
Field on Thursday.
Kinsler, who played in every game but Wednesday's this season, said
he felt refreshed Thursday as Detroit opened a crucial four-game
series.
It showed.
It took him all of two pitches to hit his third homer of the season,
turning around a 1-0 fastball from Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey
and putting it in the left-field seats. It was his 32nd career
leadoff homer.
"(Pelfrey) had gotten me out twice with the split-finger, so I
figured at some point he'd try and go to it," Kinsler said. "He
stuck with his fastball. I thought it was (gone). But the sun goes
down in this ballpark and the ball seems to stop carrying a little
bit.
"But the go-ahead run is fine. That's plenty for me."
Kinsler also tied the game in the sixth with an RBI groundout then
came up with his biggest hit of the night in the eighth with the
game knotted at 2.
After a leadoff single by first baseman Marc Krauss, Tigers center
fielder Anthony Gose sent a long fly ball to center that bounced off
the wall. The Twins relay threw out Krauss at the plate trying to
score, but allowed Gose to take third.
With the infield in, shortstop Jose Iglesias grounded out to short,
bringing Kinsler to the plate. Pelfrey threw Kinsler a 95 mph
fastball with a 2-2 count was hit off the very top of the wall in
left field, scoring Gose for the go-ahead run.
Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes followed with an RBI double of
his own off Twins reliever Blaine Boyer to make it a 4-2 game.
"The difference between a one-run lead and a two-run lead with six
outs to go is enormous," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
The late offense made a winner of left-hander David Price, who
navigated through early trouble to throw eight innings of two-run
ball, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out eight.
After allowing a pair of runners to reach in three of his first four
innings, then giving up two unearned runs in the fifth, Price set
down the final 10 men he faced, improving to 9-2 on the year.
"I didn't feel that good in the first two or three innings, but my
defense picked me up and the offense, early with Ian and again late,
that was a good job," Price said. "That's a very good team. They're
in front of us in the standings and they have a good squad."
The Tigers improved to 15-3 in games in which Price has started this
season. His numbers against the American League Central are even
more ridiculous; the southpaw is 7-0 with a 1.63 ERA over 82 2/3
innings pitched in 2015. Price won six of his last seven outings
against the Twins with a 1.87 ERA over that span.
"He showed us he had that extra gear when we had a couple of
opportunities early," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Kind of like
yesterday, we didn't take advantage and you wonder if that's going
to cost you in the long run."
Closer Joakim Soria worked a scoreless ninth for his 20th save.
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Pelfrey was charged with all four runs in 7 2/3 innings, giving up
eight hits and walking none while fanning four. Pelfrey has lost his
last three decisions and is 1-5 since the beginning of June.
"He rebounded from a couple of rough outings," Molitor said. "After
the leadoff home run, he settled in fairly well."
Detroit has won five of its last seven games overall and improved to
8-2 against Minnesota on the year. The Twins are 44-32 against
everyone else and the loss snapped their three-game winning streak.
"Threw the ball belt high down the middle. Got what I deserved,"
Pelfrey said of his eighth-inning showdown against Kinsler. "Wasn't
good enough today."
Kinsler's early blast gave Detroit a 1-0 lead.
After stranding five runners through the first five innings, the
Twins took the lead in the fifth.
Second baseman Brian Dozier reached second base on an error by
Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos and advanced to third on a
groundout. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe followed with a single to
center, tying the game and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Right
fielder Torii Hunter blasted a shot through Castellanos' glove, a
play that was initially ruled an error, scoring Plouffe from second.
The play was later changed to a hit, giving Hunter his 758th RBI in
a Twins uniform, tying him with Gary Gaetti for sixth on the team's
all-time list.
Iglesias and Gose led off the sixth with singles and Iglesias scored
on a fielder's choice groundout by Kinsler.
NOTES: Tigers RHP Shane Greene will start Sunday against the Twins,
according to manager Brad Ausmus. Greene was removed from his
Wednesday start with Triple-A Toledo after just 38 pitches and is
expected to arrive in the Twin Cities on Saturday. He was 4-6 with a
5.82 ERA in 13 starts for Detroit earlier this season. ... Tigers
LHP Kyle Lobstein, out since May 24 with inflammation in his
throwing shoulder, was cleared to begin a throwing program. ...
Twins RHP Mike Pelfrey made his 200th major league start Wednesday.
The start was his 51st with the Twins after he made 149 starts for
the New York Mets. ... The Tigers and Twins will continue their
four-game series Friday at Target Field. Detroit RHP Justin
Verlander (0-2, 6.75) will face Minnesota RHP Ervin Santana (0-0,
2.25 ERA).
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