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 After a 54-minute rain delay, the Tigers and Twins went 12 innings,
finishing up almost 30 minutes into Thursday morning.
It was nothing new for Detroit, which wrapped up a marathon road
trip with a respectable 3-3 record.
"With two rainouts, a doubleheader and this rain delay slash
extra-inning game here, the sun will probably be coming up when we
get back to Detroit," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
The sun was certainly shining on the Tigers in the 12th inning
against Twins left-hander Brian Duensing. Tigers shortstop Andrew
Romine ripped a one-out single, then stole second and scored on a
sharp single to center by second baseman Ian Kinsler with two outs.
J.D. Martinez added a big insurance blast, hammering a two-strike
pitch 390 feet into the left field bleachers. It was the right
fielder's 37th homer of the year.
Duensing (4-1) gave up the three runs on three hits in an inning of
relief.
Detroit used 21 players in the win, including nine pitchers, in
upping its record against Minnesota to 10-6 this season.
"Pretty much every one wearing a Tiger uniform pitched in," Ausmus
said. "Without question, a team win."
Minnesota missed an opportunity to gain ground in the race for the
second American League wild-card spot. The Twins remain 1 1/2 games
behind the Houston Astros, who lost 14-3 to the Texas Rangers
earlier Wednesday.
Tigers left hander Ian Krol (2-3) got the win, bailing out
right-hander Jose Valdez, who allowed a leadoff walk and a single in
the 10th inning. Krol entered with two on and nobody out, but he got
first baseman Joe Mauer to strike out swinging, third baseman
Eduardo Nunez to ground out and left fielder Shane Robinson to fly
out.
Krol retired nine of the 10 men he faced in three scoreless innings.
Each team had chances to close out the game before extra innings.
Detroit led 2-1 through the middle innings until a two-run rally by
the Twins in the bottom of the seventh. Right fielder Torii Hunter
and left fielder Eddie Rosario each had RBI singles in the inning,
giving Minnesota its first lead of the night.
After a scoreless eighth, Twins closer Kevin Jepsen was unable to
hold the lead in the ninth, surrendering a two-run single to Tigers
third baseman Jefry Marte that gave Detroit a 4-3 lead.
Twins designated hitter Miguel Sano led off the bottom half of the
inning with a walk, and pinch runner Nunez took second on a wild
pitch. Nunez scored on a double down the left field line by third
baseman Trevor Plouffe, tying the game against Tigers closer Bruce
Rondon.
A sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk and a stolen base put a pair
of runners in scoring position, but pinch runner Robinson was thrown
out at home on a ground ball to short. Twins shortstop Eduardo
Escobar then flied out to shallow center to end the inning.
"There were multiple opportunities to win," Twins manager Paul
Molitor said. "We just couldn't hang on. They put together some good
at-bats to take the lead. We had a lot of baserunners but couldn't
push anything across."
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Twins right-hander Ervin Santana was in line for the win before the
late Tigers rally. He allowed just two runs on four hits and four
walks while striking out five in seven innings.
Santana has pitched seven innings or more and allowed two runs or
fewer in each of his past four starts, going 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA
over that span.
"I was pitching too quick, too fast in the first two innings,"
Santana said. "After the second inning, I settled down and tried to
be normal, just throw strikes and keep the ball down."
After the delay before the game, the Tigers wasted little time
grabbing the lead against Santana.
The right-hander walked leadoff man Anthony Gose, then gave up a
one-out single to J.D. Martinez. After designated hitter Victor
Martinez struck out looking, left fielder Tyler Collins yanked a
double that landed just inside the right field line, scoring Gose
and Martinez for a 2-0 lead.
Tigers left-hander Daniel Norris, pitching for the first time since
Aug. 19 after spending almost a month on the disabled list with an
oblique strain, retired the first six batters he faced before
surrendering a solo homer to Rosario to open the third.
"I felt really good," Norris said. "I tried to go out there and
control my adrenaline. There were a few pitches where I rushed here
and there and I had to back off some."
For Rosario, the homer was his 10th of the season, making him the
first rookie in the majors to have 10 triples and 10 homers in a
season since Hanley Ramirez did it in 2006.
He is the ninth Twin to accomplish the feat and the first since
Cristian Guzman in 2001.
The homer was the only hit allowed by Norris, who threw 47 pitches
in his first start back, completing 2 2/3 innings with four
strikeouts.
NOTES: Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera got the day off aside from a
pinch-hitting appearance that resulted in a strikeout. Cabrera is
mired in an 0-for-20 slump. ... Twins RHP Ricky Nolasco threw a
bullpen session Wednesday and reported no issues. Nolasco, out since
May 31 with an ankle injury, will throw a simulated game Friday
before reporting to the instructional league Monday in Fort Myers,
Fla. He could pitch again this season if he experiences no setbacks.
... Twins LHP Glen Perkins threw a bullpen session Wednesday and
reported no issues. He remains on track to return to action Friday.
Perkins hasn't pitched since Sept. 1 due to neck and back soreness.
... The Tigers are off Thursday before returning home to open their
final homestand of the season Friday against the Kansas City Royals.
... The Twins continue their 10-game homestand Thursday when they
open a crucial four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels.
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