Twins Deny Tigers AL Central Title ... For Now
DETROIT (AP) — Rick Porcello allowed six runs in under four innings Friday, and Detroit lost 11-4 to the Minnesota Twins on a night the Tigers had hoped to clinch the AL Central title.
Detroit could have wrapped up the division with a victory and a Kansas City loss, but Porcello (15-13) endured another rough outing down the stretch, and the Tigers fell way behind early. Oswaldo Arcia hit a two-run homer in the first, and Minnesota led 6-0 in the fourth.
Porcello allowed four earned runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings. He is 0-4 with a 6.20 ERA in September.
A.J. Achter (1-0) earned his first career win with a solid relief effort.
Miguel Cabrera homered, but the bigger bright spot for the Tigers may have been a scoreless inning of relief from Anibal Sanchez, who pitched for the first time since Aug. 8 after being out with a pectoral strain.
Minnesota opened the scoring on Brian Dozier's RBI single in the first, and Arcia's home run made it 3-0. Dozier added a solo homer in the third, his 22nd of the year.
The Twins added a couple of unearned runs in the fourth when third baseman Nick Castellanos' throwing error allowed Chris Herrmann and Aaron Hicks to score.
Minnesota starter Anthony Swarzak allowed three runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings, and with the score 6-3 in the fifth, Achter came on with one out and men on first and second. Victor Martinez came within a few feet of tying the game with a drive down the line in right, but it was caught in front of the wall, and Achter got J.D Martinez on a flyout to end the inning.
The Twins responded with four runs in the sixth.
Dozier and Danny Santana had three hits each for the Twins, and Dozier and Arcia drove in three runs apiece.
Achter pitched two innings, holding the Tigers scoreless until he allowed Cabrera's solo shot in the seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: OF Jordan Schafer has a hyperextended right elbow. He was available to pinch-run but didn't play.
Tigers: Sanchez was activated from the disabled list before Tuesday's game in Detroit, but he didn't pitch until Friday. He threw 14 pitches against the Twins, allowing only one hit — an infield single by Santana.
UP NEXT
Detroit LHP Kyle Lobstein (1-1) takes the mound against Minnesota RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-12) on Saturday night. Lobstein made his major league debut against the Twins last month, allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings of relief.
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