Martinez Helps Tigers Beat Twins 5-4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Martinez had three hits and two RBIs, and the Detroit Tigers beat Phil Hughes and the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Tuesday night.
James McCann also had three hits for Detroit, and Alfredo Simon (13-9) pitched into the seventh inning. Bruce Rondon allowed a run in the ninth before finishing for his fifth save.
The Tigers (66-78) were officially eliminated in the AL Central after winning the division title each of the last four years.
Minnesota (75-69) is contending for an AL wild card, but Hughes (10-9) lasted just three innings in his return from a monthlong stint on the disabled list with a back injury.
The Twins trailed 4-1 after six innings, but they had a chance to tie the game in the ninth. Brian Dozier walked and scored on Joe Mauer's two-out double before Rondon struck out rookie slugger Miguel Sano.
Hughes was charged with three runs and six hits. He also struck out four and walked one while throwing 65 pitches.
Martinez and Nick Castellanos had consecutive RBI singles in the first, and Anthony Gose singled in McCann in the second.
Minnesota rallied in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. Hoping for another dramatic moment from Sano, the hometown fans stood and cheered throughout his at-bat before he sent a two-run single into left.
Trevor Plouffe then grounded into a double play, preserving Detroit's 4-3 advantage. The Tigers added another run in the ninth on Austin Romine's sacrifice.
Simon had allowed at least five runs in three of his previous four outings and struggled to a 6.19 ERA on the road this season. But with Martinez providing the early run support, Simon yielded three runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings.
The Twins entered with the second-worst batting average in the majors since the All-Star break. They left six runners on base in the first four innings.
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