Twins Swept By Tigers, Drop 4th Straight
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The final play of Minnesota's 6-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday summed up how things have gone for the Twins lately.
Miguel Sano drove a liner to right field and easily had his third hit of the day — a double. But the young slugger wanted more. As J.D. Martinez fielded the ball, Sano dug for third, and the crowd groaned as it watched the throw beat him.
Game over.
"Players play emotionally and try to find a way to help a team," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "Sometimes your decision-making isn't what it should be."
Jarrod Saltalamacchia doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, Nick Castellanos hit a three-run homer and Detroit completed a three-game sweep to extend its winning streak to five games.
The Twins, meanwhile, have lost four straight and six of eight in falling to 7-18 overall.
Saltalamacchia's drive to left field off reliever Ryan Pressly (1-2) allowed Justin Upton to score from first. Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar could've had a play at the plate, but he bobbled the ball on the relay throw.
"I think that's just the story of everything kind of going on around here now," Minnesota starter Ricky Nolasco said. "We're really not catching any breaks, but we've got to keep playing."
Mark Lowe (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the win. Justin Wilson worked a scoreless eighth and Francisco Rodriguez converted his seventh save in eight opportunities for the Tigers, who extended their longest winning streak of the season after losing five of the previous six.
Sano and Joe Mauer each had three hits, and Mauer extended his on-base streak to 25 games. Oswaldo Arcia had two hits and two RBIs in his fourth multihit game this season.
Minnesota led 5-2 in the fifth before Castellanos' three-run homer tied it. Nolasco got two quick outs to begin the inning, but Victor Martinez and Upton hit consecutive singles before Castellanos sent a full-count pitch into the left-field seats.
"It's a bad feeling," Nolasco said. "Feel like I was throwing the ball pretty good all day. . It's very frustrating. That loss is on me because if I make that pitch I think we win that game."
SANO'S NO-NO
On his ill-fated decision to try for third on the final out, Sano said: "I knew I had a double, but I wanted to help the team win and I started running. There's not much to say, I made a mistake."
PELFREY'S PACE
The Twins faced former teammate and Tigers starter Mike Pelfrey. Even though Pelfrey went 11-27 during his Twins tenure, Molitor said he misses having the big right-hander in the clubhouse. "He was a very well-liked teammate," the manager said. "But facing him, we kind of know his M.O. Don't make dinner reservations too early, all that kind of stuff."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins GM Terry Ryan said 3B Trevor Plouffe (right intercostal strain) was OK after playing nine innings Saturday and was set to play again for Triple-A Rochester on Sunday. Ryan also said RHP Ervin Santana (back) would make Minnesota's upcoming trip to Cleveland and likely throw a bullpen session. "He's getting pretty close," Ryan said.
UP NEXT
Twins rookie RHP Jose Berrios (0-1) makes his second start of the season Monday in Houston. Berrios lasted four innings in his debut last week against the Indians, allowing five earned runs with two walks and five strikeouts.
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