Dozier's Homer Caps Seven-Run Ninth, Twins Beat Tigers 8-6
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to cap a seven-run rally and give the Minnesota Twins an 8-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
After missing out on an All-Star nomination earlier in the day, Dozier had two hits and four RBIs, and hit his second game-winning homer of the week. Dozier homered off Detroit closer Joakim Soria (3-1), who blew his third save in 23 chances.
The Twins scored seven times in the ninth off Soria and Bruce Rondon after being limited to one run by Justin Verlander, who went 7 2-3 innings.
Trevor May (6-7) pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up two hits.
Dozier was part of the American League's final player vote for the All-Star game and found out before the game he finished second to Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas.
Dozier — who entered Friday tied with Toronto All-Star Josh Donaldson for the most extra-base hits in the majors — hit a game-winning home run in the ninth on Monday after finding out he didn't make the All-Star team on the first balloting.
Dozier's RBI single in the eighth chased Verlander, who had the best outing of his truncated season.
Eddie Rosario had an RBI single in the ninth, Kurt Suzuki walked with the bases loaded and Danny Santana drove in two runs with a single before Dozier's 19th home run of the season.
Verlander held Minnesota to five hits and one run while striking out six in his fifth start off the disabled list.
Yoenis Cespedes had three hits, including a three-run homer, for Detroit. Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez added home runs for the Tigers.
Verlander hasn't been the near-100 mph pitcher from his past since returning from the right triceps strain which knocked him out of the season's first two months. But he kept Minnesota off balance with a breaking ball and a low-to-mid 90s fastball.
In his first four outings this season, Verlander had allowed 17 earned runs in 22 2-3 innings. He looked in vintage form against his longtime rivals in the Central, giving up just two hits and a walk through the first seven innings.
Cespedes drove his 13th home run of the season into the Tigers' bullpen in center field in the fourth inning. Two batters later, J.D. Martinez — headed to his first All-Star game — hit his 25th homer of the season to the opposite field.
In seven games without the injured Miguel Cabrera, Detroit has averaged 6.6 runs.
Ervin Santana gave up six runs in four innings for the Twins in his second start since returning from an 80-game suspension for a banned substance.
MISSING OUT
Dozier and Cespedes fell short in the final player vote for the American League All-Star team. Moustakas won the vote in the AL, with St. Louis Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez being awarded in the National League.
After Royals' fans showed up in force during the main balloting, a strong showing in the final player vote wasn't a surprise. Dozier was backed by a fervent social media campaign in Minnesota.
"My Twitter feed today, I don't know how it didn't crash already," Dozier said after the results were announced. "But the support this past week that I felt like I received was just very humbling. It was pretty cool."
CHAMBERLAIN RELEASED
A week after designating Joba Chamberlain for assignment, the Tigers gave the right-handed reliever his unconditional release on Friday. Chamberlain was 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA in 30 games in his second season with Detroit after signing a one-year, $1 million contract in the offseason.
"I wouldn't be shocked if somebody picked him up," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "His arm was working good. He was throwing mid-90s. It wouldn't shock me if somebody took a shot at him thinking maybe a change of environment would be good for him."
UP NEXT
Detroit's Alfredo Simon (8-5, 4.18 ERA) will try to snap a streak of allowing at least five runs in four straight games when the right-hander faces RHP Phil Hughes for the Twins in a Saturday afternoon matchup. Hughes (7-6, 4.19) has won three straight decisions and allowed two runs or fewer in three of his last four games.
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