Twins rock Tigers for second straight night
· Yahoo Sports
Twins 15, Tigers 2
Starting pitcher performanceThe Twins planned to use an opener both to cause match-up issues for the platoon-heavy Detroit Tigers and to manage rookie Connor Prielipp’s workload. Though Morris labored through a 29-pitch first inning and gave up a run, Prielipp more did his part, throwing five scoreless innings to follow.
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The rookie starter, who topped 100 career major league innings pitched in the process, allowed just three hits in his outing, striking out five.
It was the first scoreless outing of his career and came after an August during which he gave up 23 runs in 26 2/3 innings pitched (7.76 ERA).
Key momentAfter Kody Clemens tied the game up with his 24th home run of the season in the bottom of the first, the score remained knotted up until the fifth. It was a lucky break that helped the Twins put some distance between themselves and the Tigers.
With a pair of runners on, Walker Jenkins hit a groundball towards shortstop John Peck. Peck threw home and the Tigers caught Trevor Larnach in a rundown. But after chasing him back towards third, Gold Glove Award-winning catcher Dillon Dingler, threw the ball away, and both Larnach and Royce Lewis came around to score as the ball rolled into foul territory in left field.
One more run scored in the inning as Luke Keaschall’s double brought home Jenkins to put the Twins up by three.
Player of the GameIn a game that featured a 10-run sixth inning, there’s no shortage of players from which to choose. Both Lewis and catcher Ryan Jeffers each hit a three-run home run in the inning, accounting for a majority of the offense.
Lewis had a team-leading three hits, driving in three and scoring twice. Jeffers, Keaschall, and Kaelen Culpepper all had a pair of hits, with Jeffers and Culpepper driving in three runs and Keaschall two.
Clemens, Larnach, Lewis, Jenkins and Josh Bell each scored a pair of runs in the win, the Twins’ second-straight blowout victory over the Tigers. The Twins have now outscored the Tigers 26-3 in the series.
Up nextThe Twins will send Dean Kremer (2-5, 5.60 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday as they go for the sweep of the Detroit Tigers. Drew Anderson (4-5, 3.87 ERA) will start for the Tigers.