Twins 2 - 3 Tigers
Final
  for this game

Inge's walkoff lifts Tigers over Twins

Sep 10, 2011 - 11:58 PM

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Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Brandon Inge hit a two-out solo homer in the ninth inning Saturday to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

After Alex Avila grounded out and Jhonny Peralta was retired on a fly ball, Inge hit a 2-1 offering from Glen Perkins (4-4) over the left field wall to give Detroit two straight wins to open this three-game series.

Wilson Betemit also had a solo homer for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who have won eight in a row overall and remained 9 1/2 games ahead of Chicago for first place after the White Sox beat Cleveland in extra innings Saturday.

Joe Mauer homered and had two hits for the Twins, who have lost seven of their last eight and fell to 4-16 in their last 20.

Both starters fared well, but left with no-decisions.

Detroit's Max Scherzer pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six. Al Alburquerque (6-1) struck out two in a perfect ninth to earn the win.

Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak remained winless since August 3 after allowing two runs on four hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out six.

Betemit homered to right on a 3-2 changeup with one out in the third inning for a 1-0 Tigers lead, but Mauer led off the fourth with a blast to center to tie the game.

Andy Dirks hit a ground-rule double to center leading off the bottom of the fourth and scored on Victor Martinez's two-out single to make it 2-1. The Twins tied the game again, 2-2, in the sixth when Trevor Plouffe drew a leadoff walk, went to third on Mauer's single and scored on Danny Valencia's sacrifice fly.

Game Notes

The Tigers lead the season series 13-4...Swarzak is 0-3 in his last seven starts...Detroit hasn't won a division title since capturing the East in 1987.






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