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Cabrera homers in 9th, Tigers sweep Twins

May 27, 2012 - 10:39 PM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the ninth inning Sunday to help Detroit finish off a three-game sweep of Minnesota with a 4-3 win.

"It's not easy to do in this ballpark," Twins first baseman Justin Morneau said. "He did it and he's one of the best in the game for a reason."

Quintin Berry proved pivotal for Detroit, collecting three hits and scoring on Cabrera's decisive home run.

Brayan Villarreal (1-1) picked up his first win of the year after getting the last two outs in the eighth.

Even though he left the game with the lead, P.J. Walters received a no decision after he went six innings and allowed two runs. Walters navigated through trouble, inducing three double plays to help pitch around seven hits and five walks.

"We just left too many guys," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Not very good situational hitting."

Matt Capps (0-3) blew his first save of the year in his 10th chance, and also picked up the loss.

"It was a little tough to swallow getting swept by these guys," Morneau said. "We had plenty of chances today, just didn't get the job done."

Berry led off the ninth inning with a single and then stole second base. After Andy Dirks flew out, Cabrera crushed an 0-2 pitch over the center field fence to get Detroit the lead.

Earlier, the Tigers raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first. After Berry walked and Dirks singled, Cabrera knocked Berry in with a single to right.

Cabrera was retired on the play, though, because he failed to return to first before Alexi Casilla raced behind him and tagged him for the first out of the inning. After Prince Fielder walked, Andy Dirks scored when Brennan Boesch grounded into a double play in which Fielder had to be tagged out.

The middle of the Twins lineup helped get them the lead.

Ryan Doumit led off the fourth inning with a double before coming around to score when Casilla picked up his first of three hits, a lined infield single off the glove of Tigers starter Rick Porcello.

Ben Revere came up with a one-out single and stole second in the fifth and Joe Mauer tied the game with a booming double to the right-centerfield gap. Josh Willingham followed Mauer with a bloop single to right.

Jared Burton and Glen Perkins held the Minnesota lead in the seventh and eighth before Capps blew the save.

Despite allowing a leadoff bunt single to Denard Span, Jose Valverde preserved the win for Detroit with his ninth save of the year.

Game Notes

The Tigers went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base...Berry became the first player in Tigers history to record a hit in each of his first five major league games...It was Detroit's 21st win in its last 27 games against Minnesota...By allowing three runs in six innings, Porcello picked up Detroit's 18th quality start in the club's last 27 games...The Twins left 11 runners on base.