Final
Twins-Tigers Preview
Apr 29, 2010 - 4:43 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior WriterMinnesota (14-6) at Detroit (11-10), 1:05 p.m. EDT
The Detroit Tigers wouldn't mind stringing some wins together. Especially against the Minnesota Twins.
Coming off a big offensive effort against the AL Central leaders, the Tigers try for a second straight victory to take their home series with the Twins on Thursday.
After being held to five hits in a 2-0 loss to Minnesota (14-7) in Tuesday's opener, Detroit rallied to even the set with an 11-6 win Wednesday.
The Tigers (12-10) have alternated wins and losses over their last six games since winning two in a row April 21-22.
Magglio Ordonez had three hits with three RBIs, while Brandon Inge homered and also drove in three runs as the Tigers overcame a 6-1 deficit thanks to a six-run sixth inning Wednesday.
"We've had a few comebacks, and that's been pretty important for us," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "But we can't keep expecting to do this."
Thankfully for Leyland's club, they were able to tag Minnesota's Scott Baker for five runs in four innings Wednesday. The Tigers hope to get the best of Twins' scheduled starter Carl Pavano in this contest.
Pavano (3-1, 4.24 ERA) allowed two runs, four hits and didn't walk a batter over seven innings of an 8-3 win at Kansas City on Friday. It was a far better outing than his previous effort when he gave up seven runs in 3 1-3 innings of a 10-5 home loss to the Royals on April 18.
The right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA in six career starts against the Tigers, but allowed seven runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-2 loss in his last trip to Detroit on Sept. 30.
A .328 lifetime hitter against the Twins and one hit shy of 2,000 for his career, Ordonez is 6 for 14 with two doubles against Pavano.
Johnny Damon has also hit Pavano well, going 5 for 12. Damon is batting .400 (22 for 55) during a 15-game hitting streak.
The Tigers hope Dontrelle Willis (0-1, 5.00) can give them a strong effort when he takes the mound Thursday.
Willis, who missed his last scheduled start Saturday at Texas because of the flu, allowed two runs and walked three in an inning of relief in an 8-4 loss to the Rangers on Sunday.
In his last start on April 19, Willis allowed two runs in six innings of a 2-0 loss at Los Angeles. The left-hander has one win in 19 appearances since joining the Tigers in 2008.
Willis gave up four runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 14-10, 13-inning loss at Minnesota in his only start against the Twins on May 13.
Jim Thome hit his fourth home run and Jason Kubel had three hits Wednesday for the Twins, who'll try to bounce back after losing two of three.
"This is a tough one, because when it was 6-1, it looked like we had the game under control," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who was ejected for arguing a call.
Though Thome is 11 for 32 with five homers and 11 RBIs in his last 11 games against the Tigers, star Justin Morneau is expected to be out of the Twins' lineup for a second straight game with a stiff back.
- Tigers 3, Twins 0 - FINAL
MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Span cf 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .221
O Hudson 2b 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .281
M Cuddyer 1b 3 0 1 0 1 0 1 .303
J Thome dh 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .256
J Kubel rf 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 .206
D Young lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .233
B Harris s
Apr 29 3:24 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DON KELLY SCORED MAGGLIO ORDONEZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D KELLY ON FIRST, M CABRERA ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
DETROIT 3 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: B INGE (.256, 0-FOR-3)
Twins 0, Tigers 3 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 29 3:13 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY AUSTIN JACKSON SCORED SCOTT SIZEMORE
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A JACKSON ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
DETROIT 2 BOTTOM,5TH
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: J DAMON (.316, 0-FOR-1, SF, RBI)
Twins 0, Tigers 2 Bot 5, 0 OutsApr 29 2:19 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JOHNNY DAMON SCORED AUSTIN JACKSON
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
DETROIT 1 BOTTOM,1ST
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.301, 4 HR, 17 RBI)
Twins 0, Tigers 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 29 1:19 PM
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