Final
Porcello goes for Tigers in rubber match against Twins
Apr 4, 2013 - 11:31 AMVideo
Porcello hopes to carry that solid Grapefruit League showing into the regular season on Thursday when he takes the hill against the Minnesota Twins in the rubber match of a three-game set at Target Field.
The 24-year-old Porcello impressed as a rookie back in 2009, but has been inconsistent since, culminating with an awful season a year ago that saw him go 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA.
Porcello also had one of the poorest quality-starts percentages in the AL and his .310 batting-average-against was the highest of any AL starter.
However, Porcello impressed this spring, going 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA in six starts.
Minnesota, meanwhile, will turn to one of its reclamation projects in righty Mike Pelfrey.
Pelfrey, once considered among the top prospects for the New York Mets, had his season cut short last year by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He made just three starts last season for the Mets and posted a 2.29 earned run average with no record in 19 2/3 innings.
The 29-year-old hurler, who lost his only other start to the Tigers, was a 15- game winner for the Mets back in 2010.
Minnesota evened this series in thrilling fashion on Wednesday, as Eduardo Escobar doubled home the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Twins to a 3-2 victory.
The Twins fought back from a 2-0 deficit after six innings to rebound from Monday's 4-2 setback to the defending American League champion Tigers, with Wilkin Ramirez contributing a pinch-hit, RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.
Escobar's double off Phil Coke (0-1) made a winner out of Glen Perkins (1-0) after the Minnesota closer tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth. Starter Kevin Correia aided the cause by firing seven solid innings in which the offseason acquisition yielded just two runs while scattering seven hits.
The Tigers won the season series with the Twins last year, 10-8.
- DETROIT: 2
MINNESOTA: 8
Final
Apr 4 4:44 PM - Aaron Hicks singled to right, scoring Jamey Carroll and Pedro Florimon with two outs. Runner on first and Joe Mauer due up.
Tigers 2, Twins 8 Bot 8, 2 OutsApr 4 4:30 PM - Pedro Florimon doubled to left, scoring Ryan Doumit and Chris Parmelee with two outs. On the play, Jamey Carroll advances to third. Runners on second and third and Aaron Hicks due up.
Tigers 2, Twins 6 Bot 8, 2 OutsApr 4 4:29 PM - Chris Parmelee infield single to first, scoring Justin Morneau with two outs. On the play, Ryan Doumit advances to third. Runners on first and third and Jamey Carroll due up.
Tigers 2, Twins 4 Bot 8, 2 OutsApr 4 4:21 PM - Trevor Plouffe one-out, solo Home Run (1) to left. Chris Parmelee due up.
Tigers 2, Twins 3 Bot 4, 1 OutApr 4 2:28 PM - Josh Willingham two-out, two-run Home Run (1) to left scored Joe Mauer. Justin Morneau due up.
Tigers 2, Twins 2 Bot 3, 2 OutsApr 4 2:09 PM - Miguel Cabrera singled to left, scoring Torii Hunter with two outs. Runner on first and Prince Fielder due up.
Tigers 2, Twins 0 Top 3, 2 OutsApr 4 1:57 PM - Torii Hunter grounded out short to first, scoring Austin Jackson with one out. None on and Miguel Cabrera due up.
Tigers 1, Twins 0 Top 1, 1 OutApr 4 1:15 PM - DETROIT: 0
MINNESOTA: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Apr 4 1:11 PM
Related News
- Breaking down the Tigers offensive projections for 2024 Dec 26
- Greatest Minnesota Twins: The Twinkie Town Definitive List (Round 9) Dec 26
- The season of perpetual hope (Pt. 3 of 3): Jim Eisenreich Dec 24
- Rival Roundup, Vol. 47: Home for the Holidays Dec 23
- Tigers sign RHP Shelby Miller to a one-year contract Dec 22
- Friday Open Thread: Your Tigers Christmas wish Dec 22
- Greatest Minnesota Twins: The Twinkie Town Definitive List (Round 8) Dec 19
- Monday Morning Minnesota: The Long Holiday Break Edition Dec 18
- Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg says the club will be opportunistic the rest of the offseason Dec 18
- Rival Roundup, Vol. 46: Royal Treatment Dec 16
- The season of perpetual hope (Pt. 2 of 3): Jim Abbott Dec 15
- Friday Open Thread: Who is the next face of the franchise? Dec 15