Tigers 4 - 2 Twins
Final
  for this game

Tigers eye AL Central title against Twins

Sep 24, 2013 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers can secure their third straight American League Central title on Tuesday when they continue a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

Detroit failed to lower its magic number in Monday's opener, as Josmil Pinto plated the game-winning run with a single to right in the 11th inning to lift Minnesota to a 4-3 win.

Brian Dozier had tied the game for the Twins with a solo homer in the ninth and eventually scored the winning run for Minnesota, which snapped a four-game losing streak.

Torii Hunter collected three hits, an RBI and a run scored for Detroit, which also needs Cleveland to lose to Chicago if it is going to clinch on Tuesday.

"It was a tough pill to swallow, but that's the lovely thing about baseball. We come out here tomorrow and we have another day and another crack at a win," Justin Verlander said.

Minnesota failed to manage much in the early going against the Detroit starter Verlander, who struck out 12 over six scoreless innings.

"He looked like his old self," Dozier said.

Getting the call for the Tigers on Tuesday will be righty Doug Fister, who is 13-9 with a 3.71 ERA. Fister snapped a two-start losing streak on Thursday to Seattle, as he held the Mariners to four runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Fister is 3-1 with a 1.42 ERA in his last four starts against Minnesota.

Minnesota will counter with lefty Scott Diamond, who is 6-11 with a 5.54 ERA. Diamond won for the first time since June 20 on Wednesday in Chicago, as he limited the White Sox to three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Still, Diamond is just 2-7 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 12 major league starts.

Detroit is 9-8 against the Twins this season.






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