Field Level Media
Jul 17, 2021
Miguel Cabrera hit the game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the host Detroit Tigers a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Twins in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Tigers swept the doubleheader after winning the first game, 1-0.
With Jonathan Schoop on first base and two outs, Cabrera hit a popup to center field that should have been the third out.
But following some confusion between Minnesota shortstop Andrelton Simmons and center fielder Nick Gordon, the ball dropped, and Schoop ended up scoring all the way from first after an errant throw to the plate.
Minnesota took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth when Gordon scored on a wild pitch by Tigers reliever Joe Jimenez (3-1), who pitched two innings and got the victory, with two outs and runners on second and third.
Minnesota closer Taylor Rogers (2-4) came on and struck out Tigers leadoff hitter Akill Baddoo to start the bottom of the eighth, but then Tigers courtesy runner Derek Hill stole third base.
With Minnesota's infield drawn in, Schoop hit a soft liner to right that got through the infield and scored Hill to tie the game at 4-4.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first off of Tigers starter Tyler Alexander when Josh Donaldson lined a single to center to score Nelson Cruz.
The Tigers answered in the second when Baddoo came up with the bases loaded and two outs and laced a bases-clearing triple to right-center off of Twins starter Kenta Maeda to make it 3-1 Detroit.
The Twins cut Detroit's lead to 3-2 in the fourth on a mammoth home run to left by Donaldson.
Minnesota tied the game in the fifth when Cruz reached on a fielder's choice groundout with the bases loaded and one out, but the Twins let a great chance for more slip away when Donaldson hit into an inning-ending double play.
The Tigers had a chance to win the game in the seventh with a runner on second and one out, but a strikeout of Zack Short and a lineout to right field by Hill ended the threat and forced extra innings.
--Field Level Media