Minnesota @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 28, 2010 ) Minnesota 6, Detroit 11
The Minnesota Twins haven't had many bad losses this season, but Wednesday night definitely falls into that category.
A 6-1 lead in the fourth inning quickly turned into a long night. Starter Scott Baker and the Twins bullpen fell apart as Detroit rallied for an 11-6 win.
The Twins will have to shake off the loss before Thursday's series finale, but it may not be easy.
The Tigers scored four runs off Baker in the fourth. The bullpen imploded in the sixth, allowing six more runs. Manager Ron Gardenhire didn't get through the inning. He was ejected after the umpires said center fielder Denard Span failed to hold on to Johnny Damon's deep drive long enough to be ruled a catch. Span made a long run for the ball and appeared to take at least two steps after the ball hit in his glove, but the umpires ruled it popped out.
Gardenhire argued that the ball came out after Span removed it from his glove to throw it back in. Not only did Gardenhire lose the argument, he was also ejected by home plate umpire Gary Darling.
Span was charged with a two-base error. All six runs in the inning came after the disputed play so it's easy to see why Gardenhire was unhappy. Brennan Boesch's two-run double put the Tigers ahead and Brandon Inge, who hit a solo homer earlier in the game, followed with another two-run double. Inge and Magglio Ordonez drove in three runs apiece.
Not only that, the Twins played the game without first baseman Justin Morneau, who sat out with a stiff back. He left Monday night's game and isn't expected to play in the series finale. The Twins say the stiffness isn't related to the back injury that sidelined Morneau for the final three weeks and the playoffs last season.
The best news for the Twins came when Luke Hughes homered in his first major league at-bat with a solo shot in the second.
Carl Pavano, who went 4-1 in six starts against Detroit last season, pitches for the Twins. Pavano won three times at Comerica Park in 2009. A 14-game winner with the Twins and Indians last season, he has pitched six innings in one of his wins and seven in the other two. Pavano held the Royals to two runs, struck out five and didn't walk a batter on Friday.
The Tigers don't know what to expect from start to start from Dontrelle Willis. Not only is the left-hander winless in three starts, he also permits a parade of baserunners. Willis has allowed 31 baserunners (21 hits, 10 walks and a hit batter) in only 18 innings. Given all that activity, the Tigers are fortunate to have won two his starts.
Willis missed his last start scheduled for Saturday in Texas because of an upset stomach. He pitched an inning of relief the following day, allowing two runs, a hit and three walks.