MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins are still trying to find their way, particularly their hitting stride.
Pick-me-ups are welcome from any place, whether a relief pitcher starting the game or a pair of perfectly executed relay throws to the plate.
Minnesota's bullpen teamed up for a three-hitter, Alex Kirilloff delivered an RBI single in a breakthrough fifth inning against Detroit starter Joey Wentz, and the Twins beat the Tigers 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.
“Our dugout was loud. The guys were pulling for their teammates,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “The guys were locked in on what was going on in the game when it was still 0-0 and we were just trying to get something going.”
José De León started with two perfect innings for the Twins, who opted for an all-reliever game to give their rotation a break during this stretch of 16 games without a day off.
Emilio Pagán was perfect for five outs. Brent Headrick (1-0) claimed his first major league victory with 2 1/3 innings after that, having been summoned on the fresh arm express from Triple-A before the game. Jhoan Duran, the sixth pitcher to appear, earned his ninth save in 10 attempts with a crisp ninth accelerated by a double-play grounder that pinch-hitter Eric Haase bounced to third baseman Royce Lewis.
“Shutouts are great, no matter who’s pitching,” Headrick said.
The Twins had only three hits themselves, thanks to Wentz (1-7). The left-hander had a career-high nine strikeouts over six innings to match his season-long turn, enjoying some fine glovework behind him.
First baseman Spencer Torkleson leaned over the wall to catch a foul pop against the protective netting down the line in the fourth inning. Second baseman Nick Maton ended the third with a leaping catch of Michael Taylor’s line drive.
The Twins made an even bigger impact on defense.
After Zack Short drew a two-out walk in the fifth for the first baserunner of the game. Miguel Cabrera doubled off Headrick down the left-field line, where Willi Castro grabbed it and threw it to shortstop Carlos Correa.
Correa fired a one-hopper home from the edge of the grass. Catcher Ryan Jeffers snagged it and brushed Short's backside with his glove in one motion, a close call that was confirmed after a long replay review.
“They have to make two perfect throws, and they did,” Short said. “I would do it again, 100 times out of 100.”
The Twins have taken six straight season series from the Tigers, going 65-40 against them from 2017-22. After launching this 10-game homestand with a two-game sweep of Milwaukee that appeared to wake up their slumbering lineup, the Twins stumbled right back to the .500 mark by dropping the first two games to previously skidding Detroit by a combined score of 15-5.
The Twins (36-35), who scored just one run 10 times and have been shutout five times over their first 70 games, entered the day with a 2 1/2-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central. The Tigers (29-40) are six games back.
“Our pitchers have been dominant, and they help us a ton,” Lewis said. “It’d be nice for us to put up 10 or 12 to help them sometimes.”
IMPROVING WENTZ
This was Wentz's 13th start this season for Detroit’s injury-depleted staff, having entered the afternoon with 45 earned runs allowed in 56 innings this year.
“It’s going to turn,” Short said. “He’s going to be a really good staple for this rotation.”
Wentz struck out five of the first seven batters on a Twins team that’s on pace to set the all-time major league record for strikeouts. With one out in the fifth, Lewis walked and Castro followed with a single for Minnesota's first hit.
Kirilloff, who homered on Friday night, smacked a single to right field to put the Twins on the board. Jeffers then hit a smash to the third baseman Short, who made a slick scoop and throw to second for the force out as Castro came home. Kirilloff's hard slide into Maton's legs prevented a double play.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Matt Manning, one of four starting pitchers on the injured list including ace Eduardo Rodriguez, will make a third rehab start next week with Triple-A Toledo. He's been out with a broken right foot since April 11.
Twins: RHP Kenta Maeda threw 81 pitches in his latest rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Baldelli didn't rule out the possibility of temporarily making a six-man rotation with Maeda.
UP NEXT
The Tigers had yet to declare their starter for Sunday afternoon. Rookie RHP Louie Varland (3-2, 4.70 ERA) will pitch for the Twins to finish the four-game series.
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Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
