Ronny Rodriguez, Tigers power past Twins, who set MLB home-run record

DETROIT (AP) — The Minnesota Twins capped a night of sensational slugging by breaking the major league record for home runs in a season, but that wasn’t enough to overcome Detroit’s seven-run third inning in the Tigers’ 10-7 victory Saturday night.

The Twins homered six times to bring their season total to 268, one more than the New York Yankees managed last year. Minnesota broke the mark when Mitch Garver led off the ninth with a drive to left — his second home run of the game. Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, C.J. Cron and Nelson Cruz also went deep for Minnesota, which passed the 1997 Seattle Mariners (264 homers) during the game.

Ronny Rodriguez hit a pair of two-run homers for the Tigers, who snapped a six-game skid and halted a six-game winning streak by the AL Central-leading Twins. Detroit sent 11 men to the plate in the third.

Matthew Boyd (7-10) allowed five runs and six hits in six innings for Detroit. He struck out 11 with one walk.

Martin Perez (9-6) allowed seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Minnesota led 2-1 in the bottom of the third, but with one out, Perez allowed eight straight hitters to reach base. Miguel Cabrera put the Tigers up 3-2 with an RBI double, and Rodriguez followed with a two-run shot.

Victor Reyes had two hits in the inning, including a run-scoring single that made it 8-2.

Garver led off the game with a towering home run to left field, and after the Tigers answered with an unearned run, Kepler put the Twins up 2-1 with his 36th homer of the year.

Only one of Minnesota’s home runs came with anyone on base, a two-run shot by Polanco in the fifth that made it 8-4.

After Cruz tied the record with a 450-foot home run to the bushes beyond the wall in center, the Twins loaded the bases in the eighth, but Jose Cisnero struck out pinch hitter Luis Arraez to end the threat with Detroit up 10-6.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: Manager Rocco Baldelli said RHP Michael Pineda is in a good spot right now in terms of his innings and should be fine going forward. Pineda missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery. He has thrown 134 innings in 2019.

Tigers: Cabrera was in the lineup for the first time since Tuesday, when he left with tightness in his left biceps.

UP NEXT

Twins: Pineda (10-5) takes the mound Sunday in the third game of this four-game series.

Tigers: Spencer Turnbull (3-13) starts for Detroit.