Schoop hits Twins’ 300th homer in 10-4 win over Tigers

DETROIT (AP) — Jonathan Schoop hit Minnesota’s record 300th home run, Willians Astudillo also went deep and the AL Central champion Twins rallied past the Detroit Tigers 10-4 Thursday to move within one victory of giving the major leagues four 100-win teams for the first time.

Minnesota was tied with the New York Yankees for the big league lead with 299 homers coming in. With the Twins ahead 6-4 in the seventh, Schoop lofted Jose Cisnero’s slider to deep left, and a strong breeze pushed the ball into the Tigers bullpen. Astudillo connected off Zac Reininger in the eighth.

Before this year, the record for home runs by a team was 267 from the Yankees last year.

A day after clinching its first division title since 2020, the Twins rested most of their regular starters and improved to 99-60 with their 10th win in 13 games.

Houston (104), the Yankees (102) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (102) have already reached 100 wins. The only prior years with three 100-win teams were 1942, 1977, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2017 and 2018.

Minnesota closes the season at home against Kansas City, among a record-tying four teams with 100 losses.

Detroit (46-112), already assured of the big leagues’ worst record and next year’s top draft pick, finished 22-59 at Comerica Park and tied the major league record for home losses set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns.

Devin Smeltzer (2-2) allowed three runs and 10 hits in five innings.

Jordan Zimmermann (1-13) lost his fourth straight start, giving up six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Zimmermann started 23 times this season and set a team record for fewest wins by a pitcher with 20 or more starts. Art Houtteman had two runs in 20 starts in 1948.

Willi Castro and Victor Reyes hit RBI singles in the fourth for a 3-2 lead, but Minnesota went ahead 6-3 on Astudillo’s RBI single, Jake Cave’s two-run triple and Victor Alcantara’s wild pitch.

ATTENDANCE

The crowd of 17,557 raised Detroit’s home season total to 1,501,430, down from 1,856,970 last season and the Tigers’ lowest since they drew 1,368,245 fans during their 119-loss season in 2003.

WADE-ING IN

LaMonte Wade Jr., usually an outfielder, making his professional debut at first base. Wade, who borrowed Max Kepler’s mitt, said he last played the position in college.

UP NEXT

Twins: Minnesota has not announced a starter for Friday’s opener. LHP Eric Skoglund (0-2, 7.50) is to start for Kansas City.

Tigers: LHP Tyler Alexander (1-3, 4.99) starts the opener of Friday’s doubleheader at the Chicago White Sox and RHP Iván Nova (11-12, 4.80).