Tigers Pull Off Thrilling Comeback Against Twins in 7-6 Victory

In an electrifying showdown on Friday night, the Detroit Tigers edged out the Minnesota Twins with a nail-biting 7-6 victory. Dillon Dingler was the star of the night, racking up three hits, driving in an RBI, and crossing home plate himself.

The Tigers' 5-6-7 hitters—Colt Keith, Zach McKinstry, and Dingler—were on fire, combining for six hits, four RBIs, and three runs scored. Detroit capitalized on two costly errors from the Twins, marking their sixth win in the last seven games.

Will Vest (1-0) earned the win after delivering 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Tommy Kahnle secured his second save of the season, despite allowing three hits and a run in the tense ninth inning. The game concluded dramatically with Mickey Gasper's check-swing grounder to first, leaving the tying run stranded on third base.

The turning point came in the sixth inning when the Tigers exploded for four runs, taking a 5-4 lead. After two walks and an infield hit loaded the bases against reliever Jorge Alcala (0-2), McKinstry delivered a clutch two-run single, Dingler added another run, and a fielder's choice brought in yet another run.

On the other side, Minnesota's Byron Buxton shone brightly, hitting a solo homer in the eighth inning, scoring three runs, and driving in two RBIs. Teammates Edouard Julien and Ty France also contributed significantly, each notching three hits.

Starting pitcher David Festa made his season debut for the Twins, going 4 2/3 innings while allowing three hits and an unearned run. He stepped in for Pablo López, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strained right hamstring.

Dingler showcased his speed in the fifth inning, scoring from first base to tie the game when Gleyber Torres hit a single to right. A wild throw from Matt Wallner to third ended up in the Twins' dugout, allowing Dingler to sprint home. Torres, activated from the 10-day injured list, made a strong return with two hits.

Despite their starters boasting a remarkable 0.40 ERA over the last four games, the Twins have struggled, losing five of their last six matchups. They have only allowed one earned run in 22 1/3 innings during that stretch.

Looking ahead, the Tigers are set to face off against RHP Chris Paddack (0-1, 14.73) on Saturday, with RHP Jackson Jobe (0-0, 5.00) taking the mound for Detroit.