Twins Secure 4-1 Win Against Tigers, Marking Third Consecutive Victory
Byron Buxton's powerful presence was felt on the field as he homered and crossed home plate twice, propelling the Minnesota Twins to a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. This win marks the Twins' third consecutive triumph.
On the mound, David Festa (2-2) delivered an impressive performance, pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. His command was evident as he struck out six batters without issuing a single walk. Jhoan Durán closed the game, securing his 12th save in the ninth inning.
Brooks Lee contributed significantly to the Twins' offense, driving in two runs during the game. The scoring began in the fourth inning when Matt Wallner and Lee hit back-to-back doubles, giving the Twins a 1-0 lead. Buxton extended that lead in the fifth with a towering homer to left field, making it 2-0.
The Twins added another run in the sixth inning. After reliever Brant Hurter replaced Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-1), who allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings, Hurter faced challenges. A wild pitch advanced a runner to second, followed by a walk to Ty France. Lee then delivered an RBI single, increasing the lead to 3-0. Hurter's struggles continued as he hit former Tiger Kody Clemens, loading the bases. However, Carlos Hernández came in to relieve Hurter and managed to escape further damage by striking out Harrison Bader and forcing Christian Vázquez into a groundout.
The Tigers attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh with two runners on base. Dillon Dingler grounded into a force out at third, and Parker Meadows popped out. They finally broke through in the eighth when Colt Keith tripled and scored on Gleyber Torres' single. Zach McKinstry then singled, placing runners on the corners, but Griffin Jax struck out both Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson to end the threat.
Earlier in the game, the Tigers had a chance to rally after Torres recorded their second hit with two outs in the sixth. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli opted to replace Festa with Danny Coulombe, prompting Tigers manager A.J. Hinch to send in pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones. The strategy backfired for Hinch as Jones grounded out to Lee at third base for a force at second.
Lee showcased his defensive skills earlier in the inning by making a remarkable play on a grounder from Javier Báez, preventing a larger rally.
The Tigers entered this matchup boasting an impressive 21-5 record in series-opening games this season, including a remarkable 12-1 at home.
Looking ahead, Detroit's right-handed pitcher Casey Mize (7-2, 2.88) is scheduled to face off against Minnesota's Bailey Ober (4-5, 4.90) on Saturday.
