DETROIT – A costly base running decision proved to be the difference Wednesday as the Detroit Tigers lost the rubber match against the Minnesota Twins.
Detroit got off to another great start, as rookie sensation Akil Baddoo roped an RBI triple into the right-center field gap in the second inning.
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Minnesota answered with a run in the fifth, but the Tigers immediately answered to take a 2-1 lead. The Twins scored a pair in the top of the sixth, though, and carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom half.
That’s when Miguel Cabrera came up with Willi Castro on first base an no outs. Cabrera blasted a double into the left-center field gap, and third base coach Chip Hale sent Castro home. The Twins executed the relay and got Castro by several feet.
Instead of having runners on second and third with no outs, the Tigers were handcuffed with the slow running Cabrera at second base as the tying run and one out. Nomar Mazara hit a single, but Cabrera couldn’t score. In the end, the Tigers didn’t score despite getting a single, a double, a single and a walk in the frame.
Aside from getting thrown out at home with no outs, it was an especially puzzling decision since the Tigers had the heart of the order -- Jeimer Candelario, Mazara and Schoop -- coming to the dish.
Matt Boyd gave the Tigers another strong outing, allowing three runs in seven innings while striking out eight batters.
The offense never threatened again, and the Twins won by a final score of 3-2. It dropped the Tigers to 3-3 on the season.