Tigers 6, Twins 5: Woes continue into May

Today's game was a battle to the death between Ricky Nolasco and Mike Pelfrey; neither pitcher did well.

The Twins got to Pelf early, scoring 2 runs in the first. Both runs came after 2 outs when it looked like Pelfrey would have a quick inning. We've read this book before. Park and Arcia delivered the RBIs, Mauer and Sano the runs, Twins 2-0.

Not to be outdone, Ricky Nolasco gave up a run of his own in the 2nd on a sac fly, but limited the damage to just 1. In the 5th Anthony Gose tripled with 2 outs, and Jose Iglesias hit an infield single to tie the game at 2.

In the bottom of the 5th, the Twins were able to knock their old friend Pelfrey out of the game. Dozier walked, and Joe "Tall" Mauer hit a double off the top of the left field wall padding (an inch from a HR) for an RBI double. A single by Sano and a walk by Park loaded the bases. Pelfrey didn't record an out in the 5th, as he was taken out after this. Oswaldo Arcia poked a single to left to plate Mauer, and, after Escobar struck out, Suzuki hit a sac fly for the third and final run in the inning.

Through 5 innings, Nolasco had looked pretty decent. He was brought out for the 6th and even got the first 2 outs. Then everything fell apart. V-Mart and Upton singled, and then Nick Castellanos banged a 3 run HR to left to tie the game at 5-5.

The Twins offense went quiet after Pelfrey left. Their only threat the rest of the game came in the 8th, after Escobar was bunted over to 2nd, but nothing came of it. The shadows didn't seem to help matters, as it sat between the pitcher's mound and home plate. I've never hit a baseball but I imagine the ball coming out of the light and into the shadow makes it harder to track.

The Tigers were able to take the lead in the 8th off of Ryan Pressly.  A 2 out double by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and a bobbled relay by Escobar, allowed Upton to score from 1st.

In a very Twinsy fashion, Miguel Sano was the final out for the Twins after he hit a double but was thrown out trying to go to 3rd to end the game.

The Twins fall to 7-18.

Studs:

Joe Mauer (3-5, 2B, 2 R, RBI)

Oswaldo Arcia (2-4, 2 RBI)

Duds:

Ricky Nolasco ( 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 4 K)

Eddie Rosario and Brian Dozier (0-8, BB)

Robot roll call: