MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Trey Sweeney drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, Casey Mize struck out 10 batters, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Saturday night.
Kerry Carpenter homered and Jahmai Jones had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers, who have won six of their last seven games.
Mize (12-4) gave up four runs on four hits to win his third straight start. The 10 strikeouts ties his career high.
Kyle Finnegan pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 24th save and fourth in four chances since arriving in a July 31 trade with the Nationals.
Brooks Lee had a triple and drove in three runs for the Twins, who have lost five of six games.
With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh, the Tigers rallied for three runs against r Brooks Kriske (0-1). Wenceel Pérez led off with a double and moved to third on an infield groundout.
Dillon Dingler walked, and Sweeney followed with a smash that third baseman Royce Lewis couldn’t handle. Pérez scored on what was ruled a single for Sweeney. Jones drove in another run with a double, and a third run scored on a wild pitch.
The Twins got two back in the seventh and loaded the based with two out in the eighth, but Will Vest struck out Lee on three pitches to end that threat.
Detroit added two runs in the ninth.
Key moment
In the seventh inning, Dingler fouled off six two-strike pitches in a 12-pitch battle with Kriske before earning a walk. Sweeney followed with his go-ahead single and the Tigers ended up scoring three runs in the inning.
Key stat
Minnesota pitchers walked nine and hit a batter.
Up next
Tigers RHP Chris Paddack (4-10, 4.16 ERA) will face his former team in Sunday’s series finale. The Twins have not named a starter.
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