Twins 6, Tigers 2
DETROIT - Veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki singled home the tie-breaking run in Minnesota's two-run seventh inning and the Twins got a ninth-inning two-run home run from shortstop Eduardo Escobar to stay in the hunt for the American League's second wild-card spot Saturday night with a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
The win kept Minnesota 1 1/2 games behind Houston, which defeated Texas earlier in the day. The Los Angeles Angels also are involved in the battle for the final berth.
The Tigers learned before the game that manager Brad Ausmus and his staff would be returning to their jobs in 2016, ending speculation they would not survive the transition in general managers from Dave Dombrowski to Al Avila.
Minnesota right fielder Torii Hunter walked with one out in the seventh and center fielder Aaron Hicks singled. Suzuki grounded a single to left, scoring Hunter. Hicks stole third and scored when Escobar grounded into a forceout.
Suzuki had his third single of the game with two out in the ninth and came home on Escobar's 12th home run, off left-hander Kyle Lobstein.
Rookie right-hander Tyler Duffey (5-1) defeated Detroit for the second time this season, scattering eight hits over six innings with one walk and three strikeouts. Right-handers Blaine Boyer, Trevor May and Kevin Jepsen worked the last three innings to nail down the game.
Right-hander Alfredo Simon (13-11) gave up eight hits in eight innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Detroit had a three-game winning streak snapped.
The Tigers tied the score 2-2 in the fourth when first baseman Miguel Cabrera singled and went to third on a ground-rule double to left center by right fielder J.D. Martinez.
Third baseman Nick Castellanos delivered an RBI double and rookie catcher James McCann added a run-scoring single.
Escobar tripled to open the third for Minnesota and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by second baseman Brian Dozier, putting the Twins ahead 2-0.
Dozier doubled as the first batter in the game, went to third on a sharp single to right by first baseman Joe Mauer and scored when rookie designated hitter Miguel Sano reached base on an error by Detroit shortstop Dixon Machado.
NOTES: Tigers GM Al Avila announced before the game that manager Brad Ausmus and his coaching staff will return for the 2016 season. There was speculation that he would not survive the transition from fired GM Dave Dombrowski to Avila. ... Twins RHP Trevor May, who had not pitched since Sept. 19 because of lower back problems, pitched a scoreless inning on Saturday. ... Minnesota LHP Tommy Milone threw a bullpen Saturday and could return to action next week. ... Detroit SS Jose Iglesias will need to show he can swing a bat in the next day or two, otherwise the chip fracture on his right middle finger will not allow him to return to the field this season.