Royce Lewis and Willi Castro lead Twins to 6-3 comeback win over Tigers
Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis (23) celebrates scoring against the Detroit Tigers in the 10th inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Paul Sancya
DETROIT — Royce Lewis scored the tying run in the eighth inning and drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th as the Minnesota Twins rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 on Sunday and win the three-game series.
Minnesota trailed 3-2 going into the eighth, but Lewis walked with two outs, advanced to second on Ryan Jeffers' pinch-hit single and scored when third baseman Nick Maton threw away Willi Castro's grounder.
The Twins had two on with two out in the ninth and Alex Lange got Carlos Correa to hit a 108.7-mph line drive at left fielder Matt Vierling.
Lewis led off the 10th with a single off Tigers reliever Brendan White (1-1) that bounced off Maton's glove, allowing Correa to score the go-ahead run.
“I'm getting Carlos a steak dinner for getting home on that play,” Lewis said. “That shows you how much we were fighting and hustling to win this game.”
After a sacrifice bunt, Castro's RBI single put the Twins up 5-3. Christian Vázquez's base hit made it 6-3.
“That is the kind of game I grew up playing in California,” Lewis said. “We were aggressive and making things happen on the bases.”
Detroit Tigers third baseman Nick Maton throws to first base on a Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro ground ball in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Detroit. Mason was given an error on the throw that scored Royce Lewis. Credit: AP/Paul Sancya
The Tigers optioned Maton to Triple-A Toledo after the game. He is hitting .163 with a .576 OPS.
“Everyone can see today was a bad day for him, but that's just part of it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He needs to make some adjustments both offensively and defensively, and Toledo is a better environment for him than trying to do that here.”
Twins reliever Griffin Jax (4-6) got the win. Jhoan Duran pitched the 10th for his 11th save.
“This was a pretty tough series to win,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said a day after his team lost 3-2. “We really had to grind things out for all three games, and it is rewarding to see those things come together to win us a game in the 10th inning.”
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Griffin Jax (22) throws against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Paul Sancya
Tigers starter Michael Lorenzen allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out four.
Twins starter Bailey Ober gave up three runs on five hits in six innings.
The Twins took an early lead on Donovan Solano's two-run home run in the top of the third, but Zach McKinstry tied it with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning before scoring on Kerry Carpenter's base hit.
“I thought we really did a good job of getting to Ober in the third inning, but that was about all we created,” Hinch said. “We need to be able to keep the pressure on him and get him out of the game.”
Minnesota had runners on the corners with one out in the fifth, but Correa grounded into his second double play of the game.
ROSTER MOVE
The Tigers did not immediately confirm who would be coming up to replace Maton, but utility player Tyler Nevin was scratched from Toledo's starting lineup shortly after the move was announced.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins RHP José De León was placed on the 15-day injured list after hurting his elbow while warming up on Saturday. Minnesota replaced him on the active roster by recalling RHP Josh Winder from Triple-A St. Paul.
UP NEXT
The Twins start a three-game series with the Braves on Monday. Minnesota's RHP Sonny Gray (4-1, 2.56 ERA) will face Atlanta ace RHP Spencer Strider (8-2, 3.93).
Detroit opens a four-game series in Texas on Monday. LHP Andrew Heaney (5-4, 3.98) will pitch for the Rangers against Tigers LHP Matthew Boyd (5-5, 5.37).
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