The Minnesota Twins came another step closer to clinching the American League Central as they picked up a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.
As the Minnesota Twins head into the final week of the season, the first division title for the franchise since 2010 remains within reach. On Tuesday night, the Twins came a little bit closer to that goal as they picked up a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers, lowering their magic number to two with five games remaining on the schedule.
This game was all about the performance of starter Jake Odorizzi. With the Twins scrambling to field a postseason rotation, Odorizzi stepped up in a big way by shutting down the Tigers for six innings. With one earned run on two hits, a walk and seven strikeouts, Odorizzi appeared to be rounding into the form that made him an All-Star for the first time in his career.
While Odorizzi was shutting down the Tigers, Spencer Turnbull was doing the same to the Twins. The Detroit right-hander came into the game with an 0-10 record and 5.08 ERA at Comerica Park this year, but was able to hang onto a 1-0 lead after Jeimer Candelario hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Dawel Lugo in the first inning.
As the game dragged along, the Twins would finally create a rally in the top of the seventh inning after Jake Cave singled and LaMonte Wade doubled. After David McKay came into the game for the Tigers, Willians Astudillo would put the Twins ahead with a two-RBI single.
The Twins would add onto their lead later in the inning when Eddie Rosario doubled to drive in Astudillo and Jason Castro to create a 4-1 advantage for their bullpen.
There would be bad news for the Twins, however, as Odorizzi would leave the game with left hamstring tightness prior to the bottom of the seventh inning. After Kyle Gibson entered the game and allowed an RBI double from Lugo in the bottom of the eighth, Taylor Rogers would pitch a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth for his 29th save of the year and bring the Twins one step closer to the AL Central division title.
With the magic number down to two, the Twins have a chance to clinch the division on Wednesday night with a win against the Tigers and a loss by the Cleveland Indians to the Chicago White Sox. Minnesota will send Randy Dobnak (1-1, 2.01 ERA) to the mound opposite Daniel Norris (3-13, 4.58 ERA) for a 5:40 p.m. CT first pitch on Wednesday night.