MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Brooks Lee hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning for the Minnesota Twins in a 3-1 victory to complete a four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
Mick Abel pitched six scoreless innings and Josh Bell went 3 for 4 with a home run for the Twins, who posted the first four-game sweep in Major League Baseball this season. The last team the Twins swept in four games was the Athletics in June 2024.
Gleyber Torres tied the game in the seventh with a sacrifice fly for the Tigers, who lost their eighth consecutive road game. They lost center fielder Parker Meadows in the eighth after a head-to-head collision as left fielder Riley Greene caught Bell’s fly ball.
Eric Orze pitched a perfect ninth to become the fifth different Twins pitcher to record a save in 13 games this season, after Garrett Acton went two innings for his first career win.
Abel struck out seven batters and stranded seven runners, including five in scoring position as the Tigers lost their eighth straight road game. Minnesota has surrendered two first-inning runs in 13 games. Only Cleveland (one) has allowed fewer in the major leagues.
The Twins (7-6) moved above the .500 mark for the first time since they were 36-35 last June 16.
The Tigers, who finished a stretch of 10 of 13 games on the road, took the best batting average in baseball with runners in scoring position into the game and went 0 for 11 in those situations.
Detroit hosts Miami in a three-game series starting on Friday. Chris Paddack pitches for the Marlins, and Keider Montero takes the mound for the Tigers.
Minnesota begins a three-game series at Toronto on Friday. Simeon Woods Richardson pitches for the Twins, and Patrick Corbin makes his season debut for the Blue Jays.
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