Apr 13, 2024, 05:48 PM ET
DETROIT — Third baseman Zach McKinstry accounted for six runs allowed in a bizarre 12th inning, as the Tigers dropped a lengthy 11-5 decision to the Minnesota Twins in the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
Stuck in a 4-4 game in the 12th, the Twins took advantage of a bases-loaded walk and a three-run error by McKinstry at third, when Ryan Jeffers hit a grounder that went through his legs.
Then, needing pitchers on a long day when his club had already used five, Detroit manager AJ Hinch called on McKinstry to take the mound and help the Tigers get out of the inning. McKinstry proceeded to walk Manuel Margot before allowing a three-run homer to Matt Wallner.
“The 12th was a mess of an inning,” Hinch said. “The game, we had tons of opportunities. In the new rule of extra innings, when you hold the opponent in the top half of the inning to no runs, you’ve got to score. That’s where you have to put the game away. Those missed opportunities are missed wins.”
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli lauded Jeffers’ effort in what ended up being a 12-pitch at-bat that led to the error, before adding that “the ball was hit hard, and it took a funny hop. That’s why it kind of led to what it did. Obviously, that was a huge moment of separation for us.”
The Twins ultimately scored eight runs in extra innings, the most in franchise history since Aug. 1, 1970, which also came in a victory over the Tigers, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
“We had to do a lot of good, crisp baseball things today,” Baldelli said. “Our pitching led the way today. … It couldn’t have worked out much better.”
Detroit reliever Alex Lange (0-1), who loaded the bases before McKinstry’s error, took the loss, ending Detroit’s two-game winning streak. He walked Willi Castro to start the 12th and Christian Vazquez bunted, but first baseman Spencer Torkelson‘s throw to third was late, setting the stage for the error.
The Tigers finished Game 1 with 17 strikeouts.
“That’s not a recipe for more runs,” Hinch said. “We’re certainly more of a contact team than we’ve shown the last few games. We want that to be just a little bit of an anomaly. But it’s been the story the last couple of days.”
Tigers starter Kenta Maeda allowed two runs — one earned — on five hits in six innings against his old team. He struck out five without walking a batter. Jorge Alcala (1-0) picked up the win after allowing a run in the 12th.
Minnesota’s Joe Ryan struck out a career-high 12 batters in six innings but gave up three runs — one earned — on six hits and a walk.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first when Kerry Carpenter homered. Martin’s RBI double made it 2-1 in the third.
Maeda had a chance at an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play in the fifth, but his throw sailed into center field to put runners on the corners. Santana grounded to first, but the Tigers again failed to turn the double play, allowing Martin to score the tying run from third.
Colt Keith‘s RBI single put the Tigers up 3-2 in the sixth, but Jeffers tied the game with a pinch-hit homer off Shelby Miller in the eighth. He also drove in Minnesota’s 11th-inning run with a single.
In the second game, Edouard Julien and Willi Castro homered as the Twins completed the doubleheader sweep with a 4-1 victory. McKinstry did not start the nightcap, but struck out swinging in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter.
“That’s a bad sign, if one game like that carried into the other,” Hinch said, when asked if Game 1’s disappointment led to Game 2’s result. “I don’t think it did. This team is too resilient. … I don’t think that’s what the DNA of this team is.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
