Minnesota Twins lose to Detroit Tigers 7-6 at Comerica Park – MLB news
Minnesota Twins continue their downwards spiral after the Detroit Tigers came from behind to win 7-6 at the Comerica Park on Thursday, May 23, 2013. The loss was the ninth straight suffered by the Minnesota ballclub who are losing a little too much too early.
The game could have been different had relief pitcher Jared Burton been able to collect a line drive by Prince Fielder cleanly in the bottom of the eighth innings. The result was the go ahead run which proved decisive.
The reliever was disappointed by the effort and felt that the batter had done their job. Jared believed that had he done his properly, the Twins would have gotten a much needed win. The pitcher was hurting over the defeat.
“It's tough,” Burton said. “I felt the offense did enough early on where we should've won that game. Unfortunately, I didn't do my job. It cost us a much-needed win and we're obviously going through a tough stretch. So for it to get away from us like that
hurts.”
The Tigers went ahead in the first by scoring two runs in the first innings. The Twins were able to cut the lead into half in the next innings. In the third, the Twins added another four run with the help of an RBI single by Joe Mauer and then a three-run
home-run by Josh Willingham.
With the score on 5-3 in favour of the Minnesota ballclub, Josh Willingham scored his eighth home-run of the season in the seventh innings. The lead should have been sufficient but a three-run bottom of the innings brought the two teams on even terms before
the missed opportunity in the eighth.
Scott Diamond, the starting pitcher for the Twins, felts that he could have done better and had he had a better control in the fifth innings, he could have gone deeper in the game and that could have made the difference.
“I was able to make some adjustments and stayed aggressive for most of the game,” Diamond said. “But if that fifth inning didn't happen the way it did, I would've been able to eat up some more innings, because that's what we needed tonight and I wasn't able
to do that.”
Ron Gardenhire, the manager for the Twins, was pleased with how Josh Willingham performed in the game. He was obviously somewhat disappointed by the miss in the eighth innings that eventually cost his team the match.
This game should make the players in the Minnesota ballclub understand that nothing can be taken for granted at this level. They will need to up their intensity and keep it there for them to win games consistently against strong oppositions. The slide is
certainly hurting their chances of making it to the post-season this time around.
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