By Dan Myers
Sports Xchange
MINNEAPOLIS - Ian Kinsler had knocked in three runs and left-hander David Price pitched seven quality innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 at Target Field on Thursday.
Kinsler knocked in the first run, the tying run and the winning run against Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey.
Kinsler’s biggest hit of the night came with two outs in the eighth and the game tied at 2.
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After a leadoff single by first baseman Marc Krauss, Tigers center fielder Anthony Gose sent a long fly ball to center that bounced off the wall. The Twins relay threw out Krauss at the plate trying to score, but allowed Gose to take third.
With the infield in, shortstop Jose Iglesias grounded out to short, bringing Kinsler to the plate. Pelfrey threw Kinsler a 95 mph fastball with a 2-2 count that Kinsler hit off the very top of the wall in left field, scoring Gose for the go-ahead run.
Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes followed with an RBI double of his own off Twins reliever Blaine Boyer to make it a 4-2 game.
Price worked out of several early jams, allowing just two unearned runs while walking three and striking out eight in eight innings of work. He retired the final 10 men he faced after an RBI single by Torii Hunter in the fifth inning.
Closer Joakim Soria worked a scoreless ninth for his 20th save.
Pelfrey was charged with all four runs in 7 2/3 innings, giving up eight hits and walking none while fanning four. Pelfrey has lost his last three decisions and is 1-5 since the beginning of June.
Detroit struck on the second pitch of the game when Kinsler hit a 1-0 fastball from Pelfrey over the left field fence for his third home run of the season. It was Kinsler’s 32nd career leadoff homer and his first this season.
Price wiggled out of a trio of jams in the first four innings, allowing the first two men to reach in both the first and second innings.
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He held the Twins at bay until the fifth, when a pair of errors by third baseman Nick Castellanos allowed the Twins to score two unearned runs and take a 2-1 lead.
Notes: Tigers RHP Shane Greene will start Sunday against the Twins, according to manager Brad Ausmus. Greene was removed from his Wednesday start with Triple-A Toledo after just 38 pitches and is expected to arrive in the Twin Cities on Saturday. He was 4-6 with a 5.82 ERA in 13 starts for Detroit earlier this season. ... Tigers LHP Kyle Lobstein, out since May 24 with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, was cleared to begin a throwing program. ... Twins RHP Mike Pelfrey made his 200th major league start Wednesday. The start was his 51st with the Twins after he made 149 starts for the New York Mets. ... The Tigers and Twins will continue their four-game series today at Target Field. Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (0-2, 6.75) will face Minnesota RHP Ervin Santana (0-0, 2.25 ERA).
