Tigers hand Twins 91st loss

DETROIT - Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez hit home runs and Max Scherzer picked up his 18th victory to lead Detroit to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night that protected the Tigers’ two-game lead in the American League Central.
The Tigers entered with the two-game lead over Kansas City and reduced its magic number to two for clinching first place, pending the outcome of the Royals’ game in Chicago against the White Sox.
Scherzer (18-5) pitched just one clean inning - the first - and got into serious trouble in the fifth when the Twins scored both of their runs.
Right-handers Joakim Soria, Joba Chamberlain and Joe Nathan worked one inning each to close out the win, with Nathan getting his 34th save.
Twins rookie right-hander Trevor May (3-6) took the loss, giving up five hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and one intentional walk.
Detroit center fielder Rajai Davis doubled down the right field line to drive in catcher Alex Avila, who singled to left leading off the seventh inning against Minnesota reliever Ryan Pressly, to put the Tigers on top 4-2.
Minnesota got a two-run double from first baseman Joe Mauer into the left-center gap to slice the deficit to 3-2 in the fifth inning.
Cabrera gave Detroit a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, leading off with his 24th home run of the season.
Martinez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, his 32nd home run of the year. Martinez, at the urging of several teammates, saluted an imaginary fan in the outfield seats with a wave of his hand.
Martinez was accused of having someone in the stands with binoculars to steal signs for him Wednesday after Chicago White Sox LHP Chris Sale hit him with a pitch in the sixth inning of Detroit’s 6-1 victory.
NOTES: Twins RHP Phil Hughes turned down a chance to earn a $500,000 bonus by pitching in a relief role to get the one more out he needed. “I owe too much to this organization for the next two years to be risking getting hurt for an incentive,” said Hughes, 28, who pitched the last of his 209 2/3 innings Wednesday. ... RHP Justin Verlander is through for the regular season, but if the Tigers need to win a playoff game Monday, he will start. Verlander pitched Wednesday and earned his fifth win in his past six decisions. ... Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe will get a second opinion on the left forearm he broke Wednesday before making a decision on whether surgery is necessary.