Detroit Tigers can't recover from defensive mistake in 4-3 loss to Minnesota Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — First baseman Spencer Torkelson continues to struggle on defense.

The Detroit Tigers were trying to keep the game close, but instead of escaping the fifth inning unscathed, Torkelson botched a ground ball directly at him to nix the chance at an inning-ending double play. The ball skipped underneath his legs, and following the mistake, the Minnesota Twins scored a pair of unearned runs.

It was a costly error because the Tigers lost, 4-3, to the Twins on Saturday in the second of three games at Target Field. Torkelson, who entered the game worth minus-3 defensive runs saved, needed to do his part to keep the game within striking distance, but he fumbled the ball in the fifth inning.

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The Tigers (11-10), responsible for nine errors in the past four games, finished with five hits and three walks in the one-run loss.

The trouble on offense began with Twins right-hander Bailey Ober, who allowed one run on two hits and one walk across six innings. He retired the first 13 batters he faced before Matt Vierling's single — hitting a fastball back up the middle — with one out in the fifth inning.

Ober didn't strike out any batters in his first time through the order, but he finished with six strikeouts.

The Tigers finally scored off Ober in the sixth inning, when Riley Greene drew a six-pitch walk with two outs. Rookie outfielder Wenceel Pérez cashed in with his second triple in as many days, smacking a two-strike fastball into the right-field corner. Another big hit from Pérez put the Tigers on the scoreboard, trailing 4-1.

Torkelson flew out to left field to strand Pérez at third base.

The Tigers struck again with one out in the seventh inning when Javier Báez ripped a two-strike curveball from right-handed reliever Cole Sands to left-center field for a double. Vierling, who singled, scored on the play to make it 4-2, but Buddy Kennedy, who pinch-hit for Colt Keith and drew a walk, was held up at third base. After Parker Meadows popped out, the Tigers had two runners in scoring position with two outs for pinch-hitter Mark Canha.

Canha struck out swinging to strand the runners.

He chased an up-and-in fastball from Sands.

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Had Torkelson, worth minus-11 DRS last season, turned the double play in the fifth inning, the Tigers and Twins would have been tied, 2-2, after seven innings. Instead, the Tigers trailed by two runs, 4-2, after the seventh.

Kerry Carpenter cut the deficit to 4-3 with an RBI single in the eighth inning against left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk. It marked his first hit off a lefty pitcher in six plate appearances this season.

But the Tigers couldn't complete the comeback.

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Reese Olson battles

Right-hander Reese Olson gave up four runs, but only two of them were earned runs. He allowed four runs (two earned runs) on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts across five innings, throwing 95 pitches.

The Twins scored the two earned runs in the second and third inning before Torkelson's mishap in the fifth inning.

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In the second inning, Byron Buxton hit a leadoff double and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. He scored on Willi Castro's sacrifice fly to left field. Greene, the left fielder, made a diving catch toward the foul line, but Buxton had more than enough time to tag up and score for a 1-0 lead.

In the third inning, Austin Martin hit a leadoff double and advanced to third base on a groundout. He scored on Ryan Jeffers' sacrifice fly to right field. The Twins took a 2-0 lead on their second of three sacrifice flies.

Olson threw 31 sliders, 22 fastballs, 19 changeups, 17 sinkers and six curveballs. He generated 13 whiffs (on 47 swings) with six sliders, two fastballs, four changeups and one sinker.

His fastball averaged 93.9 mph.

After Olson, left-handed reliever Joey Wentz completed 1⅔ innings. Right-handed reliever Alex Lange finished the seventh inning, only to put runners on the corners with one out in the eighth inning. He stranded the runners with a strikeout and a flyout. On the flyout, Pérez took a bad route in right field and had to dive, but somehow, he got his glove on the ball.

Javier Báez's defense

Báez delivered a key double in the seventh inning.

He also flashed the leather in the fourth to keep the Twins from scoring in that inning. Jose Miranda hit a fastball back up the middle, but Báez chased after it and made a diving stop with his glove.

Báez, who entered the game worth plus-2 DRS, flipped the ball — using only his glove — to Keith at second base. Keith received the ball, turned toward first base and fired the ball to Torkelson to complete the double play.

It was a one-of-a-kind play.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers can't recover from error in 4-3 loss to Minnesota Twins