Jonathan Schoop powers Detroit Tigers over Twins 4-0 in Game 2; another pitcher gets hurt
Jonathan Schoop provided the offense, Joey Wentz and the bullpen provided the pitching, Kody Clemens provided some intrigue and the Tigers provided the fans with some cheers.
Schoop hit a two-run home run in the first, followed it with a two-out, two-run single in the second and the pitching staff did the rest as the Detroit Tigers (19-30) beat the Twins 4-0 in Game 2 of Tuesday's double header.
Detroit lost Game 1 of the double-header 8-2 on Tuesday, and afterwards manager A.J. Hinch lamented falling behind early — the Tigers are 6-25 when the opposition scores first and 13-5 when they score first on the season.
They didn't wait long to get the bats going in the night cap, with Willi Castro leading the game off with a single to left and Schoop hammering a 2-2 slider, 387-feet into the left field seats.
The Tigers put two runners in scoring position again in the second and after a Castro strikeout, Schoop again came to the plate and hit a cue-job to the right side of the infield.
Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco ranged to his left, slightly over ran it and got a bad hop as the ball caromed off his glove and into centerfield allowing Jeimer Candelario (who reached on a walk) and Daz Cameron (who reached on a single) to score and make it 4-0.
After a Harold Castro double, it looked like Javy Baez was going to make it a 6-0 game, but Trevor Larnach made a diving play in right field to take away a two-run hit.
Still, the four spot put in the the first two innings seemed as if that may be enough for starter Joey Wentz who was in cruise control for most of the night.
Wentz retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced — a single with two outs in the third the only "damage" of the night — on 51 pitches (34) strikes through four innings.
However the 24-year-old came back out in the fifth and in his fourth pitch of the inning threw a 2-1 cutter for a strike to Larnach, but immediately after the pitch members of the infield signaled to the dugout for trainer Doug Teter and Hinch to take a look.
After a brief discussion, Wentz was pulled after suffering a left-shoulder strain.
Willy Peralta came in for relief, walked two batters in the inning, but got out unscathed when Jermaine Palacios hit a ground ball to Candearlio who stepped on the third base bag.
After Schoop's single in the second, the Tigers bats went quiet, getting just three base runners (two walks and a hit-by pitch) for the rest of the game.
Fortunately for the offense, the Tigers' staff shut down the Twins bats as well. Minnesota managed just one hit in the first 6⅓ Innings before Larnach ripped a double to right in the seventh off of Andrew Chafin.
He advanced on a fielders choice, but would be stranded at third when Javy Baez charged a bouncing ball up the middle and fired a strike to Torkelson to beat Nick Gordon by half-a-step and save a run.
Jason Foley worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Michael Fulmer struck out two in a perfect ninth to close out the victory. Detroit has won five of its past seven games.
Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on twitter at @realtonygarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers beat Twins, 4-0, in Game 2 but lose Joey Wentz
