Dillon Dingler drove in three runs, Charlie Morton pitched six strong innings and the Detroit Tigers blanked the Minnesota Twins 7-0 on Friday in Minneapolis.
Javier Baez had two hits and drove in two runs for the Tigers, who have won five of their last six games. Spencer Torkelson reached base three times and scored two runs.
Morton (8-10) gave up two hits and walked three while striking out five in his third start since Detroit acquired him from Baltimore at the trade deadline.
Tommy Kahnle, Brant Hurter and Bailey Horn each tossed an inning of relief to complete the Tigers’ second shutout in the past three games.
Minnesota starter Pierson Ohl (0-3) gave up seven runs, three earned, and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked two and fanned one as the Twins fell for the fourth time in five games.
An error and a prolonged plate appearance fueled the Tigers’ five-run first inning. Colt Keith and Gleyber Torres had back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Kerry Carpenter then hit a bouncer to second baseman Luke Keaschall, who booted the ball as Keith scored.
After a flyout, Torkelson drew a 12-pitch walk. Ohl recorded a strikeout before Dingler blooped a single to center, bringing home two runs. Zach McKinstry followed with an RBI single and Baez ripped a double down the third base line, knocking in Dingler. McKinstry was thrown out at the plate on the same play.
Detroit made it 7-0 in the third. Torkelson led off with a single and Wenceel Perez drew a walk. Dingler then smacked a double off the left field wall, bringing home Torkelson. After Jose Urena replaced Ohl, Perez scored on Baez’s sacrifice fly.
Morton walked two batters in the first and gave up a leadoff double in the second. He allowed another walk and hit a batter in the fourth, but each time he left the runners stranded.
Keaschall had a one-out single in the sixth but was erased on a Matt Wallner double-play ball, which wound up being Morton’s last pitch of the night.
–Field Level Media
