Tigers beat Twins 5-1
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Miguel Cabrera set off an "MVP!" chant with his career-high 38th homer, helping the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 5-1 Sunday in their final home game of the season.
Cabrera's two-run liner to left gave the Tigers a four-run lead in the seventh inning. Ramon Santiago hit a three-run shot in the fourth.
The Tigers set a Comerica Park record with 52 wins at home this year. They are 19 games below .500 on the road.
Rick Porcello (10-11) gave up a solo homer to Delmon Young and just three other hits over eight innings.
Support Local News
When breaking news happens, MPR News provides the context you need. Help us meet the significant demands of these newsgathering efforts.
Brian Duensing (10-3) allowed five runs, seven hits and four walks over 6 2-3 innings for the AL Central champions.
The banged-up Twins played without Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Denard Span, J.J. Hardy and Jason Repko.
Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire was back in the dugout after missing Saturday night's game because he was hit in the ear by a ball thrown by Alexi Casilla during batting practice.
Gardenhire said he plans to use Mauer, who has a sore left knee, as a designated hitter Monday at home against Kansas City and could let him catch during the last weekend of the regular season.
Morneau might not make it back to help the Twins in the playoffs, but Span (foot), Hardy (knee) and Repko (thumb) are expected to be healthy enough to play later this week.
Young hit a no-doubt, 386-foot shot to left field to put Minnesota ahead 1-0 in the fourth.
The lead didn't last long because Santiago's third homer put Detroit up 3-1 in the home half.
Cabrera broke the game open with a 358-foot homer to left that might not have been more than 15 feet above the ground at any time, leading to perhaps the loudest "MVP" chants of the season at Comerica Park.
NOTES: Tigers RHP Jeremy Bonderman and C Gerald Laird said before the game they don't expect to be back with the team next season. ... Minnesota, trying to finish with the AL's best record, closes the regular season at home with three games against the Royals and four against Toronto. ... The game drew 32,021 - despite nothing being at stake and with the Lions playing at Minnesota - to raise the season total to 2,461,237. ... Detroit's previous record for wins at Comerica Park, which opened in 2000, was set last year with a 51-30 record.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
