Verlander helps Tigers salvage split with Twins

AMERICAN LEAGUE

TWINS 12-6, TIGERS 4-8

MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Verlander labored into the sixth inning, Nick Castellanos had two hits and two RBI, and the Detroit Tigers salvaged a doubleheader split by beating the Minnesota Twins 8-6 in the second game.

Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) and J.D. Martinez each had three of Detroit’s 17 hits, and Joe Nathan notched his 27th save in 32 attempts. Verlander (11-11) improved to 5-0 in seven career starts at Target Field.

Still, the Tigers dropped a season-worst three games behind firstplace Kansas City in the AL Central. They also fell a game behind Seattle for the second wild-card spot.

In the opener, Twins rookie Kennys Vargas drove in a career-high five and Joe Mauer had three RBI to help Yohan Pino win his first start in more than a month.

Vargas went 2 for 4 with two doubles and a sacrifice fly. The rookie has 22 RBI in his first 21 major league games since making his debut on Aug. 1 — the most in a big league player’s first 21 games since Albert Pujols had 22 in April 2001.

Minnesota scored seven runs off starter Buck Farmer (0-1), who lasted just 11/ innings and ran his ERA to

3 15.63 in his second career start. A day after watching Tigers pitchers give up 20 runs on a combined 214 pitches, Farmer allowed six runs in the second as the Twins batted around for the third time in nine innings.

Vargas’ double off Pat McCoy scored Mauer to make it 7-1, giving Pino (2-5) a nice cushion. Pino worked 5 innings, allowing 4 runs and 6 hits while striking out 6.

ROYALS 6, RANGERS 3 Jeremy Guthrie gave up a home run on his first pitch and not much else, pitching Kansas City past host Texas for its 24th victory in 30 games.

ATHLETICS 2, ANGELS 1 Coco Crisp scored the two go-ahead outs in the run eighth on Joe inning, Smith’s and wild Oakland pitch beat with visiting YANKEES Los Angeles. 5, WHITE SOX 3 Carlos Beltran hit a home run in his return to the lineup, Martin Prado had another go-ahead hit and New York beat visiting Chicago.

BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 4 (10) Jose Reyes singled home the winning run in the 10th inning, and host Toronto beat Tampa Bay.

MARINERS 7, RED SOX 3 Dustin Ackley’s three-run home run capped a seven-run fourth inning that carried visiting Seattle to a victory over Boston.

INDIANS 3, ASTROS 2 Rookie Jose Ramirez’s ninth-inning single lifted host Cleveland to a victory over Houston.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CARDINALS 6, PHILLIES 5 (12) Matt Carpenter hit a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning, lifting visiting St. Louis over Philadelphia. The Cardinals closed within a half-game of NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

NATIONALS 6, GIANTS 2 Jordan Zimmermann pitched eight strong innings, Asdrubal Cabrera

homered and host Washington earned a victory over San Francisco.

PIRATES 10, BREWERS 2 Pedro Alvarez hit two opposite field home runs off Wily Peralta in consecutive innings and Russell Martin hit a three-run shot as visiting Pittsburgh got a victory over Milwaukee.

DIAMONDBACKS 5, PADRES 2 Jake Lamb hit his first career home run and Didi Gregorius hit a three-run shot in the eighth inning, lifting host Arizona to a victory over San Diego.

DODGERS 7, METS 4 Adrian Gonzalez tied a season best with five RBI, including a go-ahead, three-run home run, and Los Angeles beat visiting New York.

REDS 1, BRAVES 0 Mike Leake pitched into the seventh inning and boosted host Cincinnati by hitting a double and scoring the only run as the Reds beat Atlanta.

ROCKIES 5, MARLINS 4 (13) Corey Dickerson’s single in the 13th inning scored Nolan Arenado to give Colorado a victory over visiting Miami. INTERLEAGUE

CUBS 7, ORIOLES 2 Chris Coghlan hit a bases-loaded triple in a four-run second inning, leading host Chicago to a victory over Baltimore.