Grossman’s leadoff homer paces Tigers past Twins
Robbie Grossman hit a leadoff homer and four Detroit pitchers combined on a two-hitter, leading the Tigers to a 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a split doubleheader on Saturday.
José Ureña started for the Tigers and pitched three innings of two-hit ball before departing due right groin tightness. Daniel Norris then got six outs, Kyle Funkhouser struck out the side in the sixth and Gregory Soto worked the seventh for his eighth save.
“Obviously, we needed our bullpen to pitch well and I think they wanted to prove something,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “All three guys came in and were great.”
The Twins were shut out for the fourth time this season. They swept a fourgame home series from Detroit prior to the All-Star break.
“If you look at what both teams did offensively today through seven innings of play, they’re probably not the types of atbats we’re used to seeing from some of these guys lately,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I’ll bet some of that is from five days off.”
The teams were supposed to play a doubleheader on Friday, but it was postponed due to inclement weather.
“This was huge,” Norris said. “That series back before the break, that hurt.
It stung a bit because we’d been playing so well and we wanted to finish the first half on a high note. But they play good ball and they battle. So today was big to get that win and stop the bleeding a little bit.”
Minnesota left-hander Charlie Barnes pitched 4 2⁄
3
innings of four-hit ball in his big league debut. Grossman connected for his third career leadoff homer.
Indians 3, Athletics 2:
Franmil Reyes hit his 15th home run into a luxury suite in center field, and Cleveland won at Oakland.
A Rangers at Blue Jays, ppd.: The game between Texas and Toronto at Buffalo, New York, was postponed because of rain. It will be made up as part of an afternoon doubleheader Sunday, with both games scheduled for seven innings. Toronto entered Saturday in third place in the AL East, eight games
Abehind first-place Boston. Texas has lost seven of 10 and is last in the AL West.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cubs 4, Diamondbacks 2: Willson Contreras capped Chicago’s three-run ninth inning with a two-run homer, sending the visiting Cubs over lowly Arizona.
AELSEWHERE
White Sox: Chicago announced a $38 million, two-year contract extension for their All-Star righthander Lance Lynn. The 34-year-old Lynn is 9-3 with an AL-best 1.99 ERA in 16 starts. He was acquired in a December trade with Texas for righthander Dane Dunning and lefty Avery Weems.
Braves-Diamondbacks trade: Atlanta acquired veteran catcher Stephen Vogt from Arizona late Friday for minor league first baseman Mason Berne.
AA