Tigers Defeat Twins in Series Opener

DETROIT: At Comerica Park on Monday, Kerry Carpenter’s two-run homer in the sixth inning propelled the Detroit Tigers to a 6-3 victory against the Minnesota Twins in the first of their three-game MLB series.

Wenceel Perez and Dillon Dingler also contributed home runs for the Tigers, who now hold a 57-54 record this season. Casey Mize secured the win, surrendering three solo home runs but only one additional hit throughout his six innings, without issuing any walks.

Kyle Finnegan earned his 22nd save, his second since joining Detroit the previous week, by pitching a flawless ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts.

The Twins initiated the scoring early, courtesy of a 420-foot homer by Ryan Jeffers in the opening inning. Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner added solo shots off Mize in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

Making his MLB debut as a starter, Twins right-hander Travis Adams recorded seven strikeouts and conceded two runs in five impressive innings.

Adams limited Detroit to a single hit through four innings before Perez’s two-run homer in the fifth tied the score at 2-2.

Following Wallner’s brief restoration of Minnesota’s lead with his sixth-inning blast, the Tigers retaliated in the bottom half. Singles from Javier Báez and Colt Keith set up an RBI fielder’s choice for Gleyber Torres, preceding Carpenter’s 437-foot homer to right field.

Dingler added an insurance run with a solo homer in the seventh. Despite a shaky performance from reliever Brant Hunter, the Tigers maintained their lead.

The series resumes Tuesday night, with Detroit’s Chris Paddack scheduled to face Minnesota’s Zebby Matthews. Paddack, who was traded to the Tigers on July 28, has already started twice against the Tigers-Twins this season, losing both games while playing for the Twins.