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Thames, Tigers tackle Twins

Sun 7th, September 2008

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Marcus Thames went 2-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs and Curtis Granderson knocked in the go-ahead run with a single, as Detroit upended Minnesota, 7-5, in the rubber match of a three-game set from the Metrodome.

Dusty Ryan hit his first career home run, a two-run shot, for the Tigers, who won the final two games of the series. Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez each collected a home run among their two hits, while Granderson finished 3-for-4.

Detroit starter Chris Lambert (1-1) went five innings for the win, allowing seven hits and four runs -- three earned -- fanning three with one walk.

Justin Morneau drove in four runs for the Twins, who have dropped five of six. Minnesota remained 2 1/2 games behind first-place Chicago in the AL Central after the White Sox fell to the Angels, 3-2.

Glen Perkins (12-4) took the loss, charged with nine hits and five runs -- three earned -- over 5 2/3 innings.

Cabrera's 32nd homer of the year, a leadoff shot, brought the Tigers within 4-3 in the sixth. Gary Sheffield followed with a double and Thames singled him in to tie the game. Edgar Renteria doubled and two batters later Ryan walked. Craig Breslow entered the game only to surrender an RBI single from Granderson which put Detroit ahead. Boof Bonser retired Placido Polanco to keep it a one- run margin.

Ordonez made it 6-4 with a leadoff blast to left in the seventh. Cabrera singled and moved to second on Brian Buscher's throwing error, went to third on Sheffield's groundout and scored on a Thames sacrifice fly for a three-run edge.

Minnesota came within 7-5 in the home half. Denard Span reached on an infield single, moved up on a wild pitch and Joe Mauer single, then came home on a Morneau sac fly.

Kyle Farnsworth hurled a scoreless eighth and Fernando Rodney shut the door in the ninth for his 10th save and second in as many games.

"Everything is working better. We've all been pitching better the last two months," said Rodney. "We've worked on mechanics and things are starting to work together."

The Tigers got on the board in the second as Renteria reached on Nick Punto's fielding error and Ryan launched his first career home run to right for a 2-0 lead.

"It's a dream come true and a pretty good feeling," Ryan admitted. "It's pretty amazing."

Buscher's RBI single in the home half cut Minnesota's deficit to 2-1, then Morneau's two-out, two-run triple in the third put the Twins up 3-2.

In the fifth, Span led off with a single, stole second and later scored on another Morneau sac fly.

"It's a tough one to lose. A tough series," Span said. "One positive thing we can take from today is that Chicago also lost today. We didn't gain ground but we didn't lose any either."

Game Notes

Despite the loss, Minnesota won the season series, 11-8...Ordonez hit his 18th home run of the season and second in as many contests. Prior to Saturday, he had gone homerless since August 27...Span picked up a pair of hits and scored three runs in defeat...Morneau's triple was his fourth of the season.