Feisty finale could await Tigers, Twins (Apr 23, 2017)

MINNEAPOLIS -- An early-season series between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins suddenly has a bit of intensity as the teams head to Sunday's finale after splitting the first two games.

Saturday's wild affair that saw one player hit in the face by a pitch, a benches-clearing skirmish and two players ejected ended up in a 5-4 win for Detroit, which snapped a four-game losing streak. Minnesota won Friday's game in comeback fashion after being swept in its previous series.

The two teams will try to gain some momentum and win the series on Sunday as right-hander Michael Fulmer (1-1, 3.00 ERA) starts for the Tigers and the Twins counter with right-hander Kyle Gibson (0-2, 6.91).

"We need to win every game," Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "We have to win every game regardless of what happens through the course of a game. We have to win them all. This league's very competitive and it comes down to one or two games at the end of the season. Every game's important and it was nice to get over those last four games and get a win."

Tigers outfielder JaCoby Jones was hit in the face by a pitch from Minnesota reliever Justin Haley in the third inning on Saturday. Jones suffered a split lip and went to the hospital for a CT scan, with Detroit manager Brad Ausmus saying its likely a trip to the disabled list would follow.

Twins slugger Miguel Sano then took issue with a pitch behind him two innings later, which led to Sano and pitcher Matt Boyd being ejected. Sano felt the pitch was intentional. Boyd said he just missed his location.

"It was intentional, yeah," Sano said. "I didn't think he would hit me. They need to understand it was not intentional when he got hit in the face. There's nothing I can do. I don't have no problem with nobody."

Suddenly, a game that had lagged for a couple of hours was filled with tempers flowing. After the game, little had calmed down on either side, perhaps setting up a big stage on Sunday.

"I mean, it's one of those things, man," Detroit third baseman Nicholas Castellanos said. "Our center fielder got hit in the face. We're looking at him, he's got blood dripping down from him. That's not a good thing to look at. However you want to take that, you can take it."

Jones is just the latest player Detroit is likely to be without. First baseman Miguel Cabrera was placed on the disabled list prior to Saturday's game with a strained right groin. Shortstop Jose Iglesias was put on the seven-day concussion disabled list before the series began.

The Tigers have been without outfielder J.D. Martinez (right mid-foot sprain) all season.

"There's nothing you can do about it," Kinsler said. "You deal with injuries, you deal with adversity and you have to win with who you have. That's the bottom line. You can't hang your head on guys that are injured. That's not how sports works. You have to have the next guy step up and play good baseball. They're here for a reason. We need to continue to play good baseball, regardless of who is on the field."

Minnesota started Saturday as one of two teams in the majors which hadn't made a roster move through the season's initial weeks. But the Twins optioned starter Adalberto Mejia to Triple-A Rochester and placed Haley on the disabled list with right biceps tendinitis after Saturday's game.

Minnesota will make corresponding roster moves before Sunday's game. The Twins, who have been using a 13-man pitching staff, could perhaps add a hitter to help the team's offense. Minnesota has surprised a bit with Robbie Grossman serving as the designated hitter, but five regular starters are hitting under .240. Second baseman Brian Dozier is at .242.

Yet, the Twins have been among the most patient teams in the majors, leading all teams with 76 walks.

"They foul off a lot of good pitches," Fulmer told MLB.com "You just have to make time to have quality pitches and quality at-bats and quick outs. You have to try to pound the zone as much as you can and hopefully get some weak contact.

"The tough part is you get to 3-2 or 2-2, and they just keep fouling off quality pitches, fouling off, fouling off, it's always tough to get that last strike. But I'll go out and try to produce some quick outs and try to attack the zone, using my slider, changeup and fastballs in for put-away pitches."

Minnesota committed two errors in Saturday's game but manager Paul Molitor has been pleased overall with the team's defense, particularly Sano at third base and Jorge Polanco at shortstop -- two players known more for their offense than glove.