Tigers salvage doubleheader split
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 | 2:05 AM ET
CBC Sports
Brandon Inge throws to first base Detroit's 6-5 win in Game 2. (Duane Burleson/Associated Press) Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson each hit home runs as the Detroit Tigers took the second game of a doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Detroit (84-73) maintained a two-game lead over the Twins in the American League Central after the 6-5 victory. The clubs will play twice more in the series.
The doubleheader was necessary after Monday's game was rained out.
The Twins after trying to close the distance on Detroit after trailing the Tigers by seven games just two weeks ago.
Cabrera put the Tigers up 1-0 in the second game of the nightcap at Comerica Park with his 33rd home run of the season.
Magglio Ordonez and Brandon Inge each contributed two-run hits to give starter Justin Verlander (18-9) a five-run cushion, but the Twins chipped away to make it a 5-4 score.
Jason Kubel drove in two of the four runs for Minnesota.
Granderson's home run in the eighth was his 30th of the season and second of the day.
Twins second baseman Nick Punto hit a two-out double in the ninth to make it 6-5, but Tigers reliever Fernando Rodney got the final out for his 36th save.
Starter Brian Duesning (5-2) took the loss for Minnesota.
In the first game, Orlando Cabrera hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning after a pair of wild pitches to give the Twins a 3-2 win.
Denard Span led off the 10th with a single and advanced on consecutive wild pitches by Brandon Lyon (6-5), who had thrown just one wild pitch all season.
Cabrera followed with a single and Delmon Young added a bases-loaded sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead.
Granderson hit a leadoff homer against Joe Nathan in the Tigers 10th. Nathan retired the next three batters for his 45th save.
With files from The Associated Press
