Twins 12, Tigers 1: The Tigers lost by a lot again

The Detroit Tigers have six seasons with 100 or more losses in their 117 year history. If they aren’t careful, they might make it seven. The Tigers were trounced again on Thursday, providing little resistance to a Minnesota Twins team fighting for playoff position in a 12-1 blowout at Comerica Park.

Worse yet, the Tigers actually led in this game. Starter Jordan Zimmermann began the game with three scoreless innings, allowing just a Joe Mauer single and a walk to catcher Jason Castro. Detroit then took a 1-0 lead on an RBI double from Jeimer Candelario, scoring Jose Iglesias.

The lead wouldn’t last long, though. Minnesota came back with three runs in the top of the fourth, chasing Zimmermann to the showers after just 69 pitches. Warwick Saupold coughed up another run after walking a pair of Twins in the fifth, and then Mauer broke the game open with a two-run double in the sixth. They piled on in the seventh and eighth as well, scoring runs in five consecutive innings before the Tigers finally pitched a scoreless ninth.

Meanwhile, the Tigers offense couldn’t get anything going against a gaggle of Twins pitchers. Starter Adalberto Mejia only lasted 4 ²⁄₃ innings, but allowed just one run on four hits. Relievers Dillon Gee and Ryan Pressly kept Detroit off the board in the middle innings while Minnesota’s offense built an insurmountable lead.

ROARS:

Jeimer Candelario: With two hits and an RBI, Candelario was nearly all of Detroit’s offense.

HISSES:

Everyone else: The pitching was bad. The hitting was bad.

STATS AND INFO:

Nicholas Castellanos went 0-for-4, ending his 17-game hitting streak.

The Tigers now have 91 losses on the season, momentarily tying them with the Chicago White Sox. The Sox only have 60 wins (two fewer than Detroit), but are currently leading the Houston Astros.