Tuesday, July 27, 2021 08:10 PM (ET)

Catchers hit slams before Tigers edge Twins in 11

Field Level Media
Jul 28, 2021

Miguel Cabrera drove in the winning run in the 11th inning after Eric Haase hit a game-tying grand slam in the ninth as the Detroit Tigers rallied to end their eight-game road losing streak with a 6-5 victory over the host Minnesota Twins on Tuesday in Minneapolis.

The contest was the first in major league history in which opposing catchers hit grand slams, as Mitch Garver socked a first-inning slam for Minnesota.

In the 11th, Cabrera bounced a one-out single into center field off Jorge Alcala (2-5) to drive in designated runner Jonathan Schoop, who had moved to third on a flyout by Robbie Grossman.

Jose Cisnero (2-4) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief, and Daniel Norris notched his first save by handling the bottom of the 11th.

Akil Baddoo homered and doubled and Grossman and Cabrera each had two hits for Detroit, which trailed 5-1 entering the top of the ninth before Haase's blast.

Willians Astudillo homered and Brent Rooker had three hits including a ground-rule double for the Twins, who had an eight-game home winning streak against the Tigers snapped. Jorge Polanco added a single and a double.

Minnesota's first four batters reached base in the first. Polanco and Rooker singled before Josh Donaldson walked on four straight pitches to load the bases. Garver then drove a 1-0 slider 433 feet off the back of the bullpen in left-center for his first career grand slam to make it 4-0.

Detroit cut it to 4-1 in the third when Baddoo, who led off the game with a double off the right field wall, hit his 10th home run of the season. The drive went 394 feet into the concourse behind the bleachers in right.

Astudillo extended Minnesota's lead to 5-1 in the fourth when he lined his fifth home run of the season down the left field line.

Detroit loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against reliever Hansel Robles when Grossman singled, Cabrera doubled off the wall in right-center and Jeimer Candelario walked. Haase then followed with a grand slam down the right field line, his 17th homer of the season, to tie it.

Minnesota had a chance to win it in the 10th when it loaded the bases with one out. However, Cisnero got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts of Max Kepler and Miguel Sano.

--Field Level Media

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