DETROIT — Magglio Ordonez hit a
three-run double and the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 on
Wednesday night to move closer to the AL Central title.
Eddie Bonine pitched five effective
innings after getting off to a rough start for Detroit, which increased
its lead to three games over the Twins. The Tigers can clinch their
first division title since 1987 with a victory in Thursday afternoon's
series finale.
Ordonez's second key hit in
consecutive days broke it open in the fifth. The Tigers loaded the
bases with one out against Carl Pavano (13-12), who responded by
getting Miguel Cabrera to pop up. Ordonez followed with a drive to
center to clear the bases and give the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
Ordonez also had a two-run double in
the Tigers' 6-5 victory Tuesday night that salvaged a split of the key
day-night doubleheader.
Pavano allowed seven runs and seven
hits in 4 2/3 innings. He was 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in five previous
starts against Detroit this year.
Bonine (1-1), making his ninth career
start, allowed two runs in the first but shut down the Twins for the
rest of his outing. He gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out
three.
Bonine was hurt in the first by
another defensive mistake by center fielder Curtis Granderson, who
misplayed a ball in the ninth inning Tuesday night that helped the
Twins pull within one.
Bonine retired leadoff hitter Denard
Span, but Orlando Cabrera, Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel followed with
consecutive singles to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. Michael Cuddyer
walked before Delmon Young lifted a fly ball to deep center field.
Granderson turned the wrong way, allowing the ball to sail over his
head, but recovered quickly enough to hold the Twins to one run and
Jose Morales hit into an inning-ending double play.
The Tigers quickly erased the
deficit, scoring four times in the second. Brandon Inge had a tying
two-run double and Ramon Santiago singled in a pair of runs.
Notes
Tigers manager Jim Leyland
said before the game that rookie Alberto Figaro would start Saturday
against Chicago. … The game drew 34,775 fans. Despite the pennant
race, the Tigers haven't had a home sellout since July 25.