Closer than it should have been.

Tigers 10, Twins 6

Picture a baseball game in which the Tigers score 10 runs and lead by 9 runs in the 5th inning. Does that game end with the Tigers bullpen turning it into an actual competition? You bet. Rick Porcello (4 GS, 25 IP, 3.96 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 0.5 fWAR) was solid through the first five innings, allowing just a single run, but let up a little in the 6th, allowing a home run and a pair of baserunners before Ausmus decided to yank him with the game so far out of reach. The bullpen surrendered his runners and two more of their own, but thankfully, the Tigers bats had provided a pretty sizable cushion. Castellanos got things going with a two run, opposite field bomb in the second and then almost everyone got involved in a seven run 3rd inning. Everyone except Miguel Cabrera, who actually made all three outs in the inning. That’s right, the Tigers had a seven run inning in which Cabrera made three outs. The game started out like a laugher and turned into a reasonably close one because the bullpen isn’t very good, but the huge offensive explosion carried the day. The Tigers will look to take the series on Saturday with Anibal Sanchez (4 GS, 20 ⅓ IP, 3.54 ERA, 2.21 FIP, 0.7 fWAR) toeing the rubber.

The Moment: Castellanos homers to right field, and then everyone else gets involved in the 3rd.