Perez leads Tigers past Twins

Sep 15, 2007, 3:19 GMT

Minneapolis, MN - Timo Perez knocked in three runs to guide the Detroit Tigers past the Minnesota Twins, 4-2, in the opener of a three- game set at the Metrodome.

Ivan Rodriguez added an RBI while Carlos Guillen scored twice for Detroit, which is still 5 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the AL Central and 3 1/2 back of the Yankees for the wild card.

Nate Robertson (8-11) got the nod and pitched seven quality innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five.

Matt Garza (3-6) was not quite as effective, surrendering four runs over 5 2/3 frames for the Twins, who have dropped two in a row and eight of 11. Justin Morneau hit his 30th homer in defeat.

'It was a good ballgame,' said Detroit first baseman Sean Casey. 'Well-pitched game, well-played game, and Nate pitched well for us.'

Detroit assumed a 1-0 lead in the second, as Guillen drew a one-out walk, moved to third on Rodriguez's single, then scored on a Perez base hit to left.

Morneau erased that lead and put his team in front with one swing of the bat in the fourth. After Torii Hunter led off with a single, Morneau stepped in and crushed Robertson's offering over the right-field wall for his 30th homer of the season.

Garza lost his command in the sixth, though, and Detroit put up a three-spot to claim an advantage. He yielded a leadoff single to Curtis Granderson and walks to both Gary Sheffield and Guillen to load the bases with two outs. Rodriguez drew a free pass as well in the next sequence to push a run across and chase Garza from the game. Juan Rincon entered and gave up a two-run single to Perez.

'I was just trying to get outs with as little pitches as possible. Until that sixth inning, I was able to do that,' Garza said.

The Tigers bullpen was the story from there, with Fernando Rodney working the eighth before Todd Jones shut the door in the ninth for his 35th save of the campaign.

Game Notes

Morneau became the first Twin since Gary Gaetti (1986-87) to post back-to-back seasons with at least 30 home runs...Twins manager Rod Gardenhire and Hunter were both ejected in the eighth for arguing with the umpires.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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