Spring Training #GrapefruitGators
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Minnesota Twins took down the Detroit Tigers 5-1 during a spring training outing, taking advantage of a windy Tuesday at the CenturyLink Sports Complex.
The Twins recorded five runs on eight hits, with one RBI each from Brent Rooker and Miguel Sano, and three batted in from Marwin Gonzales.
The Tigers recorded one run on two hits, the sole score being from a Kody Clemens homerun.
The game started off defensively, with Detroit’s starting pitcher Dario Agrazal quickly retiring three Twins batters on a combination of corner pitches and forced contact.
Minnesota’s starting pitcher, Randy Dobnak, attacked the outside corners as well, finding a good rhythm while allowing only one hit in the second inning before heading into the dugout for the day.
Agrazal failed to get batters to swing at any inside pitches, with his off-speed pitches getting him into trouble after allowing two runners on base. He wrongfully gambled on high heat on a 2-2 count, and a two-run double by Gonzales put the Twins on top.
The Twins would never look back after securing this lead.
At the bottom of the fifth, Gonzales pushed the lead further for the Twins, finding a solo homerun to right-center for the 3-1 lead.
In his first at bat of Spring, @marwinGF9 doubled and collected 2-RBIs! #MNTwinsST pic.twitter.com/N8tvhk7th8
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) March 3, 2020
Detroit’s at-bats were abysmal this game, only finding two hits in all nine innings. However, one of those hits was a seventh-inning solo homerun by Clemens, who let the wind take his flyball over the left-field fence.
.@kodyclem is just showing off his oppo power.#TigersST pic.twitter.com/0JzNxTjQUA
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 3, 2020
Answering right back at the bottom of the seventh was Sano, with a solo shot of his own to what looked like a popular spot for homeruns to drop in right-center field.
The Twins put one more run on the board at the bottom of the eighth, starting with a standing triple from Jack Reinheimer. Reinheimer was batted in by Rooker, with an RBI double on a gapper to right field.
The Twins would retire the side at the top of the ninth to end the game at a surprisingly brisk pace, finishing the game in under two hours and thirty minutes.
Player of the game: Marwin Gonzales
Gonzales went 2-for-2 for three RBIs in today’s game, with a two-run double and a solo homerun. He also stood out defensively as well, making a great play at second base in the first inning.
Minnesota will play again Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles. Detroit also plays on Thursday, against the New York Yankees.
The Twins and Tigers will meet again Saturday for another spring training matchup.
