For the second straight night the bullpen gave up a late Twins’ lead. Three runs in the eighth inning were enough to put Detroit on top and hold off a small ninth inning rally from the Twins. The Tigers swept the 2 game series and doubled their win total on the season. At 4-10, they’re not just 2 games behind the 6-8 Twins.

Scott Baker pitched 7 effective innings, but was touched for 3 solo home runs, just as he was in his last start against the White Sox. Jesse Crain came in for the eighth and immediately struck out the first batter he faced. However, the inning quickly deteriorated with a walk and a throwing error by Crain. The damage was finally done when Magglio Ordonez doubled and Miguel Cabrera sneaked a ball over the left field fence for the go-ahead home run.

The Twins threatened a comeback in the ninth inning when Ryan Raburn dropped a deep fly ball by Delmon Young, which turned into a triple (yes, somehow no error was charged on the play). Craig Monroe fouled off a number of pitches before driving in Monroe on a single to left, but Mike Lamb and Matt Tolbert couldn’t produce the game tying run.

Game Notes

• Jason Kubel got the start in LF against lefty Nate Robertson. The results weren’t pretty; he was 0-4 with 3 K’s, but it’s nice to see him getting at-bats against lefties. It’s the only way he’ll get better, and there’s really no better bench option.
• Justin Morneau belted his 4th home run of the season, in the sixth inning off Robertson.
• After drawing 3 walks in Monday night’s game, Joe Mauer finally put an end to his 0-13 drought with 2 hits, including a bloop double that barely stayed fair along the left field line. His first hit, a single, drove in Carlos Gomez, who had doubled and stolen 3rd base to lead off the game.
• Matt Tolbert got the start at SS. Adam Everett will have his shoulder checked out.

Looking ahead

Livan Hernandez and Boof Bonser will be asked to get the Twins back in the winning column on Wednesday and Thursday nights against Tampa Bay. The Twins have no dropped 3 straight games.

Tampa Bay has lost 2 straight and managed to work themselves back to the bottom of the AL East. Their 6-8 record is identical to the Twins’. The series will also provide a reunion for a few players with their former teams. Although Matt Garza is on the DL, Jason Bartlett will be starting at SS in the Metrodome for the first time as a non-Twin. It will also be the first time Delmon Young and Brendan Harris have faced their former team.

Jason Bartlett is off to a slow start with a .191 batting average, but is coming off a 2 hit game against the Yankees.