Twins pull away late to beat Tigers but lose Royce Lewis

Lewis exited the game with left groin tightness.

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) makes a diving catch to retire Detroit Tigers center fielder Riley Greene (31) in the first inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on June 2, 2024. / Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

The good news for the Twins was that they beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 in their series opener Tuesday night at Target Field in Minneapolis. The bad news is that Royce Lewis exited the game due to injury.

Lewis exited the game after the fifth inning with left groin tightness. Max Kepler was in the on-deck circle for Lewis ahead of his at-bat in the fifth, and Lewis was replaced by Kyle Farmer at third base for the sixth inning. Lewis considered “day to day” with the left groin tightness.

The game was tied 3-3 at that point, and the Twins (48-37) plated the go-ahead run in the seventh inning when Ryan Jeffers scored Byron Buxton, who led of the inning with a ground-rule double, on a fielder's choice in which Jeffers was ruled out for rounding the bag at first base.

After Jorge Alcala sent the Tigers (38-47) down in order in the bottom of the inning, Carlos Correa provided insurance with a 421-foot solo homer that went into the second deck in left-center.

Jhoan Duran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his 13th save of the season.

The win was the Twins' third straight.

Lewis was the one responsible for getting the Twins on the board first, hitting a two-run double to left field during the third inning for a 2-0 lead. He was 1 for 2 with the two RBIs before exiting the game. 

The Tigers then took the lead with a pair of homers in the fifth inning off Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson. Justyn-Henry Mallow led off the frame with a 402-foot solo shot to left field, and Ryan Kreidler plated the go-ahead run with a 395-foot, two-run blast a few at-bats later. 

Woods Richardson gave up just those three runs off four hits while fanning four across 5 2/3 innings of work. He left the game tied at 3-3 after Manny Margot knotted it back up with a 406-foot solo homer to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth inning. Alcala picked up the win to improve to 2-3.

Tigers starter Tarik Skubal allowed three runs off four hits while fanning seven across six innings. Tigers reliever Will Vest took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the seventh to fall to 1-2.

The Twins and Tigers meet for the second of their three-game series at 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday.