Read More: twins baseball, tigers baseball, minnesota twins baseball, detroit tigers baseball, twins at tigers, twins vs tigers, Jhonny Peralta (SS – DET), Delmon Young (LF – MIN), Max Scherzer (P – DET), Brian Duensing (P – MIN), Alex Avila (C – DET), Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers, May 31, 2011 6:05 PM CDT

After a controversial 6-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Memorial Day, the Minnesota Twins will attempt to bounce back and snap their most recent losing streak on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

The Twins lost on Monday due to a bad call by third base umpire Gary Darling in the bottom of the eighth inning that allowed Jhonny Peralta to score on what wound up being a ground rule double by Alex Avila that a fan had interfered with. Peralta should have been made to stop at third, but the umpires conferred and allowed Peralta to score what wound up being the winning run.  The loss was the second in a row for the Twins, and again dropped them to the worst record in Major League Baseball.

Tonight’s pitching match-up will feature lefty Brian Duensing (2-5, 4.83 ERA) taking the mound for the Twins, with the Tigers sending righty Max Scherzer (6-2, 3.86 ERA) to the hill.

Thanks to a slight delay in getting this posted, they are already underway at Comerica Park, with the Twins holding a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI single by Delmon Young. Be sure to follow all of the action in tonight’s Game Thread over at Twinkie Town, and we’ll have your recap back here for you when everything finishes up in Detroit.

Max Scherzer takes another shot at win No. 7 this evening
when the Detroit Tigers continue their three-game series with the Minnesota
Twins at Comerica Park.

Scherzer opened the year by winning his first six decisions, but has lost his
last two starts, including a horrific effort against the Boston Red Sox on
Thursday. Scherzer lasted just two innings in that one and allowed seven runs
and seven hits to raise his earned run average to 3.86 on the year.

“It just wasn’t Max’s day,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “When he threw it
good, they hit it bad but got good results, and when he threw it bad, they hit
it good and got real good results.”

Scherzer has faced the Twins three times and is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA against
them.

Detroit beat the Twins for the seventh straight time on Monday, as Alex Avila
hit a two-out, RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning, helping the
Tigers eke out a 6-5 win. Victor Martinez clubbed a game-tying, two-run homer
in the sixth and Miguel Cabrera added a solo shot for Detroit, which has won
five of its last eight games overall.

“It looked like we were going to have a tough time winning that game … but
we hung in there,” said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

Michael Cuddyer drove in a pair of runs for the Twins, who have lost eight of
10.

After squandering a bases-loaded opportunity with no one out in the next
inning, Detroit pushed home a go-ahead run off Alex Burnett (1-4) in the
eighth. Jhonny Peralta kept the frame alive with a two-out single and scored
when Avila ripped a double down the left-field line.

A fan seated along third-base side interfered with the ball, and Peralta was
awarded home when the umpires convened to discuss the play.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected for arguing the call.

“I still don’t know how that runner scored,” Gardenhire said after the game.
“We know it hit a person in the stands. They’re call was not clear when I
talked to them. I don’t know how the run scored [from first].”

Jose Valverde succeeded Al Alburquerque (2-1) and tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to
record his 13th save in as many opportunities.

Hoping for some better luck tonight, Minnesota will rely on lefty Brian
Duensing, who has lost his last three starts and previous five decisions.
Duensing’s struggles continued on Wednesday against Seattle, as he allowed
three runs and four hits in seven innings, dropping him to 2-5 on the year to
go along with a 2.83 ERA.

Duensing is 1-2 lifetime against the Tigers with a 3.07 ERA in 13 games, four
of which have been starts.

The Tigers split their 18-game matchup with the Twins last season, but won the
final four games and have beaten them all three times they have faced them
this season. Minnesota was also just 2-7 in Detroit a year ago.

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–LHP Phil Coke (bone bruise in right foot) went on the 15-day disabled list May 24. He will miss at least two starts. He’s expected to return when eligible. Coke will start for Triple-A Toledo on June 3 in Scranton, Pa., before returning to the Tigers and starting in Texas on June 8, manager Jim Leyland said.

–LHP Brad Thomas (sore left elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 11.

–RF Magglio Ordonez (right ankle weakness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 11. He was eligible to come off the disabled list May 26. Ordonez tested his right ankle pregame workouts May 27-28 in Detroit. He feels he’s making significant progress toward a return (was eligible May 26), but is expected to go on a rehab assignment.

–2B Carlos Guillen (left knee microfracture surgery in September 2010) went on the 15-day disabled list March 30. He remained at the team’s Florida camp in early April to rehab. By late April, he had begun running. He worked out at Comerica Park in mid-May, taking batting and fielding practice, but then returned to Florida. He was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 22, and he had stopped doing baseball activities as of Memorial Day weekend.

–RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow surgery in July 2010) experienced pain in the elbow during his Feb. 27 spring debut, and he went on the 15-day disabled list March 30. He was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 18. He had exploratory surgery May 10, and he might be out for the season. He will be evaluated sometime in June.

ROTATION:

RHP Justin Verlander

RHP Max Scherzer

RHP Rick Porcello

RHP Brad Penny

LHP Andy Oliver

BULLPEN:

RHP Jose Valverde (closer)

RHP Joaquin Benoit

LHP Daniel Schlereth

LHP Charlie Furbush

RHP Enrique Gonzalez

RHP Al Alburquerque

LHP David Purcey

CATCHERS:

Alex Avila

Victor Martinez

INFIELDERS:

1B Miguel Cabrera

2B Ramon Santiago

SS Jhonny Peralta

3B Brandon Inge

INF Danny Worth

UT Don Kelly

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Ryan Raburn

CF Austin Jackson

RF Brennan Boesch

OF Casper Wells

OF Andy Dirks

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

–RHP Jose Valverde made it 13-for-13 in save situations with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, getting help from a diving catch by LF Don Kelly, a defensive replacement, on a sinking fly ball for the third out. Valverde threw 35 pitches in working both games Sunday, taking a loss and earning a save, but reported to the park and told manager Jim Leyland he was good to go if needed. “Maybe I be tired in the bullpen, but never in the game,” said Valverde, who was throwing fastballs at 95 and 96 mph. He gave up a game-deciding home run to PH David Ortiz in losing Sunday’s first game and he’s been roughed up in several non-save situations this season. But in save chances, Valverde is flawless.

–C Alex Avila got the game-winning double in the eighth inning Monday, with the help of the umpire ruling on fan interference. Avila laced a double down the third base line with SS Jhonny Peralta on first and two out in the eighth. Peralta never hesitated and continued running to the plate, even though LF Delmon Young had thrown up his hands indicating a fan touched the ball, creating a ground-rule double. After a short conference, Peralta was ruled to have scored. “The umpires said there was interference by a fan,” Avila said. “Once that happens, it’s a judgment call where they place the runners. Jhonny was going to score if they hadn’t touched the ball, it looked. We caught a break.”

–DH Victor Martinez went looking for an inside fastball, got it, and hit his fifth home run of the season Monday. The two-run shot to right center in the sixth inning created a 5-5 tie after Detroit had blown a 3-0 lead. Martinez said Minnesota had been working him inside all game, so after a changeup he was looking for an inside 2-and-1 fastball and didn’t miss it. It was his first home run since May 11.

–1B Miguel Cabrera says he close to dropping the adjustment he made in his batting stance a couple weeks ago. Cabrera made the move of spreading his legs farther apart so he could generate some more power on all the outside pitches he was seeing. Now pitchers are starting to come inside on him more and he feels more comfortable about going to right and left. The home run he hit in the first inning came on a pitch that was down and in.

–RHP Brad Penny didn’t throw a pitch outside the strike zone until his 13th pitch of the game. He was touching 95 mph with his fastball early. Yet he couldn’t hold a 3-0 lead after retiring nine of the first 10 batters. Penny gave up a run in the fourth and four in the fifth, although he was able to work a scoreless sixth before coming out of the game. “He kind of sailed through four innings, then in the fifth he ran into command problems and wasn’t locating the ball as well,” C Alex Avila said. “They got to him.”

–LHP Phil Coke, out of action since May 24 because of a bone bruise on his right foot, will make one rehab start before rejoining Detroit to start June 8 in Texas. “That’s the plan,” manager Jim Leyland said. “He’s fine. Even though it’s a little hiccup, it’s really a shame it happened because he was pitching his butt off. It looked like his mental mode was settling in. He was starting to get the demeanor of a starting pitcher, not getting too excited when something went wrong.” Coke will start a game for Triple-A Toledo on June 3 in Scranton, Pa., before going with Detroit to Texas.

–2B Ryan Raburn might be close to getting back on track offensively. Until striking out in his fourth at-bat, Raburn looked more comfortable and in control than he has in weeks, and had his first hit at Comerica Park since April 27, ending an 0-for-28 stretch. Raburn knows how well he hits will determine how often he plays. “Raburn’s just got to get his swing shortened up; it’s too long,” Leyland said. “He’s definitely got to take his approach from batting practice into a game. He’s swinging underneath.” Raburn also was surprised during the weekend to learn he’s the new starting second baseman following the Friday trade of 2B Scott Sizemore to Oakland. “I didn’t think I’d play the infield anymore,” Raburn said. “I guess being able to play some infield still gives the team the ability to make some different moves, move guys around or give some guys days off.”

–LHP David Purcey has worked two scoreless innings in two games since Detroit picked him up from Oakland for 2B Scott Sizemore on Friday. He credits Oakland pitching coach Ron Romanick for helping him with his control. “We moved from the left side of the mound to the right side and then just kind of closed off my stance a little bit,” Purcey said. “All those balls that were on the plate and then off I’m now throwing for strikes, so he did a great job helping me figure out a couple things.” Purcey worked a scoreless seventh inning Sunday in the first game of Detroit’s doubleheader and another clean seventh Monday against Minnesota. He was left in to face the leadoff batter, left-handed hitting DH Jim Thome but walked him to open the eighth and came out of the game.

–RHP Al Alburquerque still is surprising teams with the depth of his slider. That might change the second time he’s exposed to teams, but right now batters are finding it too difficult to lay off the rookie’s out pitch. Alburquerque recently went through a spell where teams were laying off his slider, but when he throws it for strikes, which has happened most of the time, that tactic goes back to the dugout with the player. Alburquerque pitched a scoreless eighth against Minnesota, and the second and third batters he faced struck out on 1-and-2 sliders, the first called and the second swinging. He also flashed a 99 mph fastball in his three-batter stint.

BY THE NUMBERS
28 — Consecutive at-bats by 2B Ryan Raburn between base hits at Comerica Park. Raburn’s seventh-inning single was his first hit at Comerica Park since April 27, a stretch of 28 at-bats without a hit.

QUOTE TO NOTE
“I talk about that all the time. We’ve got young players up there. They’ll figure it out. They’ll get better. I’m not going to beat them down about that.” — Manager Jim Leyland, on CF Austin Jackson and PH Casper Wells taking third strikes with the bases loaded and nobody out and one out, respectively, in the seventh inning of a tie game.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

Updated May 31, 2011 7:39 AM ET

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP)

Florida officials have returned Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera’s driver’s license, but he still faces DUI charges.

The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department determined Friday there wasn’t enough evidence to prove Cabrera had been driving or was in actual control of his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol when he was arrested Feb. 16 in Fort Pierce in central Florida. Cabrera refused to take a breath test when he was arrested.

Field officer Lorinna Metro says the decision has no bearing on Cabrera’s DUI case. If he’s convicted of DUI, he could still have his license revoked.

—

Information from: The Tribune, http://www.stluciecounty.com

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera got his driver license back, according to a letter from the state.

Cabrera, 28, was arrested on drunken driving charges in west Fort Pierce on Feb. 16 after refusing to take a breath test. He had his license suspended.

But a hearing officer with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department determined Friday there was insufficient evidence to support that Cabrera had been driving or in actual physical control of the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, according to the letter signed by Field Officer Lorinna Metro.

According to the letter, the decision has no bearing on any DUI trial, and if Cabrera is convicted of DUI, he could still have his driving privilege revoked.

A hearing is scheduled at 9 a.m. June 10 before County Judge Cliff Barnes.

Cabrera, a native of Venezuela with a Boca Raton address, had an administrative hearing Wednesday, though he did not attend. Cabrera was represented by Fort Pierce attorney Michael Kessler.

According to a St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit, a deputy saw Cabrera’s black Land Rover with a smoking engine on the shoulder of the 30000 block of Okeechobee Road and called for assistance because Cabrera refused to cooperate.

The deputy reported the first baseman grabbed a bottle of James Buchanan’s Scotch and started drinking as he was being questioned.

Another deputy arrested Cabrera on charges of DUI, two misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer without violence and a citation for open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

The two deputies testified on April 6 that they had not seen Cabrera driving and the vehicle had not been involved in an accident.

Kessler argued that for a driver to be forced to take a breath test, he or she must be in control of an operable vehicle.