Kerry Carpenter hit a home run during the sixth inning with three runs batted in, helping the Detroit Tigers make a comeback for a 6-3 victory against the Minnesota Twins on Monday evening.
Wenceel Pérez and Dillon Dingler each hit home runs for the Tigers, while Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach, and Matt Wallner recorded home runs for Minnesota.
Detroit has secured victories in six out of its past eight matches following a stretch where they dropped 12 of 13. The Twins have suffered losses in five of their last six contests.
Casey Mize (10-4) earned the victory, giving up three runs over six innings, while Kyle Finnegan threw the ninth inning for his second save with the Tigers. Noah Davis (0-2) suffered the defeat in relief.
Minnesota managed just two hits during the first five innings, yet both came as towering home runs. Jeffers launched one toward the flagpole in center field in the first inning, while Larnach sent a fifth-inning blast soaring into the right-field bleachers.
Pérez leveled the score with a two-run home run in the fifth inning, but Wallner took the lead at 3-2 in the sixth when he hit a home run that landed beyond the centerfield fence among the bushes.
Javier Báez drove in the equalizing run during the sixth inning, and Carpenter hit a 437-foot home run to right field, putting the team ahead 5-3. Dingler's solo home run in the seventh extended the Tigers' advantage to three runs.
Key moment
The Twins' starter, Travis Adams, kept Detroit from scoring except for an infield hit in the first four innings, but gave up Pérez's home run that tied the game in the fifth.
Key statistic
Minnesota's three home runs had an average distance of 430.3 feet, with Larnach hitting one at 434 feet and Wallner launching one at 437 feet.
Up next
The squads will compete in the second game of a three-match series on Tuesday evening, featuring Tigers right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack (4-9, 4.77 ERA) against Minnesota's righty Zebby Matthews (2-3, 5.67). Paddack has pitched in two previous matchups between the Tigers and Twins this year, suffering defeats each time while playing for the Twins. He was acquired by Detroit on July 28.