Tempers flare in Tigers-Twins; Matt Boyd, Miguel Sano ejected
Boyd threw behind Sano in the fifth inning, two innings after JaCoby Jones took a pitch to the mouth
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Tempers flared in the fifth inning of Saturday's game in Minnesota after Detroit Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd threw behind Twins first baseman Miguel Sano.
Sano pointed at Boyd. Tigers catcher James McCann came up and exchanged words with Sano, who reacted by landing a punch to McCann’s protective gear.
Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos came running in, yelling at Boyd. Both teams came into the field before order was restored.
Boyd and Sano were both ejected. It was the first career ejection for Boyd and second for Sano.
Boyd allowed two runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three.
The Tigers have had players injured in each of the two games against the Twins. Miguel Cabrera suffered a right groin sprain in the sixth inning of Friday’s 6-3 loss to the Twins.
JaCoby Jones was hit in the face by a fastball from right-handed pitcher Justin Haley in the third inning. Jones walked off with assistance, but Andrew Romine entered as a pinch runner and finished the game in center.
The Tigers began the season with outfielder J.D. Martinez on the DL with a right midfoot sprain.
John Hicks, called up from Toledo and starting for Cabrera at first base, gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the second inning.
The Tigers would have gotten out of the second inning unscathed had Hicks caught a foul pop for the third out. Instead, Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double off Matt Boyd.
The Tigers came back with two home runs in the third inning. Castellanos tied the game with his third home run of the season. Justin Upton hit a home run to center estimated at 410 feet to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. After Hicks hit a double with two outs in the same inning, Jones was hit in flush in the face by a pitch.
Lefty Blaine Hardy replaced Boyd and gave up a double to center to Joe Mauer. Robbie Grossman followed with a game-tying RBI single to right.
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Contact George Sipple: gsipple@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgesipple.