Left-hander Matthew Boyd was unable to protect an early three-run lead and headed into the off-season on the wrong foot, despite a month?s worth of success.
Boyd gave up five runs on seven hits, including two home runs, as the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 Friday night at Target Field.
Of his seven hits allowed, five were extra-base hits. Boyd walked three and struck out five. He finishes the season with a 5.27 ERA in 26 games.
Depending on the result of the San Francisco Giants game still ongoing, the Tigers could enter Saturday tied for the worst record in all of baseball.
Matthew Boyd came in riding a streak of three straight quality starts, including a 6 2/3-inning, one-earned run outing against the Twins last weekend at Comerica Park.
Boyd had allowed only two home runs in 31 2/3 innings this month, but he surrendered two to consecutive batters in the second inning Friday. The home runs by Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar went a combined 828 feet.
?The overall numbers may not say I had a better year, but I grew much more this year than I have in years past,? Boyd said. ?I feel like I set myself up with the adjustments I made to have success in the future.
?This last month for me has been an eye-opener to see. Tonight I didn?t have my best stuff and I was one pitch away from getting through that inning and keeping the lead. I feel good how I have grown."
After Boyd exited, the Tigers bullpen allowed one run on one hit in three innings. Getting action was righty Warwick Saupold, lefty Chad Bell and righty Victor Alcantara.
NOTABLE
There have been very few moments of unmitigated joy in the Tigers dugout this month, which is why, even though the they ultimately lost another ballgame Friday ?? 6-3 to the Twins ? this one was savored.
Tigers right fielder Nicholas Castellanos picked up his 100th and 101st RBIs with a two-run homer in the first.
He's just the sixth Tiger since 1913 with 25 home runs, 100 RBIs and 10 or more triples. The most recent to reach those marks was Al Kaline in 1956.
Twenty-two other Tigers have reached 25 homers and 100 RBIs a total of 51 times since 1900.
The feat marked the first homegrown Tigers player to eclipse the 100-RBI mark since Bobby Higginson in 2000.
Miguel Cabrera has reached that milestone eight times in a Tigers uniform, more than any other player. Other repeat members of the 25/100 club:
Hank Greenberg (7 times); Rudy York (5); Cecil Fielder (4); Kaline (3);
and Rocky Colavito, Willie Horton, Tony Clark, Dean Palmer, Bobby Higginson and Prince Fielder (2).
When he got back to the dugout after circling the bases, he was first greeted by Ian Kinsler, then got a warm embrace from manager Brad Ausmus.
?It was definitely special,? Castellanos said. ?Get back and have Ian waiting for me there on the top step to give me a hug. And then Brad being there and everybody was just as happy as I was. ?That was awesome.?
"When you join Cabrera and Al Kaline in the franchise record books, you?ve done something".
?As a kid you always envision yourself as a superstar, and doing what all the greats in the game do,? said Castellanos, who has hit safely in 26 of 28 games in September, hitting .372 with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBIs.
?I always believed I could do it but the process is difficult".
?And baseball is a difficult game. It?s mentally tough. And I?ve found a way from when the season started until now (to remain productive).?
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/tigers-...489#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=492489
Boxscore.
Roars
Nicholas Castellanos: Nick cracked a two run shot for his 26th bomb of the year.
Alex Presley: A triple, an RBI and a run scored. His wRC+ is at 108. Baseball is awesome.
Hisses
Nobody really bad enough to muster much frustration with. I have only apathy. Boyd blew up for an inning. Tiny hiss.