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Kody Clemens hitless in MLB debut, Tigers split with Twins

Kody Clemens Twins Tigers Baseball
Posted at 10:37 PM, May 31, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-31 22:37:04-04

DETROIT (AP) — Jonathan Schoop homered and drove in four runs as the Detroit Tigers, with Kody Clemens making his major league debut while his famous father watched from a suite, beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0 Tuesday night to split a doubleheader.

Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens saw his 26-year-old son go 0 for 3, striking out twice and drawing a walk. Flawless in the field at second base, Kody Clemens handled a grounder for the final out of the game.

Max Kepler had three hits and drove in three runs and Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer to help the Twins to an 8-2 win in the first game.

In the second game, Schoop hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a two-run single off second baseman Jorge Polanco’s glove.

Tigers starter Joey Wentz, making his second major league appearance, allowed just one hit in four innings, but left with a shoulder strain while pitching to the first batter of the fifth inning.

Reliever Wily Peralta (2-0) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Five Tigers pitchers combined on the three-hit shutout.

Minnesota starter Cole Sands (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits and four walks in four innings.

Devin Smeltzer (2-0) was the winner in the first game, giving up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Rony Garcia (0-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings.

Minnesota took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run double by Trevor Larnach, and the Twins added four more runs in the third.

Byron Buxton led off with a single — his first hit in 24 at-bats against Detroit this season — and scored on Kepler’s double.

Polanco singled, and with one out Sanchez hit his sixth a three-run homer to left for his sixth homer of the season.

Miguel Cabrera singled — career hit No. 3,030 — and scored in the fourth to make it 6-1, but Kepler added a two-run single in the seventh.

Daz Cameron ended Smeltzer’s day with an RBI double in the seventh.

Tigers rookie Spencer Torkelson had his second straight three-hit game in the opener.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: Shortstop Carlos Correa was placed on the COVID-19 list and replaced by infielder Jermaine Palacios, who made his major league debut in the first game. Kepler returned after missing Monday’s game with a sore quadriceps. ... Sonny Gray (shoulder) played long-toss catch and is scheduled to do the same Wednesday.

Tigers: Cabrera started the opener after sitting out two games with back stiffness.

UP NEXT

In the fourth game of a five-game series, RHP Bailey Ober (1-1, 3.25) starts for the Twins against LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 2.44) on Wednesday night.