The Tigers (49-69) are now 31-28 at home.
DETROIT — Sure, Jack Morris might have pitched all nine innings, but Matthew Boyd’s performance on Sunday afternoon was otherwise a suitable tribute to his friend.
Boyd, who has credited Morris with giving him valuable advice in the past, allowed just a run on two hits over six innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 at Comerica Park.
Morris‘ No. 47 jersey was retired in a ceremony before the game.
Boyd gave up his only run in the second when Twins catcher Mitch Garver led off the inning with a triple. But Boyd proceeded to retire the next 13 and was never seriously threatened until the sixth.
Logan Forsythe walked, took second on a passed ball and then went to third on a bizarre balk. Boyd went threw his delivery motion but didn’t throw the ball. He escaped the inning, but manager Ron Gardenhire opted to go to the bullpen for the seventh.
The Tigers manager joked that he made the early hook just to annoy Morris.
Perhaps channeling the Hall-of-Famer, Boyd wasn’t pleased when his day ended after just 88 pitches. Gardenhire said Boyd’s response should be printed on a T-shirt. He didn’t say what it was. Neither did Boyd.
„I probably can’t share that,“ he said.
Boyd said Morris has always advised him to be aggressive on the mound.
„You go out and take the ball and compete on every single pitch. That stuck with me,“ Boyd said. „That’s why his plaque is on the wall in Cooperstown…. It was an honor to pitch on the day his number was retired.“
Joe Jimenez gave up his first home run of the season at Comerica Park when Max Kepler hit a first-pitch fastball to right.
Shane Greene struck out pinch-hitter Joe Mauer in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.
The Tigers scored three of their runs in the fifth off Twins starter Kohl Stewart, who was making his Major League debut. Five consecutive Tigers reached base on four singles and a walk.
Ronny Rodriguez ripped an RBI double to right to provide a valuable insurance run in the eighth.
The Tigers (49-69) took two of three from the Twins (54-63) and are now 31-28 at home.
INJURY WATCH
* Tigers center fielder JaCoby Jones left the game with right hamstring tightness. He banged into Twins first baseman Tyler Austin while beating out an infield single in the second, then looked a little sore while chasing down a fly ball the following inning.
Ronny Rodriguez entered the game at second base, pushing Niko Goodrum to right and Victor Reyes to center field.
Gardenhire said Jones will undergo an MRI and could be placed on the disabled list. If that happens, Mikie Mahtook would the player most likely to be recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
* Right fielder Nicholas Castellanos missed the game with a bruised right foot. He suffered the injury by fouling a pitch off his foot on Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Tigers open a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday at 7:10 p.m. at Comerica Park. The Sox‘ Reynaldo Lopez (4-9,4.30 ERA) will face Artie Lewicki (0-2,4.76).
