, the Yankees (102) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (102) have already reached 100 wins. The only prior years with three 100-win teams were 1942, 1977, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2017 and 2018.Minnesota closes the season at home against Kansas City, among a record-tying four teams with 100 losses.''I thought we might be feeling it a little, but no one was dragging out there,'' Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. ''The guys in the lineup were busting their butts and the rest of the guys were in the dugout cheering.'' Detroit (46-112), already assured of the big leagues' worst record and next year's top draft pick, finished 22-59 at Comerica Park and tied the major league record for home losses set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns. The Tigers' minus-221 run differential at home was the worst in major league history, breaking a mark set by the 1883 Philadelphia Phillies at minus-215, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.''We didn't play well at home all summer long,'' Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. ''I always preach that you have to care of your home and play well for your fans. We were terrible. That's got to change.'' Devin Smeltzer (2-2) allowed three runs and 10 hits in five innings.''I'm not a big partier and I made sure to get a decent amount of rest, but I'm still feeling it a little,'' he said. ''I was laboring a little, but I was able to make the best of what I had.'' Jordan Zimmermann (1-13) lost his fourth straight start, giving up six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Zimmermann started 23 times this season and set a team record for fewest wins by a pitcher with 20 or more starts. Art Houtteman had two wins in 20 starts in 1948.''I obviously wish this had gone better,'' Zimmermann said. ''I had a few injuries and battled through some stuff. There were times I shouldn't have been out there, but that's the mindset I have. I'm going to be out there every time I can.'' Willi Castro and Victor Reyes hit RBI singles in the fourth for a 3-2 lead, but Minnesota went ahead 6-3 on Astudillo's RBI single, Jake Cave's two-run triple and Victor Alcantara's wild pitch.''I think when I came up, I wanted to do too much and I was too aggressive,'' said Castro, who had his first three-hit game. ''I've been working on that, and I know next year is going to be better.'' KEEPING THE BALLLF Ian Miller, brought up for defensive and pinch running duties, got his first two major league hits in his 10th game. The 27-year-old drove in the game's first run with a third-inning single.''That ball is going home with me for the rest of my life,'' he said. ''I knew I was here to run and play defense, so any at-bats were going to be a bonus. I can't explain how that felt - I'm still in awe.'' Miller has another milestone coming on Friday.''I'm getting my first big league check tomorrow,'' he said. ''I'm pretty excited about that, although it won't be as good as today.'' ATTENDANCEThe crowd of 17,557 raised Detroit's home season total to 1,501,430, down from 1,856,970 last season and the Tigers' lowest since they drew 1,368,245 fans during their 119-loss season in 2003.WADE-ING INLaMonte Wade Jr., usually an outfielder, making his professional debut at first base. Wade, who borrowed Max Kepler's mitt, said he last played the position in college.UP NEXTTwins: Jose Berrios (13-8, 3.70) will start Friday against Kansas City's Eric Skoglund (0-2, 7.50).Tigers: LHP Tyler Alexander (1-3, 4.99) starts the opener of Friday's doubleheader at the Chicago White Sox and RHP Ivan Nova (11-12, 4.80).---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Post-celebration, Twins take on TigersFLMThe Minnesota Twins had to wait to party. They'll get precious few hours to recuperate after celebrating an American League Central championship before taking the field again.The Indians' 8-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night assured the Twins of their first division title in nine seasons. Minnesota defeated Detroit 5-1 earlier in the evening, then hung around the visitors' clubhouse at Comerica Park awaiting the outcome of the Cleveland game.Minnesota (98-60) will complete the three-game series in Detroit on Thursday afternoon, probably with a lot of reserves in the lineup."Every win that gets us closer to our goal is meaningful to us," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said before the Indians game became official. "We have approached all of these games the same way. It's gotten us to a good place. We're very proud of the way we've performed and handled ourselves as a group to get to this point, and we don't think we're done." The Twins, who lost the 2017 American League wild-card game to the New York Yankees, haven't entered the postseason as a division winner since 2010. They were swept in a best-of-five AL Division Series by the Yankees in both 2009 and 2010.In each of the first two games of the series in Detroit, the Twins were blanked over the first six innings. They had a four-run seventh inning outburst in the first game, and they scored a combined five runs in the seventh and eighth innings on Wednesday. Luis Arraez and Eddie Rosario blasted two-run homers in the latest triumph."We certainly had to work for it," Baldelli said. "We had to find a way to make it happen." The Twins had not named a starting pitcher for Thursday's game as of late Wednesday.Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (1-12, 6.85 ERA) will make the final start of his nightmarish season for Detroit. His only victory in 22 starts came on July 29 against the Los Angeles Angels.He has been battered for 19 runs and 26 hits in 13 2/3 innings during his past three starts.The White Sox clobbered him on Friday, piling up nine runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Zimmermann has been brutal at Comerica Park, going 0-8 with a 7.88 ERA in 11 starts. Opponents are batting .359 against him in those outings.He has made two starts this season against Minnesota, posting an 0-1 record and a 7.00 ERA. In 11 career starts vs. the Twins, he is 4-5 with a 6.47 ERA.Zimmermann will hope for better run support after Detroit scored three runs total in the first two games of the series."They're trying," manager Ron Gardenhire said Wednesday of his hitters. "Their guy (starter Randy Dobnak) was a little funky tonight and he threw some funky pitches up there. They bring some big arms out of the bullpen that can spin the ball. We had one hit for a long time and one run, and we didn't add on." The latest loss assured the Tigers (46-111) of getting the first pick in the June draft."We don't really try to do that," Gardenhire said. "I know some of our fans are thinking this is great, but we just try to go out and play. These guys are trying to get through this thing." --Field Level Media
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