DETROIT — Kyle Gibson was outstanding yet again Tuesday, allowing only one run on five hits and zero walks with a season-high six strikeouts over seven innings against Detroit.
The Minnesota right-hander had not allowed a run in either of his previous two starts, and the Tigers didn’t do much against Gibson until J.D. Martinez lined an opposite-field drive over the wall in right for his seventh homer of the year in the fourth inning.
That was the only run Gibson or the Twins gave up until an Ian Kinsler flare off of Ryan Pressly (1-1) cleared the infield in the 10th inning, bringing Anthony Gose home from second with the winning run in the Tigers’ 2-1 victory.
Gibson, a Greenfield-Central graduate, has now given up just one run over his last three starts (21 innings) and has notched quality starts in five of his last six outings. It was his second start of the season where he issued zero walks and the six strikeouts easily marked a season high.
After a rough first start of the season where he gave up six earned runs in 3.2 innings, Gibson has posted a 1.61 ERA over his last six outings, allowing just seven earned runs in 39.2 innings.
Gibson ranks 13th in the American League with a 2.70 ERA.
With the victory, the Tigers (20-13) pulled within one game of AL Central leader Kansas City (21-12). The Twins, thanks in part to a Gibson-fueled surge, are 18-15, three games back of the Royals.
Next up: Gibson is scheduled to start on the mound for the Twins at home Sunday afternoon against Tampa Bay. First pitch is slated for 2:10 p.m. The 27-year-old has struggled against the Rays, posting an 0-3 record with a 9.98 ERA in three career starts, although Gibson has not faced Tampa Bay this season.
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The Minnesota Twins’ Kyle Gibson pitched seven innings of one-run baseball against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. The Greenfield-Central graduate’s pitching line against the Tigers, as well as for the season:
GM/YR;IP;H;R;ER;BB;SO;HR;ERA;W-L
Tuesday;7.0;5;1;1;0;6;1;1.29;ND
Season;43.1;39;14;13;15;17;3;2.70;3-2
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