Buxton’s Three-Run Blast Lifts Twins Past Tigers in Comerica Shootout

The Minnesota Twins came to Comerica Park on Wednesday and left with a 6-4 victory, thanks largely to Byron Buxton‘s three-run moonshot in the fifth inning that proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth affair. While the Tigers showed some fight late, clawing back to within two runs, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Twins’ early offensive surge and the solid late-inning work by Minnesota’s bullpen.

Buxton Delivers the Deciding Blow

Buxton’s blast was the exclamation point on what should have been a more dominant performance. The Twins struck first in the second when Royce Lewis launched a solo shot for his fourth homer of the season, a line drive that cleared left center field. But it was Buxton’s fifth-inning three-run shot that really put Minnesota in the driver’s seat, coming off Framber Valdez after Alex Jackson and Austin Martin had gotten on base. The Tigers’ starter looked rattled, and rightfully so. Valdez lasted only five innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs while striking out just two.

The Twins could have put this game away much earlier if not for some defensive lapses and fortunate bounces for Detroit. Gleyber Torres, who was a bright spot in a disappointing Tigers lineup, ripped an RBI double in the third that deflected off Byron Buxton in center. Later, Kerry Carpenter’s two-run single in the fifth also benefited from some defensive miscues. It was the kind of sloppy baseball that the Twins generally excel at avoiding, yet they still managed to survive it.

Late Drama Can’t Save the Tigers

Detroit refused to go quietly. They scored again in the ninth when Dillon Dingler’s single brought home Wenceel Pérez, cutting the Minnesota lead to two. But that’s all the Tigers could muster against Yoendrys Gómez, who slammed the door shut with a save that included a strikeout in the ninth. Taylor Rogers deserves credit too, pitching a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts to preserve the lead before Gómez took over.

This game represented what the 2026 baseball season is becoming more and more of: a slugfest where execution in clutch moments matters more than baseline talent. The Twins’ decision-making in key spots, particularly Buxton’s willingness to wait on Valdez’s fastball in the fifth inning, was the difference. The Tigers had their opportunities. Torres was sharp at the plate with three hits, and McKinstry’s defensive positioning in center field actually made a potential play. But opportunities mean nothing if you can’t convert them into wins.

Minnesota showed Wednesday why they’re a legitimate contender in the American League. They didn’t play pristine baseball, but they didn’t panic when the Tigers clawed back. That’s championship mentality right there. For Detroit, this loss stings because Valdez was available and largely ineffective. If the Tigers are going to compete in their division, they need their ace to deliver when it matters most. On this Wednesday night in Detroit, he simply didn’t.