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He just didn’t know why it was happening.

”They ambushed me Keon Broxton Milwaukee Brewers Jersey , and they really got me,” he said after his Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2. ”I wasn’t expecting it, and now I’m dripping all over the place.”

While Gardenhire didn’t realize he had just won his 1,100th game as a manager, someone – he suspects bench coach Steve Liddle – tipped off James McCann. McCann rounded up his teammates and raided the cooler.

”We soaked him,” Tigers third baseman Nicholas Castellanos said. ”He didn’t know what hit him.”

The milestone had a little extra meaning for Gardenhire because it came against the Twins, the team he managed from 2002-14.

”I have this big D on my chest now, and it was the Tigers who won this one, but an awful lot of them came with the team on the other side of the diamond tonight,” he said.

For most of the night, it appeared the Tigers weren’t going to get the win. Playing for the first time since Miguel Cabrera’s season-ending biceps injury, they stranded eight batters in the first seven innings and trailed 2-1.

The Twins then failed to add an insurance run in the eighth, stranding Eduardo Escobar after a one-out triple http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rashaan-gaulden-jersey , and it came back to haunt them.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, John Hicks, Niko Goodrum and Grayson Greiner hit consecutive singles off Addison Reed (1-5) to tie the game. Jose Iglesias popped out, but Victor Reyes grounded an RBI single to left.

”I had everyone where I wanted them – 0-1 or 0-2 – but I wasn’t finishing the job,” Reed said. ”Jose (Berrios) threw a hell of a game, and I let him down. That’s the worst part of this.”

Reyes, a Rule 5 pick, started the night hitting .196 with four RBIs in 30 games. Used mainly as a pinch runner, he has only accumulated 50 plate appearances.

”We were going to be thrilled no matter who got the hit, but everyone feels great for Victor,” Hicks said. ”He’s in a really tough situation because he doesn’t get many at-bats, but he never complains and works harder than anyone. There are nights where he’s getting swings in during the game.”

Leonys Martin followed with an RBI single and Reyes scored on right fielder Robbie Grossman’s throwing error to make it 5-2.

”I didn’t contribute anything and Miggy can’t help us right now, but we still won the game http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-albert-wilson-jersey ,” Castellanos said. ”That’s how you can tell this team is good. Every guy in this room is picking up the slack.”

Joe Jimenez (3-0) got the win with a scoreless eighth. Shane Greene, Detroit’s fifth pitcher, threw a perfect ninth for his 16th save.

Berrios allowed one run on seven hits and a walk in six innings. Detroit’s Matthew Boyd gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in five innings.

The Twins scored twice before Detroit recorded an out in the first inning. Boyd hit Brian Dozier, Eddie Rosario doubled and Escobar hit a two-run single.

The Twins, though, only got two more hits in the game.

”When it’s 2-0 that fast, I can’t afford to get mad at myself,” Boyd said. ”I’ve just got to get the next guy out and start posting zeroes.”

Goodrum made it 2-1 with a second-inning homer off Berrios, his friend from their minor league days in the Twins system.

”It’s just part of the game,” Berrios said. ”We’re still friends, but now we’re competing. He got me that time.”

Like Boyd, though, Berrios settled in to keep Detroit off the board for the rest of his outing. The Tigers had runners on second and third with one out in the third before he struck out Castellanos and Jeimer Candelario.

Dozier appeared to make a spectacular play with one out in the fifth Shaquem Griffin Color Rush Jersey , using his glove to scoop Reyes’ drag bunt to Logan Morrison at first. The Tigers, though, challenged the call and it was overturned after a lengthy review. Martin followed with an infield single, and after Castellanos struck out, Berrios hit Candelario to load the bases.

Victor Martinez fell behind 0-2 and grounded out to end the inning with the Twins still up 2-1.

The Tigers missed another opportunity in the sixth. Hicks started the inning with a single and took third on Goodrum’s ground-rule double, but Berrios struck out Greiner and Iglesias before retiring Reyes.

”In a situation like that, you just hope that someone is eventually going to get the big hit,” Gardenhire said. ”It took a while, but they finally came through.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Byron Buxton (toe) took batting practice on Wednesday, while Joe Mauer (neck and head) played for Triple-A Rochester on his rehab assignment.

Tigers: With McCann still sidelined by the flu and Hicks moving to first base in the wake of Cabrera’s injury, Greiner was the starting catcher. McCann was feeling well enough to warm up pitchers between innings and could be back on Thursday.

UP NEXT

The teams finish their three-game series on Thursday afternoon, with Minnesota’s Lance Lynn (4-4, 5.08) facing Detroit’s Michael Fulmer (2-5 http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jeremy-kerley-jersey , 4.40).

Dave Prior and Marc-Andre Fleury are making quite the pair for the historically successful expansion team.

Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup champion goalie, brought a wealth of experience when he was selected during last year’s expansion draft. He’s aiming for a fourth Cup as Vegas returns home from Winnipeg tied 1-1 in the Western Conference final – Game 3 is Wednesday night.

He has hit it off with Prior, Vegas’ goaltending coach who has helped the 13-year veteran pick up some new tricks.

”He’s a great man,” Fleury said. ”I think it shows, he’s been around for a long time. So much experience, he’s seen a lot of goalies, guys I grew up watching and liking, and he’s coached them. I think he’s somebody that wants me to trust in my ability to do things.”

Prior has an old-school approach compared with many current goalie coaches. He thought Fleury would fit with his preferred style and insisted general manager George McPhee target the goalie when Pittsburgh left him unprotected for last year’s draft.

”He obviously studies goaltenders all around the league and looks at the way that they’re playing the game,” McPhee said. ”He was excited, and he really advocated for him in our meetings and thought that he could make him even better than he’s been.”

Said Prior: ”When you have somebody who’s as gifted as Marc is, it’s trying to keep him playing to his potential all the time. He’s not a backup goaltender. He’s not past his `best before’ date. He still has the capability of playing great.”

Prior, of course Chris Iannetta Colorado Rockies Jersey , was right. Fleury finished this regular season with a 2.24 goals-against average and .927 save percentage – both career bests – as Vegas had by far the best expansion season in league history. The veteran also boasts career-best postseason numbers in both categories, with a 1.68 GAA and .945 save percentage through 12 games.

Prior and Fleury have been cryptic about whatever adjustments they’ve made to Fleury’s game. What Prior will divulge is that he believes once a goalie buys into his way of training, his confidence level increases and he begins to feel more productive in the net.

”I encourage a very strategic goal game that we’re trying to make it very hard for the shooters, not just trying to have all the answers for the shooter’s shot,” Prior said. ”Marc is a bit secretive about it, but you have to have a lot of talent to play … it’s a difficult way to play the way I ask our goaltenders to play. I didn’t know how Marc would respond because he’s an older goaltender, and they usually are sort of set in their ways and harder for them to make adjustments. But he’s been great and engaging in embracing this strategy.”

Fleury said Prior has him spending less time worrying about giving up goals in practice and spending less time on the ice before games. Prior doesn’t need Fleury working as hard as possible if he’s working correctly.

”Goaltending plays games with your mind,” Prior said. ”When you feel like you can’t stop a puck in practice, you’re worried that’s what’s gonna be showing up in the game. It plays on your mind. Guys always felt `I gotta work, I’ve gotta do everything to make sure I’m gonna be good.’

”Focus on the execution, not worry about `How hard I have to work to give me the best chance to be good,”’ Prior added. ”I (prefer) you work less but are correct. It pays dividends when you play the game.”

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