Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry wants to quickly forget what happened in the 12th inning of Saturday's first game of a doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins.
In the top of the 12th inning, with the Twins leading 5-4, Ryan Jeffers of the Twins reached a full count with two outs. He hit a bouncy ground ball to third base, where McKinstry watched the ball pass through his legs. Detroit scored three points on an error and went up 8-4.
“I tried to make plays and it just didn't work out,” said McKinstry, who finished last season as a Gold Glove finalist. “I played myself into a bad hop and got a little too aggressive with it. Maybe I should have backed off a little. It caused a weird hop for me.”
Despite getting two outs, the Twins were unable to score in the inning. And McKinstry wasn't finished with his involvement in the visiting team's big innings.
McKinstry would soon take the mound in the top of the 12th inning, but that was due to an error by Tigers manager AJ Hinch.
Hinch forgot that pitching coach Chris Fetter visited relief pitcher Alex Lange early in the inning. When the Tigers manager went out to talk to Lange after McKinstry's mistake, it was considered his second visit, and by regulation Lange had to be replaced.
McKinstry gave up a walk to Manuel Margot, and Matt Wallner stepped up to the plate and hit a three-run homer to make it 11-4.
If you count at home, that means six goals allowed against McKinstry.
Asked how to flush that play and move on, McKinstry joked that the way to do it is to give the batter a walk and then hit a home run. Then, like he did while pitching.
It was that kind of day.
— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) April 14, 2024
The Twins' eight points in overtime were the most in franchise history since an August 1, 1970 victory over the Tigers, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
The Tigers added one run in the bottom of the 12th inning, but fell short and lost 11-5.
Hinch admitted his mistake after the game and said his purpose in visiting Lange was to tell him he knew he needed an arm for the second game of the doubleheader and that a position player would come in after one more batter. .
“We've completely messed it up,” Hinch said.
The Twins won the nightcap 4-1 and will be heading into a doubleheader.
