The Detroit Tigers handed the Minnesota Twins an 11-6 loss in 12 innings at Target Field on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, turning a hard-fought extra-inning game into a lopsided final with a four-run 12th. Tommy Nance took the loss after surrendering four earned runs in 1.1 innings, while Kyle Finnegan earned the win for Detroit with two scoreless frames. Brooks Lee went 3-for-6 to lead the Twins offensively, but Minnesota left enough on the base paths to let this one slip away in a costly division loss.

Brooks Lee and Josh Bell Provide Bright Spots in a Losing Effort

Lee was the Twins' most consistent presence at the plate, collecting three hits in six at-bats to give the Twins a steady presence at the top of the order. First baseman Josh Bell added two hits in four at-bats, giving the Twins some life in the lineup. The problem was converting those baserunners into runs — neither Lee nor Bell drove in a run on the night, underscoring Minnesota's inability to produce with runners on in key spots.

The Twins scratched out six runs against a Tigers bullpen that cycled through seven pitchers, but the offense went quiet when it mattered most, failing to deliver enough in the late innings to offset what the bullpen ultimately surrendered.

Dean Kremer Struggles Early, Bullpen Holds — Until the 12th

Starter Dean Kremer had a rough outing, allowing four earned runs on six hits over four innings while striking out five. He walked two and never found a consistent rhythm against a Tigers lineup that spread the damage across multiple contributors. Kremer's early exit forced Minnesota to lean heavily on the bullpen for eight innings of work.

To the bullpen's credit, several arms did their job. Jeff Hoffman was dominant, striking out all three batters he faced in a clean 1.0-inning appearance. A.J. Minter logged 1.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Yoendrys Gómez and Travis Adams also contributed scoreless frames to keep Minnesota alive deep into extra innings.

Then the 12th inning arrived. Nance entered with the game still in reach and was touched for four earned runs on three hits and a walk, turning a competitive game into a blowout. Kyle Finnegan worked the final 2.0 innings, allowing two hits while keeping the Twins off the scoreboard to lock up the win for Detroit.

Tigers Get Production Up and Down the Lineup

Detroit's offensive damage was genuinely distributed. Max Clark went 3-for-4 with an RBI. John Peck drove in three runs on two hits in five at-bats. Javier Báez delivered a clutch 1-for-1 line with three RBI. Spencer Torkelson added a home run with two RBI. Detroit spread the damage across multiple contributors throughout the lineup, making it nearly impossible for Minnesota's pitching staff to find a soft spot in the order.

Turning Point: The 12th Inning Unravels

Minnesota managed to play Detroit even through 11 innings despite Kremer's early exit and the bullpen workload. The turning point was unambiguous: Nance's 12th-inning collapse. Three hits and a walk allowed four runs to cross and effectively ended any realistic path back for the Twins. A game that required remarkable resilience to keep close ultimately fell apart in a single frame.

What's Next for Minnesota

  • The Twins will look to bounce back quickly in their next game following this division setback.
  • Bullpen management will be a priority after eight relievers were used in this 12-inning contest.
  • Brooks Lee's 3-for-6 night is the kind of individual performance worth building on offensively.
  • Minnesota will need more RBI production from the middle of its lineup to avoid leaving runners stranded in close games.

This was a gut-punch loss — one of those games where the Twins did enough to stay competitive for 11 innings, only to watch it unravel in a single ugly frame. A five-run final margin does not tell the full story of how close this one was for most of the night, but the result is what goes in the books: Tigers 11, Twins 6.