Soto blows save, split as Tigers swept in DH

The Twins changed everything from walk-up music to scoreboard graphics to give a feeling of home to the Tigers, who were technically the home team for the second game of their Friday doubleheader. The effects did nothing to dampen the pressure of Detroit’s newfound playoff chase, but it added to

The Twins changed everything from walk-up music to scoreboard graphics to give a feeling of home to the Tigers, who were technically the home team for the second game of their Friday doubleheader. The effects did nothing to dampen the pressure of Detroit’s newfound playoff chase, but it added to the surreal feeling of extra innings with the Tigers getting last at-bats at Target Field.

The Tigers were three outs away from salvaging a doubleheader split in Minnesota, but the Twins put together a game-tying rally off Gregory Soto before Marwin Gonzalez’s eighth-inning RBI single off Joe Jiménez put Detroit down for a 3-2 loss and a doubleheader sweep.

• Box score

The Tigers have lost three in a row since they briefly moved over .500 on Tuesday in Milwaukee. Their two losses Friday were particularly painful, both low-scoring duels that turned quickly. Hours after the Twins led off with back-to-back home runs off Matthew Boyd and held on to take the opener, they rallied late off what has been a reliable Tigers bullpen for most of the season.

A two-run third inning, capped by Miguel Cabrera’s go-ahead single, gave Detroit a 2-1 lead it carried into the seventh, with four scoreless innings from spot starter Tyler Alexander, a strong fifth inning from Bryan Garcia and a scoreless sixth from Buck Farmer. Soto, who took over as closer last week, walked Ehire Adrianza and pinch-hitter Josh Donaldson before Jorge Polanco lined a sinker into center field to tie the game.