Dillon Dingler error unravels everything in Tigers' 15-2 loss to Twins
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MINNEAPOLIS - The Detroit Tigers keep finding new ways to lose.
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To start the unraveling.
This time, it was a throwing error by Dillon Dingler, a Gold Glove winning catcher, that seemed to change everything.
Turning a close game into pure ugliness.
Dingler airmailed third base during a run-down, which led to a three-run inning for the Minnesota Twins, flipping a close game inside out. Then, Royce Lewis and Ryan Jeffers both hit three-run homers as the Twins scored 10 runs in the sixth inning to turn it into a rout, as the Twins pulled away with a 15-2 victory over the Tigers at Target Field on Tuesday, Sept.1.
Troy Melton took the loss after giving up seven runs, including five earned in 5 1/3 innings of work.
Here’s some more ways to chronicle the ugliness:
- The Tigers have lost for the 14th time in their last 17 games, dating back to Aug. 14
- It was the Tigers' seventh-straight loss to Minnesota, dating back to last season, the club's longest skid in Minneapolis since an eight-gamer from September 7, 2020-July 26, 2021
- And the Tigers have now lost six-straight series, the club's longest winless series drought since a season-long eight-series losing streak from May 4-31
The other way to say it: one mistake turned into another, which turned into another, on and on, and it ended up about as ugly as can be.
Tigers meltdown against Twins
Melton got the start for the Tigers.
After giving up a first-inning homer to Kody Clemens, Melton settled down and started to cruise. He was able to keep his pitch count low, getting into the fifth inning allowing just two hits. At the time, it was a 1-1 game and it looked like it was going to be a close one.
But he walked Trevor Larnach – it’s always a walk, right? And then Lewis hit a ball over Riley Greene’s head. That put runners on second and third with no outs. The Tigers brought the infield in and Jalen Culpepper hit a shot at rookie shortstop John Peck but he confidently scooped it for the first out. Not bad for a rookie starting his first game.
Then, Walker Jenkins hit a ground ball to Peck, who threw home and got the runner in a rundown. Just what the Tigers wanted. But Dingler airmailed third base and two runs scored off the error. Then, Luke Keaschall hit a line shot past a diving Hao-Yu Lee for another run.
Suddenly, it was 4-1 Twins.
Then, it somehow got worse.
Like way, way worse.
The Twins scored five earned runs off Kyle Finnegan and two more off Beau Briske in 1 1/3 innings of work.
But in hindsight, it was how the Twins scored against Melton that was most stunning. Melton gave up five earned runs, which was so uncharacteristic of him.
Consider it this way: Melton had a 2.07 ERA (27 ER/117.2 IP) in his first 20 major league starts dating to July 2025, the lowest ERA by any big-league pitcher in their first 20 starts in more than 40 years since Joe Hesketh turned in a 1.99 ERA in his first 20-career starts with Montreal from 1984-85.
And Melton was one of only eight pitchers to post a 2.07 ERA or lower in his first 20 major league starts in the last 100 years (minimum 115.0 innings pitched).
Then, Tuesday happened.
No offense once again for Tigers
Everything felt right at the start of this game for the Tigers.
Just consider the first inning: Kevin McGonigle hit a sharp single up the middle. Gleyber Torres slapped a ball into right. Dingler crushed a ball to deep center, moving McGonigle to third. And Riley Greene, fresh off the injured list, knocked in the run, with a ground out to first.
Perfect. At least, for that one small moment in time. Because it was the extent of the scoring for the Tigers until Lee hit an RBI double in the eighth inning.
Up next: trying to salvage one game
The Tigers will try to avoid the sweep on Wednesday when Drew Anderson (4-5, 3.82) will get the start for the Tigers, and righty Andrew Morris (4-7, 3.82) will go for the Twins.
Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dillon Dingler error unravels everything in Tigers' 15-2 loss to Twins