Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle homer as Tigers beat Twins 5-4

Riley Greene drove in two runs with a 417-foot homer, and Kevin McGonigle hit a solo shot as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Monday.

McGonigle’s 15th home run tied the game in the bottom of the first inning. Detroit then scored twice in the second, helped by Joe Ryan’s control problems and a throwing error by first baseman Royce Lewis. Colt Keith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Trevor Larnach hit a solo homer for Minnesota in the fourth, but Greene answered in the fifth against reliever Connor Prielipp. Greene has six extra-base hits over his last three games.

The Twins narrowed the gap in the sixth when Walker Jenkins hit a two-run double that scored Larnach and Kaelen Culpepper. Minnesota loaded the bases with two outs, but reliever Tyler Kinley struck out Kody Clemens to end the threat.

Troy Melton earned the win after allowing four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Detroit’s four relievers then held Minnesota to one hit. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 494th career save and 18th of the season.

Joe Ryan, making his first start after missing a month with a left glute strain, took the loss. He allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits over four innings, striking out seven and walking one. Minnesota is now 4 1/2 games out of a playoff position with 18 games remaining.