The Minnesota Twins righty only wishes he could have di

DETROIT (AP) — Jake Odorizzi loves the way he’s pitching.scovered this form in April or May Darryl Strawberry Jersey , not September.In his first start after losing a no-hitter in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees, Odorizzi only allowed a check-swing single in the first six innings of a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.“It is nice to get these good starts, but it isn’t ideal to have them at the end of the season,” he said. “You’d rather do this in midseason, but you also can’t be picky. This is good going into next year.”Odorizzi didn’t get out of the seventh, allowing two runs on three hits, but he’s given up three runs on four hits in 13 2/3 innings in the two strong performances.“I think I had better command tonight than I did the last time,” he said.Chris Gimenez homered and Tyler Austin drove in three runs for the Twins, who have won three straight.“There are always things to play for, individually and collectively,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “You want to win as many games as possible as you wind down the last couple weeks.”The Tigers have lost seven of nine, including six straight at home.Mikie Mahtook, who is hitting .288 with six homers and 14 RBIs in his last 20 games, drove in all of Detroit’s runs. He was hitting .185 on Aug. 22.“He made a great adjustment with his hands, and now he’s making much better contact http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey ,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said.Daniel Norris (0-5) pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks.“I was really happy with my first five innings,” he said. “I was locating the fastball and spinning the slider, and I had a curveball to change speeds. I even threw a few changeups.“I just started leaving things up in the sixth, which is when I was getting tired.”Norris was making his fourth start after missing four months with a groin injury.“This is basically a kid in his third week out of spring training, so he’s not ready to go deep,” Gardenhire said.The game was scoreless in the sixth when Jorge Polanco led off with a double to left. Logan Forsythe followed with a groundout off Norris’ glove, allowing Polanco to take third. Robbie Grossman walked before Austin’s RBI single to center.“(Norris) mixed his pitches well and was locating everything,” Austin said. “He threw me a couple good changeups, then left one up. With a guy like that, it is good when he misses up and I was able to put a good swing on it.”Jake Cave made it 2-0 with a single off second baseman Dawel Lugo’s glove, ending Norris’ night. Drew VerHagen escaped the inning without further damage.“That’s probably a double-play ball, but we’ve got a young second baseman who took a drop step instead of crossing over,” Gardenhire said of Cave’s base hit. “If we turn the double play, the inning is over and Norris comes out smelling like roses.”Gimenez homered off Sandy Baez in the seventh to make it 3-0. Austin added a two-run double later in the inning to chase Baez.Detroit’s offense finally got to Odorizzi in the seventh Nolan Ryan Jersey , with a pair of singles setting up Mahtook’s two-run triple. Reliever Matt Magill struck out next two hitters to end the threat.Magill pitched a scoreless eighth and Trevor Hildenberg got the ninth for his seventh save, allowing Mahtook’s two-out RBI single.Miguel Sano played for the first time since a leg injury on Sept. 5 and struck out in all four at-bats.“He had some big swings and got caught guessing a couple times with two strikes,” Molitor said. “Obviously, there’s some rust.”TRAINER’S ROOMTwins: OF Eddie Rosario missed Tuesday’s game and could be out for the season after aggravating a right quad strain Monday against the Tigers. Rosario will be evaluated on Thursday, but Molitor said he will be very cautious when deciding if he will play again this year.Tigers: 3B Jeimer Candelario left the game with back spasms and will be evaluated on Wednesday. Gardenhire said he expects Candelario to miss at least two games. … RHP Michael Fulmer will meet with Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday to get a second opinion on his knee injury and could have surgery as soon as Thursday. If the examination confirms a torn meniscus, it will be the third time he’s had the same injury repaired since 2013.UP NEXTThe teams finish their three-game series Wednesday afternoon, with Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull making his first major league start after making his big league debut in relief on Friday. Gabriel Moya (3-1, 4.73) will serve as the Twins’ opener for the second time in three days. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As the losses mounted and the Phillies tumbled far out of first place, it was clear many players were pressing.Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler noticed something different about Jorge Alfaro on Tuesday, though, long before the rookie catcher delivered the biggest blow of the night.Alfaro hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Phillies rallied past the New York Mets 5-2 to improve their faint playoff hopes.“It was quite evident from the very beginning that he was standing a little looser in the batter’s box and swinging with a little less, I guess, ferociousness,” Kapler said of Alfaro http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , who finished 2 for 3. “And the bat was whistling through the zone.”Philadelphia overcame an uneven outing from ace Aaron Nola and a home run by starter Steven Matz that made him the third Mets pitcher to go deep in consecutive appearances.The Phillies’ third win in 10 games moved them within 5½ games of NL East-leading Atlanta, which lost 8-1 at St. Louis. And the Phillies insist they still have a shot with 12 games left.“We have a chance for sure,” Nola said. “We have seven games (coming up) against the Braves.”Wilson Ramos and Justin Bour delivered pinch-hit RBI hits in a five-run sixth before Alfaro drilled a curveball from Drew Smith (1-1) to left-center for his 10th homer.And with that, Matz’s eventful performance was wasted by the Mets.The left-hander had zero homers in his first 70 major league games before connecting last Thursday against Miami. He entered Tuesday hitting .093 (4 for 43) this season and .140 in his career, but lifted a curveball to left against Nola in the third that just cleared the wall and withstood a video review to put New York ahead 1-0.What’s gotten into Matz?“I don’t really know,” he said, smiling. “I have no explanation for you.”The other Mets pitchers to homer in back-to-back outings were Hall of Famer Tom Seaver (1972) and Ron Darling (1989).Matz worked around five walks and gave up two hits in five scoreless innings. He also snagged a line drive behind his legs to start a double play, before the bullpen faltered and the Mets’ bats went silent.“He’s a great athlete. Strong kid and he kind of put it on display tonight,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He’s just a good baseball player.”Pat Neshek (3-1) relieved Nola and got the final out of the sixth. Seranthony Dominguez, Tommy Hunter and Hector Neris each pitched a scoreless inning as the Phillies improved to 7-11 against the Mets this season.Neris earned his 11th save.Nola allowed two runs and six hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings as his ERA climbed to 2.44. He’s given up eight home runs in September after allowing seven over the first five months of the season.Connecting against Nola, one of Mets ace Jacob deGrom’s competitors for the NL Cy Young Award, was not lost on Matz.“I told him, that was for you, friend,” Matz said.TRAINER’S ROOMMets: Jay Bruce started in right field Asdrubal Cabrera Jersey , the fourth straight game he has not played first base. But Callaway said Bruce’s troublesome back is fine and he’ll return to first soon.Phillies: Alfaro stayed in after Jacob Rhame drilled him on the arm with a fastball in the eighth, his first plate appearance after his home run. Alfaro was receiving treatment after the game and was unavailable to speak with reporters. . Ex-Mets INF Asdrubal Cabrera, who exited Monday’s game early with a left calf strain, and 3B Maikel Franco (right shoulder) were out. Kapler put Scott Kingery at shortstop and J.P. Crawford at third.WHEELER DECISIONThe Mets were still mulling whether to shut down RHP Zack Wheeler, who has pitched nearly 100 more innings than last season. “The main things we want is him going into the offseason feeling good about the season and being totally healthy,” Callaway said.CROWDED CLUBHOUSELHP Aaron Loup was activated off the disabled list, giving Philadelphia the September limit of 40 players. Kapler used 18 in the game.HIJINKSMets RHP Noah Syndergaard swiped the Phillie Phanatic’s four-wheeler before the game and drove around the outfield as the mascot chased him on foot. . After dealing with real rats in the dugout in Boston last weekend, a long-tailed plastic rat was spotted in the Mets clubhouse before the game.UP NEXTSyndergarrd (12-3, 3.26 ERA), who has won three straight starts and four consecutive decisions, goes for the Mets in the season series finale Wednesday night against RHP Zach Eflin (10-7, 4.26).