MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Brooks Lee delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, lifting the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon at Target Field to complete a four-game series sweep.

The win gave the Twins the first four-game sweep in the majors this season and pushed them over .500 at 7-6. The Tigers, meanwhile, lost their eighth consecutive road game and fell to 4-9.

The game was a tense pitchers’ duel for seven innings, defined by missed opportunities and strong starting performances. Twins right-hander Mick Abel, coming off two difficult outings, was dominant, scattering four hits over six scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out six, providing a crucial stabilizing force for Minnesota.

Detroit’s Jack Flaherty nearly matched him, allowing one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. His lone mistake was a solo home run to Josh Bell that cleared the right-center field fence in the fourth inning, tying the game after both teams had squandered early scoring chances.

The Tigers had threatened in the first, putting runners on the corners with one out, but Abel struck out Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter to escape. They loaded the bases again in the second, only to see Parker Meadows and Jake Rogers strike out. For the game, Detroit went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.

The 1-1 deadlock persisted into the seventh, when Detroit finally broke through against Twins reliever Garrett Acton. Jake Rogers was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a single by Colt Keith, and scored on Gleyber Torres’ sacrifice fly to right field.

Minnesota answered decisively in the bottom of the eighth against Tigers reliever Will Vest. Matt Wallner worked a leadoff walk and Victor Caratini followed with a sharp single. After Kody Clemens struck out, Royce Lewis loaded the bases with an infield single. Lee, pinch-hitting, then grounded a 1-2 pitch from Vest into right field, scoring Wallner and Caratini to put the Twins ahead for good.

The Tigers’ fortunes worsened in the inning when center fielder Parker Meadows was injured in a head-to-head collision with left fielder Riley Greene as they caught Bell’s subsequent fly ball. Meadows left the game and was replaced by Javier Báez.

Twins closer Eric Orze worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out Dillon Dingler to end the game and secure his first save of the season.

Acton earned the win, his first of the year, despite allowing the tying run in the seventh. Vest took the loss, falling to 0-2 after surrendering two runs on three hits in the decisive eighth.

Bell led the Twins’ nine-hit attack, going 3 for 4 with the home run. Báez had two of Detroit’s five hits, including a double.

The sweep was Minnesota’s first four-game sweep since June 2024 against Oakland. The Twins now head to Toronto for a three-game series beginning Friday. The Tigers return home to Comerica Park to open a three-game set against the Miami Marlins on Friday, looking to halt a skid that has seen them lose 10 of their last 12 games after a 2-0 start.

Thursday’s game, played in 2 hours and 44 minutes before an announced crowd of 19,054, defied pregame projections. Statistical models had heavily favored the Tigers and predicted a higher-scoring affair, but the contest was instead decided by clutch relief pitching and one timely hit from a reserve player.