MINNEAPOLIS — Twins slugger Miguel Sano punched Tigers catcher James McCann in the mask Saturday during a bench-clearing scrap in the fifth inning of Detroit’s 5-4 victory over Minnesota.
Two innings after Tigers outfielder JaCoby Jones was hit in the face by a pitch, Detroit starter Matthew Boyd threw behind Sano, who pointed his bat toward Boyd and yelled out at the mound. McCann intervened and appeared to put his mitt in the face of Sano, who reacted immediately with a right hand.
WHO'S HOT
n San Diego catcher Austin Hedges started the season 0 for 24 but has nine hits with two doubles and four home runs in his last 28 at-bats.
WHO’S NOT
n Josh Hamilton was released from his minor league contract with the Rangers after injuring his right knee during his recovery from left knee surgery. The 2010 AL MVP, facing his 12th surgery, turns 36 next month.
There was plenty of pushing and shoving near home plate as both benches and bullpens emptied, but there did not appear to be any other punches thrown. Sano and Boyd were ejected.
Jones took a 90 mph fastball from Twins reliever Justin Haley to the face in the third. Jones sprang to his feet and ran up the third-base line, in the direction of the Tigers’ dugout, where he was met by a trainer and Manager Brad Ausmus.
Nicholas Castellanos and Justin Upton each hit a solo home run for the Tigers.
ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 3: Adam Rosales and Ryon Healy homered in the first inning, Jharel Cotton pitched six innings of two-run ball and Oakland won at home for its fifth straight win.
RAYS 6, ASTROS 3: Tim Beckham’s third straight hit came during a four-run sixth inning that helped carry host Tampa Bay over AL-West leading Houston.
INDIANS 7, WHITE SOX 0: Carlos Carrasco pitched eight innings of three-hit ball as visiting Cleveland shut out Chicago for the second straight night.
RANGERS 2, ROYALS 1: Elvis Andrus delivered an RBI single with one out in the ninth inning at Arlington, Texas.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CUBS 12, REDS 8: Willson Contreras hit his first career grand slam and Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward added three-run shots to power Chicago to a win at Cincinnati.
PHILLIES 4, BRAVES 3: Maikel Franco hit a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning at Philadelphia.
NATIONALS 3, METS 1: Gio Gonzalez pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning to win again at Citi Field as Washington won at drizzly New York for its sixth straight victory.
CARDINALS 4, BREWERS 1: Aledmys Diaz hit a go-ahead pinch homer in the seventh inning and Lance Lynn pitched six strong innings at Milwaukee.
INTERLEAGUE
YANKEES 11, PIRATES 5: Pinch-hitter Chris Carter drilled a three-run homer in the eighth inning off reliever Felipe Rivero to lift New York to a win at Pittsburgh
For New York, Starlin Castro added a three-run shot and Aaron Judge hit his team-high sixth home run.
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