the team in terms of coaching and the selection - they had a

DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera isnt a big fan of social media in September.Shortly after his seventh-inning homer broke a tie and led his Detroit Tigers to a crucial 9-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins, Cabrera talked about keeping negative energy out of the clubhouse.This is dangerous, he said, holding up his cell phone.Even with a $200 million payroll, the Tigers have had an inconsistent season and are in danger of missing the playoffs for a second straight year. They trail the Blue Jays by one game for the second AL wild card, with the Yankees and Mariners only one game back.We hear a lot of bad things about how were not going to make it, Cabrera said. Ive been here a lot of years and Ive been through this, but weve got a lot of new guys who think about it and read stuff. I tell them not to worry.This is fun. Weve got a chance to make the playoffs. Thats what you play for.The Tigers trailed 5-2 in the fourth inning, but put together the offensive performance theyve been missing while losing five of seven. Ian Kinsler had four hits, finishing a homer short of the cycle, and drove in three runs while scoring two.We had a tough loss last night, so we knew we had to come back and win this one, Cabrera said. We did it, and now we have to do it tomorrow.Brian Dozier and Kurt Suzuki homered for the Twins.Both starting pitchers made early exits. Minnesotas Tyler Duffey allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings, while Anibal Sanchez gave up six in four-plus.Shane Greene (5-4) got the win, while Ryan Pressly (6-7) took the loss after surrendering Cabreras homer.Bruce Rondon pitched the eighth for Detroit, while Francisco Rodriguez put up a perfect ninth for his 42nd save.After Sanchez struck out the side in the first, Kinsler and Cameron Maybin gave the Tigers the lead with back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the inning. Kinslers RBI single in the second doubled the lead.Sanchez retired the first nine batters in order, but Dozier launched his first pitch of the fourth into the left-field stands for his 41st homer. The next three batters singled, with Kennys Vargas driving home Jorge Polanco to tie the game.Suzuki then made it 5-2 with a homer down the left-field line, but the Tigers came back in the bottom of the inning.Justin Upton walked and scored on Andrew Romines RBI single before Kinsler and Maybin hit back-to-back triples to tie the game.We scored enough runs in the top of the fourth to win the game, and I gave it right back, Duffey said. When you are facing that offense, when you miss, they dont. They got rolling, and I couldnt stop it.Twins manager Paul Molitor knew his team was in trouble after the walk to Upton. The Tigers leftfielder only has a .296 on-base percentage this year, with 40 walks against 165 strikeouts.When you get a big inning and get a lead, you want your pitcher to go out there and shut them down, Molitor said. That walk was a bad sign, but he still had two outs and could have gotten off the field if he gets Kinsler or Maybin.J.T. Chargois replaced Duffey and allowed a tiebreaking single to Cabrera, but Sanchez couldnt hold the lead. He walked Byron Buxton to start the fifth and Dozier followed with a double to make it 6-6.Alex Wilson got out of the inning without further damage, and the two bullpens were able to settle the game down until Cabreras homer off Pressly with one out in the seventh.The Tigers added two more runs in the eighth on Kinslers second RBI single and a wild pitch.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: 3B Miguel Sano missed his second straight game with back stiffness. Hes expected back for Minnesotas weekend series against the Mets. . Suzuki left the game in the eighth injury with a lacerated chin after being hit in the mask by a foul tip. Molitor said hes day-to-day, but might see action at DH while the injury heals.Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann threw an 80-pitch simulated game Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to fix his mechanics and get back into the rotation. Due to assorted injuries, Zimmermann has only started twice since June and didnt escape the second inning either time. ... 3B Nick Castellanos (broken hand) batted once against Zimmermann before taking himself out of the lineup. He hopes to be back before the end of the regular season.ODD DEFENSIVE LINEUPZimmermann, who mostly faced September call-ups in his simulated game, didnt get a lot of help from his defense. Instead of one of baseballs best double-play combinations in Ian Kinsler and Jose Iglesias, Zimmermann had his fellow pitchers backing him up. Rookie of the Year favorite Michael Fulmer made a nice running catch on a pop up into shallow right, but Mike Pelfrey, Mark Lowe and Justin Verlander werent impressive as infielders.OLYMPIC WEEK CONTINUESFor the third straight day, an Olympic medalist from Rio threw out the first pitch. On Wednesday, it was New Zealands Nick Willis, who won the bronze medal in the 1,500-meter run. Willis spent his college career at the University of Michigan, and still lives in Ann Arbor.UP NEXTThe teams conclude their four-game series with the Tigers Mike Pelfrey (4-9, 4.76) facing the Twins Hector Santiago (11-8, 4.75). Pelfrey hasnt pitched in a big-league game since July 30 due to a back injury, and is expected to be on a 60-pitch limit. Custom Babe Ruth Jersey . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Cristian Pache Jersey . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. http://www.custombravesjersey.com/custom-bob-horner-jersey-large-627z.html .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. Rico Carty Jersey .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Clete Boyer Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Something is not right in Australian cricket, according to former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who described his greatest rivals as being in turmoil, following their recent spate of losses. Graeme Smith said he felt a waning culture was among the reasons for Australias troubles, but also named the rotation policy, the pressure on Steven Smith and a strengthening South Africa as contributing factors.There is obviously a lack of confidence that has developed, maybe through these losses, and the way they collapsed and fell away in that Perth Test. To me, it showed that, maybe, there is a lack of confidence or self-belief in that set-up at the moment. It does show me that there is something thats not right there, Graeme Smith said on the day he and former Australia captain Bill Lawry were made honourees of the Bradman Foundation, at a gala dinner at the SCG.After a 3-0 defeat in the Test series in Sri Lanka, Australia rallied to win the ODIs and T20Is, but then took a young side to play in South Africa, where they were whitewashed 5-0 in the ODI series. Graeme Smith believed that was where the cracks started to show, and that they have only widened after the defeat in the first Test.I was quite surprised at some of the selections that came to South Africa in the one-day series, and that hurt them badly. They lost 5-0, Graeme Smith said. For me, [the Australian team] was obviously built on the skill factor, but it was always built on a hardness, a really strong respect and culture for that Australian environment. I wonder whether its this whole rotation policy, whether some of that has been lost: that culture, that respect within the environment has been lost with so many different players coming through the system.Given the increasingly busy international schedule, most teams - South Africa included - seek to rest players, but Australias decision to leave their first-choice attack at home for the South Africa ODIs was surprising. They may have to do more of the same in the near future, having packed as much cricket as possible into the home summer. Towards the end of the 2016-17 season, Australias T20 side will play against Sri Lanka 16 hours before the Test team plays against India in a fixture collision Graeme Smith thinks will only further contribute to culture dilution.I was surprised at this method of James Sutherland looking to play a Test and T20 at the same time. Its very un-Australian for me, Graeme Smith said. Playing for Australia was something that was always preached to be how proud people were. It just seems like that is in turmoil a littlee bit at the moment.ddddddddddddIn the middle of that mess is Steven Smith, a fairly new captain. Graeme Smith was once in a similar position, and understands what its like to be trying to find your place as a leader. I can resonate with being in that position as a new captain. You have a lot to figure out, and I think you only have to pick up a book or a newspaper to realise there was quite a polarised, abrasive culture within the Australian set-up before he took over, Graeme Smith said. He is probably rebuilding, trying to create his own leadership style - how he wants the team to play, what are the type of players he wants to select - hes probably trying to work that out. Results have gone against him in Sri Lanka, he lost the ODI series in South Africa, and now the first Test at home. He was probably banking on being really strong at home this summer to resurrect things. He has got to ask a lot of questions.One of them is whether David Warner, who led the side to limited-overs victories in Sri Lanka, is better suited to the job. There will be natural debate on who is the right person to lead - should it be the old style, brash David Warner approach, or Steve Smith. He has to overcome a fair few things, but, hopefully, hell be able to do that really quickly, Graeme Smith said.Another is how Steven Smiths South African counterpart, Faf du Plessis, who has only captained in three Tests, only one away from home, and had only a three-man attack to work with, in the words of Graeme, outdid him. Du Plessis, who is leading in AB de Villiers injury-forced absence, continues to make a strong case for being given the role full-time, and it appears he has the backing of Graeme Smith too.Faf has developed hugely of late, he has grown into the role. There was a real void in South African cricket in terms of leadership over the last period. The intellectual capacity around the team in terms of coaching and the selection - they had a three-captain type system and he has stepped in through injuries from AB, and Hash stepping aside, and he has slowly gained the respect and grown himself, Graeme Smith said. Tactically, he outdid Steve Smith on the weekend, the players respect him, he seems to get the best out of them and there is almost a bit of leadership traction and strength developing again in the South African team, which was Iacking through the three-captaincy system and the coaching set-up, and he is slowly bringing that back together. ' ' '