Colt Keith hits first homer as Tigers rout Twins to take series

Tony Paul, The Detroit News on Jun 11, 2026

Published in Baseball

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DETROIT — The big dig continues.

Buried by a miserable May, the Tigers just keep swinging — and winning — in June. They hit a season-high six home runs, including Colt Keith's first of the season, and Keider Montero was stellar in a 11-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on a glorious Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.

The Tigers won their third consecutive series in June, after winning just one, the very first one, in May. The Tigers have won seven games in June. They won six all of May.

Spencer Torkelson had the big blow early Thursday with his 10th homer of the season, a two-run moon shot some 371 feet to left field off Twins starter Zebby Matthews (2-4) with two outs in the fourth inning. That made it 4-0.

Dillon Dingler got things started in the fourth inning with a one-out double — his second hit of the game, for already his fourth hit this month. Kerry Carpenter made a bid for extra bases to right field, but Austin Martin made a nifty diving play to keep the game 1-0.

But slumping Keith came up big with a two-out RBI single to center field to make it 2-0. That was just Keith's third hit since May 27, and his first RBI since May 26.

Torkelson followed with the homer to give the Tigers some breathing room, teeing off on a 78-mph curveball.

The next inning, Gleyber Torres hit his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot some 368 feet to right field.

And in the sixth, after Kerry Carpenter singled, Keith hit his first homer of the season, a no-doubter to right field that thrilled the crowd of 30,714. The ball traveled 419 feet. It was Keith's first home run since Sept. 10, 2025. It snapped a homerless drought of 219 at-bats, including the 2025 postseason.

Keith had a big smile when he got back to the dugout, after a slow, taking-it-all-in trot around the bases.

Riley Greene added a homer, his eighth, in the seventh inning. And in the eighth, Zach McKinstry hit his second and Wenceel Perez hit his seventh. The Tigers now have hit 23 home runs in June. They hit 18 in May.

The Tigers wasted little time in getting to Matthews, a right-hander. Kevin McGonigle led off the game with a near-homer the opposite way to left field. It hit off the top of the fence, for a double. He quickly was escorted around the bases, though. Torres flew out to deep right, moving McGonigle to third, and he then scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Riley Greene.

The Tigers have scored double-digit runs three times this month. They did it twice, total, in March, April and May.

Montero (3-4), meanwhile, was absolutely on his game, breezing through 6 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and a walk. He struck out four before leaving to a standing ovation with one out in the seventh inning. It was his third start this season of at least six innings and no runs allowed. His ERA dropped to 3.63.

Tyler Holton was sharp in 1 2/3 innings of relief of Montero, and Beau Brieske worked the ninth inning.

The Tigers (29-40) now hit the road for six games, starting Friday night with three against the American League-Central rival Cleveland Guardians, followed by three against the Houston Astros.