MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins' least-noted trade this week had the most notable effect Wednesday.
Yes, Michael Fulmer pitched an inning of scoreless relief, and Jorge Lopez earned his 20th save and first as a Twin with a no-drama ninth inning. But Sandy Leon, a journeyman catcher acquired from Cleveland just before Tuesday's deadline, doubled home two runs, and the Twins made them stand up for a 4-1 victory over the Tigers at Target Field.
The 33-year-old Leon, a Venezuelan veteran of four other major-league teams over the past decade, also caught Joe Ryan and four relievers, helping them limit Detroit's lineup to just four singles and one run while striking out 13.
For Ryan, it was an encouraging bounceback from last week's out-of-character pummeling by the Brewers, who walloped five home runs and scored 10 off the rookie righthander. He had only one hiccup in his five-inning stint, hitting both Willi Castro and Tucker Barnhart with errant pitches, then surrendering a run-scoring single to Riley Greene.
Then came the revamped bullpen, working as effectively and efficiently as the Twins had envisioned when Fulmer and Lopez were acquired on deadline day. Fuller blanked his former Tiger teammates, striking out Eric Haase and throwing out Harold Castro when he tried to steal. Caleb Thielbar, back from the injured list, struck out two of the three hitters he faced, and Jhoan Duran allowed only a walk in his scoreless inning.
Lopez then finished up, needing only seven pitches to retire the Tigers in order.
But it was Leon, traded to Class AAA St. Paul, then called up to the Twins hours later, who earned the thanks of his new teammates, rifling a Tyler Alexander pitch down the left-field line with two outs in the second inning, scoring Jose Miranda and Nick Gordon.
