Brooks Lee's 1st grand slam highlights 6-run 3rd inning as Twins top Tigers 8-1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Brooks Lee's first career grand slam capped a six-run third inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 8-1 Sunday to avoid a four-game series sweep.

Byron Buxton had a homer among his three hits and Royce Lewis also went deep for Minnesota, which won for the second time in seven games.

Making his seventh career start, and first since Sept. 2, 2023 with Pittsburgh, Thomas Hatch (2-0) allowed three hits and struck out four in five innings.

Lee’s slam off former Twins pitcher Chris Paddack to the seats in right field — Minnesota’s first slam since Carlos Correa on July 5, 2024 at Houston —made it 7-1 and highlighted a third inning that began with Buxton’s 25th home run, a 388-foot shot that reached the second deck in left field.

Kerry Carpenter had an RBI single for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who lost for the first time in six games.

Acquired from the Twins on July 28, Paddack (4-11) allowed eight earned runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings and lost to Minnesota for the second time in three starts. The right-hander allowed four earned runs in four innings of a 6-3 loss Aug. 5. He’s allowed at least eight runs three times this season.

With two outs in the Minnesota third, Lewis fell behind 0-2. He took two balls, had a foul ball land just out of the reach of first baseman Spencer Torkelson, then took two more balls for a walk. Lee’s grand slam came four pitches later.

Detroit had just three hits and struck out 12 times, including seven straight batters against relievers Michael Tonkin, Cole Sands and Génesis Cabrera.

Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (6-12, 4.76 ERA) faces Houston RHP Spencer Arrighetti (1-3, 6.38) in Detroit.

The Twins open a home series against the Athletics on Tuesday with RHP Joe Ryan (12-5, 2.72) scheduled to face LHP Jacob Lopez (6-6, 3.30).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Former Minnesota Twins player Corey Koskie speaks during a ceremony after being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame before a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson (20) stands at the plate after striking out to end the top of the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Chris Paddack, foreground, stands on the field as Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton, back left, runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins' Brooks Lee (2) runs the bases after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan didn’t let city rival Inter Milan open up too big a gap at the top of Serie A as it fought back to win 3-1 at in-form Como on Thursday, with Adrien Rabiot winning a penalty and then scoring two goals.

Inter had moved six points clear of Milan and Napoli with a 1-0 win over Lecce on Wednesday, coupled with Napoli’s frustrating draw against Parma.

Milan’s victory saw the Rossoneri cut the gap back to three points.

It didn’t start off so well for Massimiliano Allegri’s team, however.

Como — which was sixth in Serie A — got off to the perfect start when a corner was taken short and then floated in for Marc-Oliver Kempf to head the hosts into the lead in the 10th minute.

Como dominated but Milan leveled on the stroke of halftime when it was awarded a penalty after Rabiot was brought down by Kempf and Christopher Nkunku’s spot kick squirmed under the body of Jean Butez.

Milan turned the match around completely 10 minutes into the second half. Rafael Leão controlled a crossfield pass and then cut inside before lifting the ball over for Rabiot to chest down and volley across into the bottom right corner.

And Rabiot sealed the match shortly before full time when Niclas Füllkrug headed a ball back to the France midfielder and he drilled hard and low into the near corner.

Bologna ended a miserable run as it fought back to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Hellas Verona in a match full of spectacular goals.

Bologna hadn’t won since November and got off to a poor start when it gave away the ball in the opposition penalty area and Antoine Bernède raced almost from box to box before laying it off for Gift Orban to fire home.

Riccardo Orsolini curled in an equalizer following a smart free kick and equally impressive goals from Jens Odgaard and Santiago Castro put Bologna 3-1 up at halftime.

Bologna midfielder Remo Marco Freuler accidentally turned a cross into his own net in the 71st minute.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Verona's Gift Orban, left, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

Bologna's Santiago Castro (9), right, celebrates goal 1-3 during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Marc-Oliver Kempf, center, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Nico Paz, left, and AC Milan's Luka Modric in action during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)