Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, and Kerry Carpenter added a solo blast as the host Detroit Tigers downed the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 on Wednesday.

Torkelson, who hit 31 homers last season, made a winner of starter Casey Mize. In six-plus innings, Mize (2-1) gave up one run and three hits while walking three and striking out seven.

Kenley Jansen escaped a ninth-inning jam to record his sixth save.

Detroit’s Riley Greene had two hits and scored a run, Colt Keith supplied two hits and an RBI and Kevin McGonigle scored a run and knocked in another.

DL Hall served as an opener for the Brewers. He tossed two scoreless innings before Chad Patrick (1-1) took over. Patrick allowed four runs and six hits in four innings, with one walk and two strikeouts.

William Contreras and Jake Bauers knocked in Milwaukee’s runs in the middle game of a three-game series. The decisive game of the set is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

The Brewers opened the scoring in the third inning. Brice Turang drew a two-out walk, stole second and came home on Contreras’ single.

Detroit took the lead for good in the fourth. Greene ripped a one-out double to center. Torkelson then clobbered a Patrick sinker 400 feet over the left-center-field wall to make it 2-1.

The Tigers stretched their lead to 4-1 in the fifth. Javier Baez led off with a single. One out later, McGonigle battled through a 10-pitch at-bat before drilling a double off the right field wall to score Baez. McGonigle moved to third on a groundout and scored on Keith’s line single to right.

Milwaukee cut Detroit’s lead to 4-2 in the eighth. Pinch hitter Luis Rengifo led off with a single. He advanced on a groundout and scored on Bauers’ two-out single off Will Vest.

Detroit got that run back in the bottom of the inning on Carpenter’s blast to right off Carlos Rodriguez. It was Carpenter’s fifth homer of the year.

The Brewers made it interesting in the ninth, loading the bases with two outs. Turang then bounced out to first to end the contest.

–Field Level Media

Despite the ongoing conflict at home, the Iran men’s national soccer team is “fully prepared” to participate in the World Cup this summer, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported.

The team’s involvement was called into question after the United States and Israel began air attacks on Iran in February. The World Cup will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, but all of Iran’s group-stage games are scheduled to be in the United States.

Mohajerani reported that the Iranian Ministry of Youth and Sports has handled the logistics involved in having the soccer team play in the U.S.

Last month, Iran sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on state television, “Considering that this corrupt regime (in the U.S.) has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup. Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”

The next day, President Donald Trump posted on social media, “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

FIFA subsequently refused a request from Iran to have its Group G matches moved to Mexico. Iran is due to play New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, both in Inglewood, Calif., then Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who otherwise has closely allied himself with Trump, said last week, “The Iranian team is coming, for sure. Yes. We hope that by then of course the situation will be a peaceful situation. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come.”

–Field Level Media

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor exited New York’s Wednesday game against the visiting Minnesota Twins after the fourth inning due to left calf tightness.

Lindor, who was on first base following a single, did not appear to be running at full speed as he circled the diamond and scored on Francisco Alvarez’s double. The 32-year-old grimaced while rounding third and remained on the ground for a few seconds after sliding in ahead of Victor Caratini’s tag to give the Mets — who have lost 12 straight — a 2-1 lead.

Lindor was injured the same day Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence caused by a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured April 3 before beginning their losing streak.

Lindor has missed just 15 games total since his most recent IL stint, in 2021, when he missed more than five weeks due to a right oblique strain.

–Field Level Media