Cummings' hit in 10th tips Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Once again, the Detroit Tigers got stuck at .500.

Midre Cummings hit a game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning and Ron Coomer had three RBI as the Minnesota Twins beat Detroit 7-6 Sunday denying the Tigers a chance at a winning record.

"The next major obstacle will be to get over .500," said Detroit manager Phil Garner, whose team hasn't been there since winning the season opener. "Get there, stay there and get ahead of it."

Detroit has reached the .500 mark three times, and lost the next game each time.

The Tigers have had to work hard to get where they are, winning 18 of their last 28 games. But, they let this chance get away.

Todd Jones (0-3), after blowing a one-run lead in the ninth, issued a pair of one-out walks in the 10th. Matt Lawton hit an infield single to load the bases before Denny Hocking struck out.

Cummings then lined a 2-2 pitch to left to give Minnesota its 30th comeback victory and third win in four games.

"They got me today," Jones said. "It just didn't happen for me today. That's the way it goes when you do what I do."

Lawton went 3-for-6 with a homer for Minnesota and batted leadoff for the first time this year.

"I like it," Lawton said. "I get a lot of at-bats."

Damion Easley hit a two-run homer and Bobby Higginson's sneaky slide highlighted a series of comebacks for Detroit.

"We let them off the hook today," Higginson said. "We had plenty of opportunities to win the game, but we didn't get it done."

Hector Carrasco (4-3) struck out two in a perfect 10th inning for the win.

Trailing 6-5, Minnesota scored a run in the ninth off Jones to tie it. Cummings singled with one out and moved to third on Ron Coomer's single. David Ortiz then hit a slow groundout to third, allowing Cummings to score.

Dean Palmer had tied it in the eighth with an RBI double and Deivi Cruz put Detroit ahead 6-5 with a sacrifice fly.

The Tigers took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on Higginson's unique slide at the plate. Higginson hit a one-out single and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a groundout. Matt Kinney then threw a pitch that got away from catcher Danny Ardoin for a passed ball.

Ardoin got to the ball quickly and threw to Kinney covering the plate, well ahead of Higginson. But Higginson -- in mid-slide -- stopped his right foot short of Kinney's tag, popped up and sneaked his left foot onto the plate.

Notes: Minnesota evened its record against Detroit at the Metrodome at 56-56. ... Both starting pitchers, Kinney and Bernero, were looking for their first career wins. ... Lawton batted third in 121 of the 122 previous games he started. He batted sixth once. ... It was Jones' third blown save this season in 39 chances. ... Cummings entered the game 5-for-11 against Jones with two homers. ... Juan Gonzalez went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, ending his 21-game road hitting streak.