MINNEAPOLIS — It was 38 degrees with chilly 15-mph winds swirling around Target Field that made it feel like 29 degrees at game time Friday night.

“You don’t get cold in the big leagues,” Tigers shortstop Zach McKinstry said.

Of course, McKinstry is cut from different cloth. It snowed hard when he made his official visit to Central Michigan in 2015 and he still accepted the scholarship.

The Tigers, though, found a way. After giving away a two-run lead in the seventh inning, rookie Wenceel Perez, who contributed to the giveaway, ripped a clutch, two-out single in the top of the ninth and the Tigers scratched out a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Twins.

With two outs, lefty-swinging Parker Meadows ripped a single off lefty Caleb Thielbar and then took second on an errant pick-off throw.

Perez, who had three hits on the night, lined a ball up the middle scoring Parker.

Jason Foley pitched around a two-out walk and stolen base by Willi Castro and earned his sixth save of the season.

Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, who grew up in sunny southern California, was largely unaffected by the conditions, as well. He pitched brilliantly, striking out 10 in six innings.

As has been the Tigers’ way the last few games, though, the defense let him down.

He’d made one bad pitch and took a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning. That one bad pitch was an 0-2 fastball right down the middle to lefty swinging Trevor Larnach in the first inning. That ball was scalded, 414 feet to right, a two-run home run.

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