Despite only scoring 3 runs on 15 hits the Tigers managed to beat Matt Harvey and the Mets 3-0.
Max Scherzer was cruising along and looked like he would go deep in the game but two at bats in the bottom of the 5th significantly shortened Max’s start. Juan Lagares led off the inning and worked Max for a walk on 12 pitches. John Buck followed and made Scherzer throw him 8 pitches before flying out to right field. Max needed 35 pitches to get out of the 5th but kept the Mets off the board.
Scherzer’s final line was 6 innings, 3 hits, 11 strikeouts and 4 walks. The 4 walks are a season high for Scherzer. Max is only the third player in MLB history to start a season 19-1. The last to do it was Roger Clemens in 1986. Before Clemens, Rube Marquard, went 19-1 in 1912 for the New York Giants.
This game should have been a blow out but the Tigers lack of speed, coupled with their lack of extra base power today, kept the Mets in the game. In the seventh, the Tigers looked like they would open the flood gates but failed to score on 4 consecutive singles. With one out, Infante and Cabrera singled, bringing Fielder up with runners on first and second. Fielder delivered a single to left and Tom Brookens sent Infante home. This was one of the worst sends by a third base coach I’ve ever seen. Infante was out by 45 feet. Tui then followed with another single to load the bases. Torii Hunter, who didn’t start the game, came in to pinch hit for Andy Dirks, who was 3-3, and grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning and keep the score at 2-0.
The Tigers scored 2 runs off of Matt Harvey on 13 hits. The 13 hits allowed are a career high for him.
The Tigers go for the sweep tomorrow with Rick Procello on the mound facing Dillon Gee.
“God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Flashin' Leather 
Good game if your a casual fan, but a real nail biter for us Tiger fans. Scherzer was cruising against, what I think by far is the worst batting lineup the Tigers will face all tear. But like you said one guy got lucky and fouled off a bunch of pitches and created a tough inning out of nowhere. But Max still seemed in control the whole time.
Offensively this was typical Tigers, station to station baseball. They simply can’t win like this very often because of the lack of the extra-base hit to bust it open. The 7th inning was a joke as they had four hits, a bad call at second, and no runs.
It took a double by Scherzer and a sac fly by DK to plate a couple of runs. But a win is a win, and I fully expect Ricky to beat this team tomorrow. He usually pitches well against the NL, and lets face it, this lineup is minor league without Wright.
Max 19-1, and this must be eating away at JV. I fully believe Max’s success is part of the reason JV is not having any. With his ego he is no longer the ace, and honestly if things stay this way he should be #4 come playoff time.
Oh now Crippy………one of the worst sends you have ever seen? Omar didn’t turn to the bench half way home like Victor did. (Yea probably a top ten) The year ain’t over yet…….
How about top 5? 🙂