It would have been nice to save some hits and runs from yesterday to use today but I guess that’s not the way it works. After a 16 run, 26 hit attack last night the Tigers could manage only 3 runs on 5 hits tonight. I know, you can’t expect 26 hits every game but I was hoping the Tigers’ offense would go on a roll similar to roll the Red Sox have been on since tagging the Tigers with 20 runs on Wednesday.
The Tigers had chances but couldn’t get a big hit from someone not named Miguel Cabrera. With two out in the 5th and the bases loaded Miggy walked to drive in the tying run. This brought Prince to the plate with a chance to do major two out damage but popped out to third to end the inning.
JV was disappointing again tonight. Whatever his issues are I have lost all hope of getting them solved this season. It has gotten hard to watch him pitch. Even in games where his final line doesn’t look too bad it seems like every inning is a struggle. His final line tonight was 7 innings, 8 hits, 4 earned, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk and 114 pitches thrown. The 114 gives him an average of 16.3 pitches per inning. Of his seven innings pitched he got the Royals 1-2-3 only twice, in the 2nd and 7th. Maybe I’ve just gotten spoiled with Verlander’s last few seasons but something looks off with him.
One good takeaway from tonight’s game is that the Tigers finally threw out a base runner. In the bottom of the first Brayan Pena threw out Emilio Bonifacio trying to steal second. I believe this is the first base runner the Tigers have thrown out in the last 26 attempts not counting last night’s pick off.
The Tigers have Fister on the mound tomorrow against Tigers’ nemesis Bruce Chen. The Tigers need a win tomorrow to win this three game series and tie the season series with the Royals.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Flashin' Leather 
Chris, you’re right about the only thing good happening tonight was throwing out a base stealer. The rest of it pure crap. No clutch hitting – again! No JV – again!
I turned it off to watch the U-M game because he is becoming unwatchable, and the lack of hitting was evident in the first two innings. They never follow up a good hitting game with another.
Sark, I just can’t believe what I”m seeing. No matter how much I want this team to win the World Series, deep down, I don’t think they’re good enough. I’m afraid 29 is going to be 30 years of futility.
I agree Chris. They do just enough to lose the close games. Anyone can get a clutch hit or make the perfect pitch when you’re winning 12-1. We just don’t execute in close games and that kills in the playoffs. And this year we probably won’t have our personal doormat the NY Yankees to sweep in the playoffs. I don’t like any of the possible matchups at this time. We struggle with Oak, Tex, Bos, Balt, TB. The only team we can handle is Clev. Hopefully the next manager will close the deal!
Well I didn’t get to see this game….however from reading media reports we pitched out had the runner cold and could not execute…runner scores. Not good in a one run or any other game. If you read JV’s press clippings he pitched great just not great enough to win with 3 runs. One more loss and he will be .500 just like Brad Penny the last year he pitched for the Tigers and we went to the post season then. Think about that comparison …….