Well, I expected the loss in the opener. Keuchel, the reigning Cy Young winner, is excellent at home and Pelfrey was less than inspiring in his first start in a Tigers uniform.
However, Pelfrey was able to pitch out of trouble and give the Tigers an excellent chance to win. Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t do anything in Houston.
I know Miggy is a slow starter, but he looks horrible. His bat looks slow.
With two on and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning of a scoreless game at Comerica Park, we saw something that we used to see fairly frequently, but haven’t seen much of this year. Jose Miguel Cabrera beat the first pitch he saw from Indians pitcher Danny Salazar into an absolute conniption. The ball went into the camera well that hovers above and behind the center field wall. It had to travel at least 450 feet from home plate.
Miggy’s monster mash was huge for several reasons, not the least of which was that it came when the Tigers needed it most. Up until that time they really hadn’t done much off of Salazar. Second, it came in a night game and for whatever reason, he hasn’t been hitting well at night this year. Third, he hit the first pitch of the at-bat. He usually jumps on first pitches but not so much this season. I know it is one game and one at-bat but we haven’t seen a lot of vintage Miggy this year.
David Price pitched his second consecutive complete game shutout. I was surprised when Dan Dickerson said this was only the third shutout of this career. In any case, I believe our old friend Freeway Ricky had back to back complete game shutouts last year.
I realized something else today, I like when the Tigers turn double plays a lot better than when they hit into them. I believe the Tigers turned four to the Indians one this evening.
One last thing, Iggy, Kinsler and Miggy have been flashin leather and really look like a good double play combination. Don’t shove it down my throat tomorrow guys.
Have I mentioned how much I hate attempted steals of third base? In the case of Rajai Davis, however, I can’t complain. Somebody, has to try something. Had he been successful, I couldn’t have complained had he tried to steal home. There is no sense waiting around for something that rarely comes, clutch, a run producing hit.
Watching Yoenis Cespedes hit in the clutch reminds of the Tigers – A’s playoff series. He did nothing against the Tigers then and he’s doing nothing for the Tigers now. He swings as hard as he can on every pitch, every at bat, and hopes he connects. Hope is not a strategy. Kinsler nothing. Castellanos takes strikes and swings at garbage. Even though Miggy is not as good as his numbers, nobody is going to pitch to him. Why would they? There is nobody else that is even going to have a good at bat.
Five road games, six runs scored.
Sanchez look good for a change. But pitching isn’t the problem is it.
For the the third game in a row, a third clutch hit, a third unexpected, clutch performer. Tonight it was J.D. Martinez who hit a three-run homer to put the Tigers in the lead and bail Ian Kinsler out whose error in the top of the third lead to two unearned runs.
Kinsler had a bad night. He was 0-4 to go along with his error.
Alfredo Simon picked up his fifth win and pitched well allowing no earned runs in seven complete.
Joba didn’t even look too bad today.
Somehow I’m feeling better than I did a few days ago although I’d feel a lot better if Miggy would start getting some clutch, two-out, RBIs. But compared to where this team was on Wednesday, I’ll take it.
They still hit into to too many double plays.
I’m not sure how many times I’ll write this in 2015 but the Tigers’ won a battle of bullpens this afternoon in Minnesota. Everyone they called on, Hardy, Nesbitt, Gorzelanny, Soria got the job done.
Starter Shane Greene was cruising until he wasn’t. He starting leaking fuel in the third then exploded in the fourth.
The Tigers could have blown this game by running themselves out of a rally in the fifth. I’m not sure sure but isn’t it taboo to make an out at third? Well, with runners at first and second, one out, and Kinsler at the plate, Andrew “Wheels” Romine decided it was a good idea to steal third. Like Miggy in game in one, he got nailed, rally over. Fortunately, the bats came alive and beat the Twins’ bullpen into a conniption after falling behind 7-4.
For all of my complaining, the Tigers got another series win.
Of note:
Off to KC. I hope this series doesn’t turn into basebrawl.
The Tigers scored five runs in the first two innings then held off the Twins for a one run victory. They had chances to add on runs but three more double plays and bad base running killed potential rallies.
Note to Miggy. You can’t or won’t run out ground balls. Why do you think you have the wheels to steal third? Don’t be asinine.
The double plays are really getting on my nerves. Perhaps Brad Ausmus should consider sacrificing?
I’m rambling. David Price only lasted 6.2 innings today. If I’m not mistaken, didn’t the Twins beat him into a conniption last year at Target Field or am I hallucinating?
I’ll take the W.
At the time, I thought J.D. Martinez’s 5th inning at-bat was the the decision point of the game. He came up with a big two out hit that drove in two runs extending the Tigers lead to 5-2 after Miggy had struck out.
I thought Miggy’s subsequent sixth inning, two-run homer further extending the Tigers lead to 7-2 was insignificant, window dressing. For a brief, delusional, moment, I forgot what was lurking in the Tigers bullpen. They would need the additional runs.
Kyle Lobstein started and gave the Tigers a quality start plus. He gave up three runs in seven innings. Nesbitt came in for the the eighth and gave up two runs in one third of an inning but was bailed out by Blaine Hardy. Soria came in to close the ninth and was shaky. He gave up a run and was bailed out on a spectacular, back to the infield, basket catch, in shallow left field by Jose “Iggy” Iglesias. Iggy’s catch salvaged the game and the series. The Indians were coming and there was nobody to put out the fire.
I’ll take it.
Alfredo Simon, Rajai Davis, and Victor Martinez put a stop to the madness we saw at Comerica Park the past four games. Simon pitched 6.2 innings allowing only one earned run. Rajai scored three and Victor drove in three.
Indians manager Terry Francona walked Miggy every time he had first base open and Victor made him pay but I understand the strategy.
Forgive me if I’m not elated.
Lobstein pitches today.
I’m not tipping my hat to Tanaka or the Yankees bullpen. Sanchez and the Tigers pen pitched fine. The offense has to do something other than bounce into double plays and hit weak fly balls.
Miggy’s last at-bat to lead off the ninth was a microcosm of the Tigers offensive performance this entire series. He took to fastballs down the middle and swung and some piece of garbage for strike three. In fact, the Might Miggy was a one man wrecking crew today. He contributed nothing offensively and couldn’t field McCann’s ground ball cleanly enough to turn two in the eight to keep the game tied.
This team makes me sick. The only two that didn’t have their heads up their respective asses were Gose and J.D. Martinez.
The Tigers move to 6-0 and Nebraska still looks like Nostradamus.
The offense continues to impress. Jose Miguel Cabrera was 4-4 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. Isn’t he usually a slow starter?
In the first six games of 2015 we have seen a role reversal. Success in the last five seasons consisted of the pitching bailing out an erratic and often stagnant offense. This year the offense is mashing regardless of what the pitching does.
Here’s what concerns me, it doesn’t look like the Tigers are going to get a lot of length out the fourth and fifth starters. That means more bullpen innings which means disaster. It isn’t an issue now because the Tigers are scoring 7+ runs a game but if the offense slumps it is going to be tough to win when the starters only pitch five innings.
I’ll take 6-0.
Flashin' Leather 