After the first inning, JV was smokin’ balls!  He needed 31 pitches to get out of the first but lasted seven complete.  He struck out eight, walked one, and allowed two earned runs.

I thought the home plate umpire, Seth Buckminster, was squeezing Justin for the first five innings but seemed to give him calls in the 6th and 7th.

The Good:

• Justin Verlander second through seventh inning
• JV’s first two career base hits.
• Austin Jackson’s big two run double in the ninth
• Ian Krol out of the pen
• Joe Nathan pitched the 9th without giving up a run
• Rajai Davis was 2-4 with three runs scored
• Ian Kinsler was 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI

The Bad:

• Nick Castellanos getting picked off of second base in the 8th
• Despite his double, Miggy is still struggling.

The Ugly:

• Justin Verlander’s first inning
• All four of Alex Avila’s at-bats including the last one that resulted in a single

Max is on the mound tomorrow for the rubber game.

“God I love baseball.” Roy Hobbs | The Natural