First things first.  Add Mike Napoli to the Tigers’ hit list.  He has to answer for his karate kick on Iggy in the bottom of the second inning.  Maybe there wasn’t a good time for it today, but sometime in the next two games, his ribs need to be lit up.  Bruce Rondon perhaps?

The pitching was impressive.  Doug Fister and his pals in the pen shut out a good hitting ball club in a good hitter’s park.  This wasn’t shutting out the Astros at Comerica.  This was shutting out the Red Sox in Fenway.  This is very encouraging considering the beating the entire staff took at the hands of the A’s last week.

Fister threw 7 complete, allowed 4 hits, struck out 4 and walked 4.  The walks were high, especially for Fister, but I’m chalking that up to the horrendous job umpire Eric Cooper did behind the plate today.  To say Cooper was horrible is being kind.  He blew.  He had no idea what he was calling and neither did anybody else.

It has been a relatively small sample, but if there is a better shortstop in baseball than Iggy, I haven’t seen him.  Everyday, Jose Iglesias does something jaw dropping.  Today he helped turn 3 double plays.  The one that really stuck out was in the bottom of the 6th.  With Shane Victorino on first, the Sox put on the hit and run.  Dustin Pedroia hit a ground ball to the right side of second base.  Iggy scooped up the ball, tagged Victorino and threw to first to complete the double play.  Fister and Porcello are going to love having Iggy behind them. Watch for both of their numbers to improve.

Oh yea, Iggy can hit a piece as well.  He was 1-3 today and hitting .319 on the season.

Kudos to Andy Dirks.  The Tigers had chances to score but couldn’t get the big hit.  That changed in the 7th when Dirksy tripled home Victor Martinez to break the scoreless tie in the top of the 7th.

Nice win.  The Tigers need another one tomorrow.  Napoli must answer for Iggy.

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