Explosive (/logs off).

Rays 6, Tigers 3

Drew Smyly (14 GS, 81 IP, 3.89 ERA, 4.23 FIP, 0.9 fWAR) allowed quite a few extra base hits on Friday night against the Rays and it cost him, as he survived just 5.1 innings while allowing five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out just three. The dagger that chased him is probably worth forgiving as Ausmus probably should have pulled him a batter earlier. At any rate, it wasn’t a great outing but you won’t always get a great outing from your number five starter. The bats added a run in the 4th and two in the 6th and both teams got involved in some hit batter-action that may or may not have been intentional. All told, it was a run of the mill loss in which the other team sent a better pitcher to the mound and neither club made any particularly game changing mistakes. The third game of this four game set will feature Anibal Sanchez (14 GS, 82 IP, 2.63 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 2.3 fWAR) on Saturday.

The Moment: Don Kelly actually speaks in a harsh tone when the umpire made a bad call.

Never in doubt.

Tigers 8, Rays 1

Max Scherzer (18 GS, 119.1 IP, 3.47 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 3.1 fWAR) certainly seems to be over his case of the hiccups from earlier in the year and is back to being Max Scherzer. On this night he gave the Tigers eight innings two hit, one walk, one run innings featuring seven strikeouts and almost no trouble after the first two batters. And Max didn’t really have to sweat after the first inning because the Tigers logged five runs during the first six batters on three home runs from Kinsler, Martinez, and Hunter. They chased Bedard early and tacked on additional runs as the night wore on, but it was a bit of a role reversal as people drove in Miggy rather than Miggy doing the driving. After sweeping the A’s, the Tigers got off to a great start against the recently hot Rays on Thursday and continued their resurgent ways. For all the run scoring and quality pitching, it was a pretty nondescript game after the first. Scherzer allowed just one baserunner and the Tigers had a comfortable lead the entire way. They’ll turn to Drew Smyly (13 GS, 75.2 IP, 3.57 ERA, 4.13 FIP, 0.9 fWAR) on Friday.

The Moment: The Tigers hit three home runs in the 1st to jump ahead 5-0.

Satisfying.

Tigers 9, A’s 3

The game didn’t exactly start well considering Justin Verlander (18 GS, 116.2 IP, 4.71 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 1.7 fWAR) gave up two big home runs in the first inning, but he didn’t allow another run over five more innings, didn’t walk anyone and pitched out of a couple of jams to set his team up for a big middle innings attack. They pushed across three runs earlier, but blew the game open with six in the 6th to pull away from the A’s and let the bullpen land the plane over the final three innings. Nothing stands out particularly from this game, but it was a comfortable win to cap off a sweep of who I would consider the best team in baseball. The Tigers were dragging there for a month, but appear to have pulled out of the tailspin. They will welcome the Rays to town on Thursday with Max Scherzer (17 GS, 111.1 IP, 3.64 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 2.7 fWAR) going in game one.

The Moment: The Tigers break it open with six in the 6th!

Madduxian.

Tigers 3, A’s 0

Rick Porcello (16 GS, 106.2 IP, 3.12 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.8 fWAR) stole my heart a long time ago, but after tonight he’s won over his remaining doubters. Against the league’s best offense, he tossed a Maddux (CGSO in under 100 pitches). It wasn’t even a challenge. He recorded a career high 17 ground outs and didn’t deal at all with strikeouts, walks, or home runs. It was a brilliant three hit shutout that required just 95 pitches. And this was his second straight shutout. JD Martinez did most of the heavy lifting on offense but Porcello didn’t need much as he carried the Tigers to victory for the second straight start and punctuated his impressive season with another gem. Rick freaking Porcello, everyone. Justin Verlander (17 GS, 110.2 IP, 4.80 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.8 fWAR) will try to follow him on Wednesday.

The Moment: Porcello finishes another gem.

Preposterous.

Tigers 5, A’s 4

On the night the 1984 Tigers were honored at Comerica Park, Anibal Sanchez (14 GS, 82 IP, 2.63 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 2.3 fWAR) did his best to lead the team to victory but when he left the game it did not look good despite seven innings of work in which he allowed just three runs (two earned). Sanchez was in control for most of the night and surrendered two of the runs after a lead off error to start the 8th inning wore on his already tiring arm. The bats were only able to muster a single run courtesy of a no-doubt blast from Cabrera through eight innings and oh by the way, Austin Jackson dove and it wasn’t the biggest moment of this game. Castellanos reached on an error, Avila singled, Suarez K’d, Jackson walked (against Doolittle!), and then Rajai Davis, inexplicably hit a walk off grand slam. No words. Go Tigers. Rick Porcello (15 GS, 97.2 IP, 3.41 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 1.6 fWAR) tomorrow.

The Moment: Rajai Davis launches a walk off grand slam!

An incomplete rally.

Astros 6, Tigers 4

Drew Smyly (13 GS, 75.2 IP, 3.57 ERA, 4.13 FIP, 0.9 fWAR) didn’t have it today and his defense was unable to prolong his day which ended after 2.1 innings, eight hits, two walks, and four runs. Thankfully, the bullpen was able to surrender just two runs the rest of the way, giving the bats a chance to rally back. Hunter scored Romine in the third, Avila homered in the 5th, and then Nick scored the Martinezes with his first career triple in the 8th. Unfortunately the rally couldn’t quite overtake the Astros and the Tigers left town having dropped two of three, but also on the heels of a 7-2 trip. They’ll return home for the A’s Monday behind the maestro, Anibal Sanchez (13 GS, 75 IP, 2.64 ERA, 2.66 FIP, 2.1 fWAR)

The Moment: Nick hits a two-run triple in the 8th.

An escape.

Tigers 4, Astros 3

Max Scherzer (17 GS, 111.1 IP, 3.64 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 2.8 fWAR) did Max Scherzer things in this one, striking out 13 batters in seven innings while walking one and allowing seven hits. He allowed a pair of runs early but you can probably hang one of those on the poor defense and one on Scherzer. He was pretty dominant, inducing 21 swinging strikes, in this one but unfortunately his offense made him wait when they had scoring chances, particularly when they squandered a bases loaded one out situation in the 7th inning. With two on and two outs in the 9th, however, Ian Kinsler punctuated his road trip with a go-ahead three run bomb that gave the Tigers the lead. Joe Nathan made it interesting when he gave up a solo shot in his half of the inning but the Tigers survived to even the series. They’ll go for the series win and a 7-2 road trip behind Drew Smyly (12 GS, 73.1 IP, 3.19 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 0.8 fWAR) on Sunday.

The Moment: Kinsler launches a go-ahead homer in the 9th

Wild.

Astros 4, Tigers 3

The Tigers rode a seven game winning streak into Minute Maid park and tried to squeeze out an eighth win. Justin Verlander (17 GS, 110.2 IP, 4.72 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.8 fWAR) wasn’t MVP Verlander, but he gave the Tigers six innings of work, allowed three runs on six hits and a walk and struck out eight. Other than that, it was a typical game with many Tigers getting thrown out on the bases, weird errors, and some sort of double steal that the Astros probably practiced during study hall. In other words, not a normal baseball game in any sense of the word. The Tigers made quite a few loud outs but the Astros made enough happen to play to a draw through 9. Altuve reached base to start the 10th but a strikeout and a double play pushed us deeper into the night. It was Jason Castro who would put and end to the madness with a walk off homer in the 11th and ended the Tigers’ streak. Can’t win them all. Max Scherzer (16 GS, 104.1 IP, 3.71 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 2.3 fWAR) goes Saturday.

The Moment: Suarez scores from second on an error in the 8th.

Complete.

Tigers 6, Rangers 0

Maybe the six run attack catches your eye, or the fact that the Tigers have responded to a terrible month with seven straight wins, but the story on this night was Rick Porcello (15 GS, 97.2 IP, 3.41 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 1.6 fWAR) who twirled his first career complete game shutout. He went the distance once in 2013, but allowed a run that time around. Porcello wasn’t facing an intimidating lineup, but blanking a team with several quality hitters when Sanchez and Smyly couldn’t is still worthy of admiration. Porcello surrendered three hits and three walks while striking out six and found his way out of what little trouble he was in with some timely double play balls. With just a touch of hard contact against him, the Tigers unheralded star (except here of course!) stole the show and lifted the team to their second straight road sweep. They’ll try to keep it going on Friday night against the Astros with Justin Verlander (16 GS, 104.2 IP, 4.82 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 1.5 fWAR) taking the hill.

The Moment: Porcello finishes off 8 masterful innings.

Not particularly pretty, but effective.

Tigers 8, Rangers 6

Early on, Anibal Sanchez (13 GS, 75 IP, 2.64 ERA, 2.65 FIP, 2.1 fWAR) looked great, but his last three innings were much worse than his first three and he left having allowed four runs in 5.1 innings. There was a noticeable loss of command in the 4th inning and beyond that saw Sanchez surrender two hit batters and a home run to Carlos Pena. Thankfully, the Tigers bats stayed hot and protected Sanchez. They sent seven men to the plate in the first and scored three runs, picked up two more in the third, and then got back to back home runs from the Martinezes in the 5th to hang 7 early runs on the Rangers. Sanchez was relieved by Blaine Hardy, who was terrific, and the Tigers danced their way to their six straight win. After all that losing, things changed quickly. Rick Porcello (14 GS, 88.2 IP, 3.76 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 1.3 fWAR) will be asked to complete the sweep on Thursday.

The Moment: The Martinezes go back to back.