How Was The Game? (April 14, 2015)
Tidy.
Tigers 2, Pirates 0
The first night game of the season was a treat if you’re a fan of efficient pitching and tight defense. Shane Greene (2 GS, 16 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.17 FIP) dueled AJ Burnett and was never in trouble, finishing with 8 innings of 3 hit, 0 walk baseball and tons of easy ground outs. He only needed 81 pitches to carve up the Pirates through 8 before being lifted for a pinch hitter. The Tigers got the go-ahead run in the 7th, courtesy of a pair of walks from Avila and Iglesias and then a single from Rajai Davis. They put a little pressure on in the 9th and pushed across another thanks to Iglesias, Davis, and Kinsler. It ultimately came down to Soria protecting a one run lead. He was able to record the final three outs, protecting Greene’s gem and a Tigers victory. They’ll go for their third series win behind Alfredo Simon (1 GS, 5.1 IP, 5.06 ERA, 2.98 FIP) on Wednesday night.
The Moment: Jose Iglesias covers all sorts of ground.
How Was The Game? (April 13, 2015)
A near miss.
Pirates 5, Tigers 4
It took until the second Monday of the regular season for us to publish a HWTG with the Tigers listed second, and hey, it’s hard to complain about that. Anibal Sanchez (2 GS, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 4.16 FIP) got touched up for three home runs, which isn’t good, but he struck out 9 and walked none if you’re looking for some positives. The bats were slow to get going but they threatened and got a run in the 7th and then came hard for the Pirates in the 9th with two doubles from Kinsler and Cabrera and then a big blast from JD Martinez to close the gap to one. Unfortunately a double play and a strikeout killed the rally and gave the club their first loss. We’ll get a 7pm game on Tuesday with Shane Greene (1 GS, 8 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.13 FIP) getting the ball.
The Moment: JD Martinez unloads in the 9th.
How Was The Game? (April 12, 2015)
Offensive.
Tigers 8, Indians 5
It didn’t take long for the Tigers to jump on T.J. House. In fact, they had three runs before he faced the fourth batter and he didn’t survive the second inning. Miguel Cabrera led the way with a walk, a single, a double, and two home runs, but Davis, Kinsler, and JD Martinez were all on base three teams in the club’s eight run effort. Kyle Lobstein (1 GS, 5 IP, 5.40 ERA, 2.90 FIP) wasn’t a world beater but he hung around and gave up three runs in in five innings of work, which isn’t bad for a number six starter facing a good offense. Angel Nesbitt had a pair of solid innings, giving way to a rough one from Blaine Hardy, who passed the game off to Joakim Soria who protected a three run lead. The win pushes the club to 6-0 on the young season and they’ll head to Pittsburgh Monday behind Anibal Sanchez (1 GS, 6.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.00 FIP, 0.3 fWAR).
The Moment: A baseball needs Tylenol after a run-in with Cabrera.
How Was The Game? (April 11, 2015)
The team, in a nutshell.
Tigers 9, Indians 6
This one promised to be a duel of starters, but wound up being a clash of offenses and the bullpens they punished. The Tigers tagged Kluber for two early runs, one coming on a Gose HR and the other, a team effort. The aces held serve until David Price’s (2 GS, 14.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.96 FIP) final inning where two walks, his own error, and a Jerry Sands double broke it open for a three run frame. The Tigers got three runs back in the 7th to bail out their ace, and then of course, their bullpen gave them back in the 8th inning to make this a pretty normal Tigers-Indians game. With the score tired 5-5, the Tigers offense struck back in the 9th with two walks by Romine and Davis setting up the middle of the order for a big four run inning, sending the game to Soria and a victory. Tigers will look to sweep and stay perfect on Sunday with Kyle Lobstein (2015 Debut) on the bump.
The Moment: Gose leads off the game by taking Kluber deep.
How Was The Game? (April 10, 2015)
Smooth sailing.
Tigers 8, Indians 4
The Tigers are getting a great jump on the AL Central race, winning their first four divisional games including one today against their main competition, the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers pushed across a run in the 2nd, two in the 4th, and then Castellanos laced one over the wall to make it 5-0 after 5. Alfredo Simon (1 GS, 5.1 IP, 5.06 ERA, 2.73 FIP) didn’t have trouble early, but the lineup turned over the third time and those steady Tribe bats started to get to him, grabbing three runs on him in the 6th before chasing him for Alburquerque who quelled the rally. Hardy got two innings of work, allowing a run, and Joba got the 9th inning and allowed a couple of runners so it was Soria’s game to finish. They’ll go for the series win tomorrow with David Price (1 GS, 8.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.57 FIP) on the hill against Corey Kluber.
The Moment: Nick Castellanos goes the other way for his first homer of the year.
How Was The Game? (April 9, 2015)
Clean.
Tigers 7, Twins 1
You never want to put too much stock in the first three games of the season because it’s only three games, but that being said, you couldn’t have asked for a better opening series. You can’t put too much stock in it, but there was nothing but good things this week in Detroit. The offense got rolling early and often again in this one, scoring two in the 1st, one in the second, three in the 4th, and another in the 5th. JD Martinez and Anthony Gose led the offense and Shane Greene (1 GS, 8 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.95 FIP) dazzled in his debut. The Twins didn’t do a lot to challenge him, but he cruised through 8 innings in 85 pitches and allowed his only run due to a defensive blunder up the left field gap. The rain delay didn’t bother the Tigers and they’ll leave town with three wins in hand. We’ll see what Alfredo Simon (2015 Debut) can do with the Indians on Friday.
The Moment: JD Martinez crushes one to deep right field.
How Was The Game? (April 8, 2015)
A domination.
Tigers 11, Twins 0
So, hey. Maybe we can play the Twins another 160 times? There wasn’t much happening through two innings, and then the lineup turned over and the Tigers unloaded a lot of their unresolved anger issues. They got three in the 3rd, four in the 4th, two in the 5th, and one each in the 7th and 8th. Gose, Kinsler, Cabrera, Avila, and Iglesias had huge days and Anibal Sanchez (1 GS, 6.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.97 FIP) carved up the Twins until he started to tire in the 7th. The bullpen came in and managed to avoid any sort of “bullpen-ness.” The club will look to sweep tomorrow with newcomer Shane Greene (2015 Debut) on the bump.
The Moment: Gose triples to break it wide open in the 4th.
How Was The Game? (April 6, 2015)
Picture perfect.
Tigers 4, Twins 0
After the 2014 season ended in disappointing fashion for everyone involved, the Tigers roared into 2015 intending to take no prisoners. The club got rolling early with a couple of big second inning swings. J.D. Martinez crushed the second pitch he saw over the right center field scoreboard and then Alex Avila launched an opposite field two-run bomb to score Cespedes later in the inning. David Price (1 GS, 8.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.90 FIP) took it from there. He retired the first 13 men he faced and was efficient all day, finishing with 8.2 innings of shutout ball. Castellanos scored Cespedes in the 6th on a sac-line drive to add on a run. From start to finish, it was all Tigers and we almost didn’t even have to see a reliever, until Ausmus trolled us all with a last ditch Joe Nathan effort who only had to get one out without allowing four runs. If you’re been waiting all winter for baseball, you were rewarded with a dandy. It’ll be Anibal Sanchez (2015 Debut) getting the ball Wednesday after an off day.
The Moment: J.D. Martinez homers in his first at bat of the season.
How Was The Game? (October 5, 2014)
The end of the line.
Orioles 2, Tigers 1
David Price (1 GS, 8 IP, 2.25 ERA, 4.38 FIP) gave it his all in his first playoff start in Detroit, allowing just two runs a Cruz bomb that barely cleared the wall, but it wasn’t enough for a Tigers offense that failed to deliver. They gave it one hell of an effort in the 9th with back to back doubles from the Martinezes, but they could not push across run number two. The team wasn’t built perfectly and there were many flaws, but it’s still sad to see them go. It wasn’t a good series or a good game, but they gave us meaningful October games for a fourth straight season and there’s only so much you can complain about that. There will be changes coming. Scherzer is likely gone. Hunter too. Maybe Martinez. It will be a different club the next time we see them. Six, long dark months from now. Perhaps it will again be Justin Verlander on Opening Day.
The Moment: VMart and JD double to start the 9th and make this a game.
How Was The Game? (October 3, 2014)
A bigger meltdown.
Orioles 7, Tigers 6
The Tigers offense did what they had to do to even this series, responding to a two run homer allowed by Justin Verlander (1 GS, 5 IP, 5.40 ERA, 4.73 FIP) in the 3rd with a five run attack of their own in the 4th. Hunter, Cabrera, and Martinez reached and then JD and Nick homered to turn the tables very quickly. Verlander got them through two more innings and then we got six glorious outs from Anibal Sanchez before the Tigers added an insurance run (and cost themselves one with bad base running) and headed to the Joba-Nathan innings. Joba struggled, hitting a batter and allowing two hits, so Soria came in and piled it on, culminating in a Delmon Young bases clearing double that put the Tigers behind. They couldn’t rally and will be on the ropes Sunday with hired gun David Price (First Start of Postseason) on the hill.
The Moment: The Tigers jump all over the Orioles with 5 in the 4th.
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