How Was The Game (June 30, 2013)
A missed opportunity.
Rays 3, Tigers 1
While we didn’t see the Rick Porcello (4-6, 86.1 IP, 5.21 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.5 WAR) who dominated hitters from May to mid June, we saw an effective Porcello who went 6 innings and gave the Tigers a chance to win. He allowed 3 runs, but only a couple of well hit balls to go with 2 BB and 3 K. Miguel Cabrera crushed a 4th inning HR into the Ray Tank, but the Tigers wouldn’t get any more despite loading the bases with no outs in the 7th. After taking the opener so cleanly on Friday, losing the last two so closely stings, but probably not as much as Ben Zobrist’s right shoulder after Leyland ordered Porcello to hit him in the first inning because Jim Leyland thinks baseball needs more violence. Hopefully, MLB will suspend Leyland, but the odds of that seem quite slim because MLB tends to support this kind of childish behavior. It’ll be a quick turnaround after the flight to Toronto as the Tigers will face the Jays Monday at 1pm with Jose Alvarez (1-1, 16.2 IP, 3.78 ERA, 5.70 FIP, -0.1 WAR) hopefully making his last start for a while with Sanchez’s return looming.
The Moment: Cabrera sends one into the Rays Tank in RCF, just the second player to ever do so.
How Was The Game? (June 29, 2013)
Another extra inning loss.
Rays 4, Tigers 3 (10 innings)
After a great all-around win on Friday, the Tigers sent Justin Verlander (8-5, 105 IP, 3.77 ERA, 3.05 FIP, 2.8 WAR) to the hill and while he wasn’t at his best, there were good signs regarding his stuff and his efficiency. He allowed 3 runs (2 earned), but pitched 8 innings for the first time this season to go with 4 BB and 4 K. It wasn’t vintage Verlander, but it was a much more effective version than he’s been the last few times out. The bats offered three runs in the 3rd on a Jackson homerun and a 2 RBI single from Peralta, but the Rays clawed back and tied it in the 8th leaving it up to the bullpens to hammer out a resolution in the 9th inning and beyond. After a lights out 9th from Smyly, the Tigers handed it over to Rondon in the 10th who allowed two baserunners between a flyout and a strikeout, but allowed the game winning hit to Escobar. Should you care to peruse his velocity, here is a handy tweet:
The Tigers will saddle back up Sunday behind Rick Porcello (4-5, 80.1 IP, 5.27 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.3 WAR) who will look to lead the Tigers to a series victory.
The Moment: Verlander gets through 8 for the first time this season.
How Was The Game? (June 28, 2013)
A powerful display.
Tigers 6, Rays 3
Parallel tracks usually take you to the same location and that’s the story of this game. Max Scherzer (12-0, 110.1 IP, 3.10 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 3.3 WAR) had another fine outing, keeping the Rays to just 3 runs in 7 innings while striking out 9 and pitched in almost no traffic, allowing 2 of the 3 runs on solo homers. But the other track was no less impressive as Miguel Cabrera led the way with 2 HR, a single, and a double, moving his season numbers up to 209 wRC+ and 5.4 WAR, both of which are easily MLB bests. But it was Prince Fielder who sealed the deal with a majestic homerun that hit the catwalk in RF, perhaps as it was still traveling upward. The bullpen shut the game down in the final two innings and put the Tigers in position to take the serious to take the series Saturday behind Justin Verlander (8-5, 97 IP, 3.90 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 2.8 WAR).
The Moment: Fielder hits the catwalk on a 2 run HR in the 7th.
How Was The Game? (June 27, 2013)
An opposite way to lose.
Angels 3, Tigers 1
After a homestand that featured the league’s best starting pitching doing a very convincing Padres impersonation, Doug Fister (6-5, 103 IP, 3.50 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 2.9 WAR) returned to form, pitching 7 brilliant innings of 1 run baseball to give the Tigers a very good chance to salvage one in the series. However, the Tigers could only must a single run themselves against the nameless opposing starter and couldn’t cash in on scoring chances in the 8th and 9th innings. With a taxed bullpen, Leyland had to hand the ball to Coke in the 10th, who remained unable to get righties out, resulting in two runs. The Tigers have the best staff and the best offense in baseball, but it wasn’t lined up correctly on this homestand as they dropped 3 straight to the Angels and 6 of 10 overall. They will pack up and head to TB tonight, turning to Max Scherzer (11-0, 103.1 IP, 3.05 ERA, 2.54 FIP, 3.3 WAR) for game one with the Rays.
The Moment: Torii Hunter nearly injures himself during a very comical dive.
How Was The Game? (June 26, 2013)
One that slowly slipped away.
Angels 7, Tigers 4
The Tigers got off to a good start with back to back homeruns from Hunter and Cabrera in the first inning, but Jose Alvarez (1-1, 16.2 IP, 3.78 ERA, 5.69 FIP, -0.1 WAR) allowed the equalizing homer to Trout in the 3rd inning. The Tigers came back with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Leyland gave Alvarez a little too much leash as he was tiring in the 6th inning and he allowed a go-ahead homerun from Erick Aybar before being pulled after 5.2 innings and 4 runs. Smyly, unfortunately, surrendered 3 runs of his own even though he has been one of the better relievers in all of baseball this year. (New English D’s new SOEFA rankings put him at 5th entering the day!) After last night’s ugly one, this one was a more subtle defeat, but they count the same in the standings. They’ll try and salvage one on Thursday behind Doug Fister (6-5, 96 IP, 3.66 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 2.7 WAR) to make it a 5-5 homestand and avoid the season sweep at the hands of the Angels and he who shall not be named.
The Moment: Hunter and Cabrera go back to back to start the game.
How Was The Game? (June 25, 2013)
Just dreadful.
Angels 14, Tigers 8
So I’m a believer in the theory, it might be my own, that there is exactly one game per season that isn’t fun. This was that game. Usually, I find enjoyment in the game even if it’s a loss, heartbreaking or otherwise. For example, the last time Porcello played the Angels, it was fun to watch Smyly dominate out of the pen. Tonight, I can’t think of anything worth celebrating. Rick Porcello (4-5, 80.1 IP, 5.15 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 1.3 WAR) did not pitch as poorly as the line indicates as a lot of groundballs found holes, but he wasn’t terribly sharp either after the first five batters. The offense had three nice outbursts, I suppose and actually scored a lot of runs, but they ruined that by making, I’m not kidding you, six errors. They made six errors. That’s like two weeks worth of errors. If you missed this game, don’t go look at the box score, I’ll spare you. Forget it happened. It’s done. It’s a loss, nothing more. We’ll wipe the slate clean and try again with Jose Alvarez (1-0, 11 IP, 2.45 ERA, 4.68 FIP, 0.1 WAR) on the mound Wednesday.
The Moment: Um…Cabrera hit a homerun.
How Was The Game? (June 23, 2013)
Bizarre.
Tigers 7, Red Sox 5
Despite the fact that starting pitching is the hallmark of the 2013 Tigers and the fact that Justin Verlander (8-5, 97 IP, 3.90 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 2.8 WAR) entered the season as one of the game’s top starters, today wasn’t really a day for such things to be on display. Verlander was inefficient and off his mark, going just 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks while only striking out 4. He wasn’t knocked around, but he was not the master of the mound that we have come to expect. A key issuse, today at least, was the lack of horizontal movement on his curveball. Take a look at this comparison between his start today and his game averages last season:
His teammates helped him out, however, as Cabrera and Fielder knocked in runs in the first, Holaday scored on a passed ball in the 2nd, and then Jhonny Peralta delivered the tying run on a bases loaded hit by pitch in the 7th. It was a funky game that included a ridiculous play by Victor Martinez and a play in which Dustin Pedroia dropped a line drive, only to failed to get a double play because Napoli tagged the base before he tagged the immobile Jackson. Then of course, there was the 8th inning fly ball that Nava caught cleanly in RF that turned into a double because…well…I’m not entirely sure. The umpires just totally missed it. Then Holaday tried to sacrifice bunt and reached on an error and Jackson walked to set up a Torii Hunter go-ahead sac fly and a Prince Fielder go-further-ahead 2 RBI single. Thanks to some solid relief work by Smyly and Benoit (who gave up 1 R), the Tigers road the strange inning to a series win and a 42-32 record overall. They’ll take Monday off before turning to Rick Porcello (4-4, 76 IP, 4.74 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.3 WAR) to start the three game set with the Angels.
The Moment(s): Victor Martinez makes a circus play at first AND Garcia doubles on a fly out.
How Was The Game? (June 22, 2013)
Nice and comfortable.
Tigers 10, Red Sox 3
Max Scherzer (11-0, 103.1 IP, 3.05 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 3.3 WAR) gave up two runs in the first inning and then the offense unloaded and he remembered he is now MAX SCHERZER in capital letters.
Despite the two early runs, Scherzer finished with a 7 inning, 6 hit, 2 run, 0 walk, and 6 strikeout evening, adding to his brilliant season and Cy Young campaign. Scherzer now leads all AL pitchers in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) with 3.3 (also in Run Support per 9 with 7.83). I mean, check this out. He threw almost nothing off the plate inside:
The bats did more than enough, as Martinez got the scoring going with a 1st inning grand slam, before Jackson drove in a run in the 4th, and the Tigers took off with 2 more in the 5th and 7th each and 1 in the 8th. After the 1st inning, it was never really in doubt as Scherzer shifted into cruise control and allowed just three additional baserunners to earn his his team the victory. The win lifts the Tigers to 41-32 and they will go for the series win against the AL leading Red Sox behind the forgotten ace, Justin Verlander (8-5, 92 IP, 3.72 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 2.7 WAR).
The Moment: Victor Martinez hits a first inning grand slam, goes 2-3 with a GS, 2B, 2 BB, 5 RBI, and 3 R
How Was The Game? (June 21, 2013)
Not for the purists.
Red Sox 10, Tigers 6
The box score just looks ugly. Both starters allowed 4 run innings and both teams had 10 or more hits. It was one of those traffic on the bases, always threatening games. Doug Fister (6-5, 96 IP, 3.66 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 2.7 WAR) had an ugly line, but most of the damage came on groundballs that found holes and that’s just something you live with when you have such an extreme groundball pitcher on the mound. Usually it works nicely for him. Fister finished with 3.1 inning, 11 hits, 6 runs, 1 BB, and 0 K. The offense did fine work as Pena singled in a run in the 2nd and the Tigers got 4 in the 5th on a Dirk solo shot and a Cabrera 3 run HR. The bullpen surrendered 4 additional runs, but two of which came without the benefit of a hit and one came on a Garcia error, so you can’t really blame them. The Tigers will try to secure no worse than a split behind Max Scherzer (10-0, 96.1 IP, 3.08 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 3.1 WAR) on Saturday, who is making a case to start the All-Star game.
The Moment: Cabrera launches a 3 run HR.
How Was The Game? (June 20, 2013)
Not a bad ending.
Tigers 4, Red Sox 3
The buzz around the Tigers today was about the bullpen situation, but despite Leyland giving Coke the ball when it should have gone to Smyly, it wasn’t the Tigers bullpen that would be the story. Jose Alvarez (1-0, 11 IP, 2.45 ERA, 4.69 FIP, 0.1 WAR) did solid work across 5 innings of 2 run baseball against a very strong offense and Putkonen, Coke, and Smyly combined to allow just one additional run. The bats were unable to get more than two runs in the first 8 innings, however, as a Torii Hunter 2 run single was the only scoring the Tigers could muster against Lackey and company until Martinez walked to start the 9th inning against Bailey and then Jhonny Peralta stepped to the plate and lined a slider into the Tigers bullpen to end the game. I know it doesn’t matter, but I said to my wife before the inning started that Martinez was going to walk and Jhonny was going to walk off. It felt good as the Tigers delivered their first walk off win of the season. If you’re going to lose one in this series, it certainly should be the Alvarez game but the Tigers survived it and can now turn to Fister, Scherzer, and Verlander the rest of the way, who are among the best dozen starting pitchers in baseball so far this season. It will be Doug Fister (6-4, 92.2 IP, 3.21 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 2.8 WAR) who will get the ball Friday night at Comerica Park.
The Moment: Jhonny Perlata walks off into the Tigers bullpen.
New English D 