If letting the opposing team score in the first inning four games in a row means the Tigers will go 3-1, then I hope that happens for the rest of the season. Though, odds are that the Tigers probably won’t be that fortunate if they keep letting teams score early like that every night. I digress.
The Rangers jumped all over spot-starter, Brad Thomas, filling in for Dontrelle Willis because he had a belly ache, but that’s the only damage they would do on the night. They scored four runs in the first two innings and accumulated eight hits total in Thomas’ three innings.
The Tigers trumped the Rangers’ first two innings with their output of eight in the next two innings. And they have the Rangers to thank for a handful of those. For starters, Scott Feldman is not good, especially against the Tigers. He had a 8.82 ERA against the Tigers in his career entering last night (and his four runs in 3.2 innings pushed that up to a nine). The Tigers took the lead when Feldman’s wild pitch in the fourth inning caromed up the third base line, scoring the tying run and the go-ahead run when Taylor Teagarden couldn’t snag Michael Young’s throw. The Tigers then put Feldman’s pitches on a tee and scored three insurance runs off the bats of Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera, and rookie call up, Brennan Boesch.
The bullpen nailed the W down by going six stellar innings, in which they allowed zero runs, just three hits, and struck out five opposite one walk.
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM
Joel Zumaya tied a career high for strikeouts with five in his two scoreless innings of work. He has 13 strikeouts in 12 innings so far this season with a perfect 0.00 ERA. I just picked him up in fantasy, for what it’s worth.
LOOKS AT THE ROOKS
Austin Jackson continues to impress. He had two hits (one on a nice bunt single) and made a fabulous grab in center field — a leaping catch while on a dead sprint. His batting average is .307 right now with a .366 OBP.
Scott Sizemore got the night off.
Brennan Boesch is our new addition to the ‘looks at the rooks’ and he’s already becoming one of my favorites. Filling in for the oft-injured Carlos Guillen, Boesch entered the MLB scene with a measly double off the top of the 354 wall in left field (he bats lefty). Boesch had an RBI single last night and is hitting .375 in his first two games in the bigs.
AROUND THE CENTRAL
The White Sox scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth after the Mariners took the lead in the top half. It’s the second straight walk off win for the Sox.
The Indians beat the A’s 6-1 behind Fausto Carmona’s strong start and Austin Kearns three hits and three RBIs.
The Twins came from behind, just the way they like it, to beat the Royals in 12 innings, 9-7. The Twins scored five of the last six runs and Joe Mauer was a hit away from the cycle. F the Twins.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
