Summary

In a game that couldn’t be much more of an opposite of yesterday’s game, today’s game was an offensive duel between both teams. Four homers lead to eight runs between the two teams with another ball, by Tiger Craig Monroe, almost leaving the park and hitting the top of the fence. The Tiger bullpen also kept the team in the game instead of the usual starters.

While starting off slow for Detroit the game ended with some suspense with Toronto’s closer BJ Ryan walking the bases loaded with an out and Marcus Thames at the dish and C-Mo on-deck. Thames took two cuts on the first two pitches and broke his bat on the third while driving in two runs to put the Tigers ahead by a run with Monroe and Inge driving in two more (Inge’s was on an error.) Jones then came in and was completely on top of his game getting the Jays first two batters before giving up a double and then putting Vernon Wells away to end the game.

It appears that the Tiger motto from ‘06, ‘play nine innings’, was in full effect today.

Pitching

Chad Durbin had another start that he’d rather forget and put behind him. He lasted less innings than his first outing of the year at 4.0 and gave up the same number of runs at 6. Five of the runs came from two separate long balls that he gave up (one to Vernon Wells and another to Alex Rios.) The first three runs were scored before an out and the second inning seemed to start off the same as the first with Durbin getting lucky to get out of the inning with a single run given up. He seemed to pull his game together in the third inning at about the same time the Tiger bats started to get going but quickly gave up a few more to start off the fourth inning.

I don’t expect Durbin’s starts to continue past one more start if he even gets that. This wasn’t just a bad day, it was the second time Durbin came out and had no control of his breaking ball and many pitches seemed to fade right into the batters sweet spots.

Grilli came in the game during for the fifth inning and pitched three innings of zero run ball which was extremely nice to see after a number of bad outings. Ledezma came in the eighth inning and gave up a home run to the first batter then got the rest of the lineup out 1-2-3. Wasn’t a bad outing for Ledezma except for the single pitch that seemed to just float out there for Overbay to clobber.

Batting

On a good note, the Tiger offense started coming alive again off of AJ Burnett and kept the team in the ball game instead of the pitchers for a change. Each Tiger batter seemed to contribute at some point during the game including some of those who have started the year off relatively slow. Craig Monroe racked up another three strikeouts during the game but also got a double which lead to a game-tieing run in the top of the eighth. Inge’s contributed with a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Gary Sheffield didn’t get a hit but came across home plate twice. Ordonez scored two while also leaving the bases loaded at one point.

Both Sheffield, Ordonez and Guillen also got much needed walks in the ninth that lead to a four run inning and the win. Patience payed off.