Tigers On Top

Normally when I see two solid weeks of home games on the schedule, it makes me happy.

After the past two days, I’m not so sure anymore.

The Tigers looked nigh unbeatable in the reported hell of the National League. Now back in the comfy environs of familiar Comerica Park, they’re finding ways to lose. Yesterday they lost by having Bondo turn in his first real poor outing of the year and scoring not so many runs. Though Grandy did hit his 14th triple of the year, so that was something.

Then today Little Nate returned, and looked very wonderful in his 5.1 innings. Four hits, one earned run (an inherited runner that Grilli allowed in) and general Detroit dominance. We got two runs right in the first inning, and then Grandy ensured that he’d get baseball’s version of the triple double with a home run in the third. Double figures in all three kinds of extra base hits, how delightful.

Enter our awful-again bullpen.

We are now without Rodney again, to make room for Nate. Not that Rodney was THAT much help, but still. Grilli came in and was not amazing, and then Byrdak gave up a three-run homer to Wilkerson, plus some more runs for good measure. To their credit, the Tigers hitters gamely bounced back in the eighth, touching up Otsuka for 3 runs to tie the game at 6-6.

Then Jonesy came in and hit a down loop in the Roller Coaster. Three runs, and despite a little whimpery threat against Gagne in the ninth, it was over. 9-6 loss, while Cleveland predictably refused to fall to the A’s and scored five runs in the ninth for an 8-5 win. Just makes you want to hurl, doesn’t it? We’re back in a tie for first, and I hate the bullpen more than ever. Except Jonesy of course, who no matter how many runs he gives up I can never dislike. I can cringe excessively when he comes in though, thinking of the imminent damage he’s about to do to the score and his own ERA.

MIKEY WATCH: Last night my boy Mikey Maroth made his debut for the Cardinals. And don’t we all wish he’d pitched like that the whole season with the Tigers! Despite looking incredibly odd in Cardinals red (especially those red spikes), Mikey pitched 7.1 stellar innings, giving up just one run on two hits. He also picked off two runners! Silly National Leaguers, you don’t know to stay close to first when Mikey’s on the mound. He’ll get you every time with that excellent move. The Cards lost eventually in extra innings, but as Mikey did not figure in the decision, having left the game with a 1-1 tie, I’ll chalk it up as a victory. Maroth 1, Everybody Else 0.