Games 75 & 76

bad migraines and a west coast trip had me sidelined the past few days. Will be back up after tomorrow's game

Game 74

Thinking the game started at 7 Central time, I decided to get one more game in for Tiger Woods '10 for the Wii. I tune in at 8:05...I decided to go back to playing Tiger Woods.

I feel good about my decision.

Game 73

Ah well, they can't win them all. Still 4 games up in the Central and 9 over .500

But...Joel Zumaya, really?

2 pitches in the 7th, then 28 before getting yanked in the 8th...really?

An 8 pitch walk to Darin Erstad. Erstad and his whopping .147 average...really?

Walking the bases loaded, then walking in the tying run...really?

Joel, if you're not careful, you'll be entering Robertsonville.


Tigers 4 Astros 5
W: Sampson (4-0)
L: Zumaya (3-2)
S: Hawkins (10)

Tigers Record
W - L
41 - 32
1st Place AL Central (4 games ahead of Minnesota)

Game 72

Game 72, or "How Magglio Got His Groove Back"

It started off shaky for Armando Galarraga, giving up 3 runs on a home run in the bottom of the first. But he recovered to only allow 4 more hits, and one run in the next five innings. And with a little help from Magglio Ordonez first home run in...well I can't count that high, I was a Communications major; Armando was able to pick up his first win in 11 starts.

Also joining Maggs in the run producing department, were Ramon Santiago who had a 2 run home run of his own, and Ryan Raburn, who should get some looks from NL Central teams after the way he tore up Cubs pitching this series.

And what would a close Tiger win be without a nail-biting save from Fernando Rodney. Rodney gave up a home run in his second pitch of the 9th. Fernando bounced back to strikeout the next two hitters, but then gave up a double to put the tying run on 2nd. Pinch hitter Geovany Soto entered the game, and was sent packing after striking out to end the game.

A second sweep and 7 in a row and on to Houston.

Tigers 6 Cubs 5
W: Galarraga (4-7)
L: Liily (7-5)
S: Rodney (16)

Tigers Record
W - L
41 - 31
1st Place Al Central (5 games ahead of Minnesota)

Game 71

Fernando Rodney made the margin of error thinner then most Tigers fans would like to see, but got the job done (maybe with a little help from an expanded strike zone) to close out the game.

1 for 15. That was what the Cubs did with runners in scoring position tonight. 3 innings the Cubs had the bases loaded, and only managed 2 runs. Cubs pitchers gave those two runs back to the Tigers with two bases loaded walks.

The big story of the pre-game was Magglio's freshly trimmed cranium. Did it work? Well 2 for 4 and no GIDP is certainly a step in the right direction. Let's try for a double tomorrow Maggs.

6 in a row, looking for another sweep, a season high 9 games about .500...good time to be a Tiger fan.

Tigers 5 Cubs 3
W: Miner (5-1)
L: Harden (4-4)
S: Rodney (15)

Tigers Record
W - L
40 - 31
1st Place AL Central (5 games ahead of Minnesota)

Game 70

He's starting to grow on me...

I take back anything bad I've ever said about Ryan Raburn...for now. His walk-off 2 run home run, was the third time the Tigers erased a Cub lead, and gave the Tigers their 5th straight win.

Much like Sunday's game this 2009 team looks to be playing to win until the 27th out. Last year's team you got the feeling that the attitude (looking at you Pudge and Sheff) was one of "Here we go again" instead "Let's get it back" anytime the Tigers lost a late lead.

Not lost in this should be the great games pitched by both Edwin Jackson and Carlos Zambrano. Their lines were pretty similar, with Jackson in line for the win when he left the game. Jackson did not get the win, because for some reason Joel Zumaya decided it would be fun to place a changeup over the middle of the plate. Micah Hoffpauir promptly deposited it into the bleachers in right to put Zambrano in line for the win.

Ryan Raburn hit the home run, but if not for Don Kelly's 9 pitch walk to start the inning. I had no idea who Don Kelly was before his call up, but he's really impressed me with his patience at the plate. And how fitting that someone just as maligned as Raburn in the first few months (who am I kidding he's still pretty maligned), Brandon Lyon gets the win for this one.

Tigers 5 Cubs 4
W: Lyon (3-3)
L: Gregg (2-2)

Tigers Record
W - L
39 - 31
1st Place AL Central (4 games ahead of Minnesota)

Games 68 & 69

Yesterday MLB decided that I should watch the Mets-Rays and that was it. Mother Nature had other ideas and while it was raining in New York, I was treated to the debut of Alfredo Figaro. All things considered not a bad performance picking up his first carerr victory, and in my mind it immediately places him ahead of Armando Galarraga on the depth chart. Ryan Perry, well that's another story. June has not been kind to the rookie as he surrendered runs in his third straight appearance. His ERA in June and Robertsonian 9.00.

While the bullpen surrendered runs, the bats put them on the board. The heart of the order came up big with Cabrera, Thames, and Kelly going 9 for 14 and driving in in four. Josh Anderson also had a nice day going 3 for 4 and driving in two. Placido Polanco hit his 3rd HR of the season and passed the "on hiatus" Magglio Ordonez on the season total list.

As for today's game it was a battle of the aces, with Justin Verlander going up against Yovanni Gallardo. Verlander gave up a HR on the second batter of the game. He pretty much held the Brewer bats in check allowing only 3 more hits until Craig Counsell lead off the 8th with a home run. All in all he struck out 8 and allowed more than 1 run for the first time at home all season.

At first it looked like it might be another hard luck loss for a Tiger pitcher, as Gallardo was shutting down the recently potent Tiger offense. The Tigers did not get their first hit until a leadoff single by Miguel Cabrera in the 4th. They threatened in the 5th, with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs, but were unable to cash in. Again in the 6th the Tigers had a opportunity, with 2 on and 2 out, this time Brandon Inge knocked one of the few mistakes Gallardo made all day deep into the left field seats.

That would be all the runs the Tigers needed. Fernando Rodney recorded his 2nd perfect 9th inning in a row, after the near horror show of Thursday night. The Tigers pick-up the sweep and another game on Minnesota heading into tomorrow;s off day

Game 68
Tigers 9 Brewers 5
W: Figaro (1-0)
L: Bush (3-4)

Game 69
Tigers 3 Brewers 2
W: Verlander (8-3)
L: Gallardo (7-4)
S: Rodney (14)

Tigers Record
W - L
38 - 31
1st Place AL Central (4 games ahead of Minnesota)