PREGAME: The Tigers return home after a 10 game trip. Tonight they’ll send out Justin Verlander, who has arguably been the best pitcher in the majors this year riding a 13 inning scoreless streak. Of course, the second best pitcher might be whoever is facing Verlander. The Tigers bats have mustered one run off Verlander opponents Jorge De La Rosa and Adam Loewen.

Tonight’s opponent will be much tougher in Zach Greinke. Greinke has posted a 12:1 K to walk ratio in his first 13 innings this year.

The wind is ridiculous tonight and will most assuredly be a factor. Let’s hope that the Tigers cope with it better than they did in their last home game.

Game Time 7:05

POSTGAME: The Tigers finally got that laugher they’d been waiting for. They took advantage of some Zach Greinke wildness (and an erratic strike zone) to set up a grand slam for Pudge Rodriguez in the first inning. Some bad defense and Greinke was chased in the first inning. In the end, the Royals burned out two of their relievers for the rest of the series tonight.

It was a big game for most of the offense, and everybody reached base at least once. Sean Casey got a gift double. Magglio Ordonez got lucky with a botched double play ball, but was later robbed of a hit by Jason LaRue. Everybody else had some hard hit balls, but Carlos Guillen and Pudge delivered the big blows.

Justin Verlander allowed more hard hit balls then he probably would have liked, but his 6 K’s helped limit the damage. Jose Mesa was asked to eat a couple of low pressure innings, and couldn’t even make it through an inning. By allowing 2 runs, it also prompted Jim Leyland to burn through Joel Zumaya making him unavailable tomorrow.

PREGAME: It’s the last game of a 10 game road trip that has already been deemed successful. They’re also coming off a game featuring some late inning heroics. Do they have enough juice to take one more before heading home?

Maybe they can draw on the history of Jackie Robinson. Gary Sheffield, Marcus Thames, Craig Monroe, Curtis Granderson, Lloyd McClendon, and Pudge Rodriguez will be among the MLB players wearing the retired 42 today. For more on the day, check out Bless You Boys.

The Tigers send out Nate Robertson who is coming off a sterling performance against Baltimore in which he went 7 1/3 innings on only 80 pitches and allowing only 5 baserunners.

Josh Towers will be making his second start of the year. In his first start we last 5 2/3 innings while allowing 10 hits, but no walks and 6 strikeouts.

Game Time 1:07

POSTGAME: Three singles and a walk. That combination would probably make for a nice rally some inning, but not spread out across 9. The offense which had been showing signs of life the last few days crawled back into a hole. What was most frustrating is that this was a lineup full of starters, against a pitcher that hasn’t done much since 2005. And yet they had to rely on a thrown away pick-off attempt and Granderson’s legs to plate a run.

Nate Robertson was good, but he would have needed a shut out to win this one. Still, he was in line for a no decision until Sean Casey cut off a Gary Sheffield throw home. I don’t know that Royce Clayton would have been out, but there certainly would have been a play. Compounding the problem, Casey didn’t even throw to 2nd to cut down John Macdonald advancing.

Granderson picked up the 2nd error of his career when he air-mailed everybody in the 2nd inning. The error didn’t cost the Tigers though as it set-up an outfield assist for Granderson on the next play ending the inning.

Even with the loss today, the 6-4 road trip has to be considered a success. The Tigers won despite not generating a whole lot of offense. They are probably lucky to have the record they have, but there’s no reason to apologize for that.

Tigers 1, Blue Jays 2

PREGAME: Yesterday was pitcher’s duel extraordinaire. I’m not expecting the same today. Chad Durbin was roughed up in his last start, and the Tigers tagged a wild AJ Burnett for 6 runs chasing him in the 3rd inning. Of course Burnett rebounded with 6 2/3 3 hit innings in his next start against the Royals.

Neifi Perez is 9 for 16 lifetime against Burnett, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see Carlos Guillen or Placido Polanco get the day off.

UPDATE: Polanco gets the day off, but in favor of Omar Infante who makes his first appearance on the field this year. He bats 9th and Pudge is in the 2-hole.

Game Time 1:07

POSTGAME: Some walks, some misplays, some bloops, and a broken bat got the job done for the Tigers in the end. If you’re a Blue Jay fan stopping by, I can certainly understand your frustration because that one slipped away.

BJ Ryan certainly had control problems, but at the same time there were a couple pitches to Gary Sheffield that I thought could have been (and should have been) called strikes. What appeared to be a very inconsistent strike zone manifested itself in that at-bat and changed the complexion of the inning.

After loading the bases I was thrilled to see Jim Leyland turn to Marcus Thames. After Thames swung through 2 belt high fastballs on the inner half I was just praying it wouldn’t turn into a double play. Instead a shattered bat double was the result.

For those that complain about Todd Jones, he won’t walk the bases loaded setting up rough luck situations. Granted, it wasn’t the norm for Ryan either, but when Jones gets beat it’s because the other team hit the ball.

Other stuff:

• Jason Grilli draws a lot of ire in internet circles. It’s largely overblown for a long guy in the bullpen. Today Grilli came up big with 3 scoreless innings and gave the offense a chance to get back into the game. Without Grilli’s performance, the Tigers don’t win today.
• Gary Sheffield seemed to coast a couple times on the base paths. Once with Ordonez’s double and the other time with the bloop hit. I understand that players can’t go all-out all the time, but not scoring either of those runs would have been huge slip-ups.
• For a guy that was staring down the golden sombrero at one point, Craig Monroe had actually put together some impressive at-bats. His first 3 at-bats were K’s, but he saw 5, 7, and 9 pitches with full counts in the latter 2 ABs. His double off the top of the wall also came on a full count, 8 pitch plate appearance. On the day Monroe saw 33 pitches.
• Brandon Inge had 3 more well hit balls. The average is still way down, but it’s climbing
• Props to 2nd base umpire Jeff Kellogg who made a nice call on Brandon Inge’s stolen base. The throw was there, but the tag wasn’t applied in time. It seems obvious, but that call isn’t always made.

I probably need to comment on Chad Durbin as well. Leyland said that he’ll still start as scheduled against the White Sox on Friday, but I’d imagine he’ll really have to show something. He was simply not good today. He doesn’t have to be great, but getting to the 6th inning and giving up fewer than 4 runs would at least be keeping the team in the game. The trouble is Zach Miner has struggled in Toledo, Jordan Tata is on the DL, and Andrew Miller was roughed up in his last start. In other words there isn’t anyone knocking the door down.

Tigers 10, Blue Jays 7

PREGAME: It’s an Opening Day rematch of Jeremy Bonderman and Roy Halladay tonight in Toronto. The Tigers have put together a few more walks and hits the past few days, but they’ll have a stiff test tonight.

Jim Leyland has juggled the line-up moving Pudge Rodriguez to the #3 spot and pushing everyone else down a spot. Beck reports that Pudge is 10 for 21 lifetime off of Halladay. My take on lineups is basically “whatever,” but when Carlos Guillen is hitting 6th something doesn’t feel right.

Speaking of match-ups, Bonderman avoided Matt Stairs in the opener, but his nemesis returns to the lineup tonight.

Game Time 7:07

POSTGAME
Sure I’m bummed about the loss, but it is hard to be upset. It was a spectacular game with just incredible pitching on both sides. Yes Jeremy Bonderman deserved better, but neither pitch deserved to lose.

And I know there are people probably ready to jump on Fernando Rodney, but it was an infield single and 2 bunts. He didn’t get shelled and he threw strikes. It was just and unfortunate ending to a tremendous game. And that first bunt, yes it looked awkward and Rod Allen said it was Casey’s play. But Rodney got there first, was moving in the right direction and still couldn’t make the play. I’m not sure Casey would have gotten it either.

Of course not much offense to speak of tonight, but I don’t blame the hitters.

Tigers 1, Blue Jays 2

PREGAME: So the Tigers already have a pattern in this young season. Drop the series opener, and then come back and take the rest of the games in the series. So make of that what you will as Detroit opens a new series in Toronto.

Has a dome ever looked more appealing? Gone will be the talk of cold impacting hitting and fielding and everything else. Let’s just hope the turf doesn’t effect any extremities.

If the offense responds tonight, the temperature will be given the credit. However, the Tigers showed signs of life last night. Despite the 11 scoreless innings, they did have 18 baserunners – they just couldn’t get the big hit until the 12th.

For the Tigers it will be Mike Maroth who will look to extend the 14 1/3 inning scoreless streak put up Tigers starters the last 2 nights.

Tomo Okha will take the mound for the Blue Jays. The Tigers as a team haven’t faced Ohka since 1999. But some of the current Tigers have had success in very limited at-bats.

Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez will swap duties tonight. Maggs will shelter his knees from the artificial surface while Sheffield will try to get into the flow of the game playing right field.

It will also be the first start for Mike Rabelo. He’ll be hitting 8th. And as a switch hitter will bring another lefty stick to the lineup.

Game Time 7:07

And great job everybody last night in the game thread. That was fun.

POSTGAME
Nice win tonight. The Tigers got enough offense, and some help from the Toronto defense, to push across 5 runs. It was especially nice to see Brandon Inge swing the bat the way he did. He put the ball in play each time up, which was a win. Plus, 3 of the 4 balls were hit hard. It didn’t even look like the same guy at the plate as last night.

Mike Maroth somehow managed to hold the Blue Jays to 2 runs despite allowing 9 hits (5 for extra bases) in 6 innings. They were tough innings, but he helped protect a bullpen short on arms. The double play by Troy Glaus may have been the difference in the game.

Granderson struggled in his 2nd straight game, this time picking up 3 strikeouts.

Jose Mesa was about what I expected. He made some nice pitches, but then he walked Jason Smith on 4 straight. Joel Zumaya came on and looked quite awesome. Though the baserunners scored, the second one was on a jam shot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tigers 5, Blue Jays 4
Fangraphs Win Probability