Well, that was quick. The Rangers put the game away with 8 runs in the first inning before a stunned Rick Porcello could even record a second out. The Rangers rolled to their 8th straight, beating Detroit 10-4, and have now outscored them 20-7 so far this series.
If there was a bright spot for the Tigers, it was another great outing by Duane Below, who threw 6 scoreless innings against the red-hot Rangers, the longest relief outing by a Tiger pitcher since Steve Sparks in 2003 (take away the first inning, and Below had a quality start). Below has now thrown 10 scoreless innings, with 7 hits and no walks in 2012.
After the game the Tigers used their last option on Daniel Schlereth and dispatched him to the Mud Hens, giving RHP Thad Weber his first call up to the bigs.
Can anyone stop the Rangers right now? Sounds like a challenge Justin Verlander would relish. Fresh off of a 131-pitch complete game victory, he has actually done well against the current Texas lineup, limiting them to a combined BA of .230 and an OPS of .655. Mike Napoli has given him the most trouble (.300/.890), and he is not in the starting lineup. Adrian Beltre will miss the rest of the series with an injured hamstring.
Neftali Feliz won the 2010 Rookie of the Year as a closer, and is now making a go of it as a starter. Tonight will be his 3rd major league start, and so far opponents are just hitting .209 against him. But then he has yet to face the likes of Santiago-Kelly-Inge.
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Breaking news: Phil Humber of the White Sox has just completed a perfect game against the Mariners
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Today’s Double-Headed Lineup:
- Austin Jackson CF
- Brennan Boesch RF
- Miguel Cabrera DH
- Prince Fielder 1B
- Delmon Young LF
- Alex Avila C
- Ramon Santiago SS
- Don Kelly 3B
- Brandon Inge 2B
Anybody getting the game on Direct TV MLB Extra Innings? Suppose to be channel 722
not getting it at all…I’m looking everywhere on Direct
Smokey are you a hypocrite? ….. you said Inge plays only against lefties!
For the second time today, Inge has blown a routine double play at second base. He MISSED the bag and actually got a break on the call at first as it looked like he didn’t get the relay there in time. Remember, he’s there for his stellar defense, defense that cost Porcello five runs in the first game today.
Cruz was safe there. I think Inge pissed off JV, and Michael Young made it worse. He may bean someone if the Tigers don’t score a few runs soon.
A few jobs are opening up in Boston.
we need an investigative lawyer to investigate what Inge and Rayburn have on Leyland….it must be big …..because blackmail can be the only reason you would pencil either one into the lineup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get the Bernstein Advantage!
Why! ….. Oh why! ….. is Kinge in the line-up?
in fact I want to hear from Dombrowski why the two of them play….I don’t even want to hear “they are due” come out of Capt Mumbles…we already know Mumbles is without reasoning faculties!
I don’t get why JV is pitching around David Murphy.
Ramon…….hell ya!!!!!!
Pinch hit the bat boy for Binge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do we bring up Castellanos (.388 ba) from Lakeland and try him at second or do we trade two of our lefties for an (A) second baseman?
Verlander 102 pitches through 5, needless to say the bullpen is going to be key – as JV likely only has one (probably), maybe two innings left.
your lineup is better by 20% by cutting both Inge and Rayburn both defensively and offensively….neither can field and neither can hit……so anything you do is a positive move…heck Clete Thomas has better stats then both of them added together
We need a guy like Omar Infante.
Infante….or Polonco….
and I am getting sick of Price saying “boy thats tough” every single pitch Kinge misses……….Brandon will say after the game they are pitching me like I’m Babe Ruth……oh thats why your 1 for 17
Benoit time
JV survives again…amazes us over and over and over….Dotel good job, now lets close this out!!!
I am Jose Valverde. I am “The World’s Most Interesting Pitcher.”
…When I come into the game, outfielders sit down and relax in lawnchairs.
…Gerald Laird cries in the dugout when he is not in the game to catch me.
…Fans start their game victory celebration before I even throw a pitch.
…The pitchers I relieve always insist that I get the win and not them.
….Umpires hold their heads down and raise their right arm for every pitch I throw.
…When I pick runners off at first, they come to the mound to shake my hand before returning to the dugout.
“I don’t always pitch, but when I do, I pitch in the ninth inning. Stay worried my Friends!”…I am Jose Valverde, “The Worlds Most Interesting Pitcher.”
Schlereth is GONE!…………………………….next!
Papa Jones is making me nervous.
Papa Jones is right….this is terrifying…
Just Winning a single game should not be this frickin difficult!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
only 3 hits, but a “W” – now try to salvage a split tomorrow
What’s wrong with the Tigers relief pictures that they can’t throw strikes.
It was bound to happen, Benoit walks at least one guy every appearance. It’s a shame that ridiculous defense gave the best team in baseball a free run. It’s hard to win games, when you can’t hit or play defense…amazingly, our pitching has been so good, that we have overcome walks by the pen, poor defense, and mediocre offense to win a lot of games. I do not think you can beat good teams consistently with this approach.