Freshly awake from our game last night, this one started off at noon in Kansas City. On national television, everyone seemed to be asleep for the first three innings.
A bit of a pitchers duel created that situation, especially with Max Scherzer on the hill. Torii Hunter struck first off of the Royals pitcher (he who acted an ass in our ballpark), blasting a solo home run. A bad call from the umpire seemed to wake Hunter up as it did the day before, when he blasted his double. Kansas City equalized it the next inning, and that’s where it sat for six innings.
The Tigers used a two-out rally in the 7th to take the lead again. Eugenio Suarez took four pitches and walked with J.D. Martinez on base. That set up the pinch-hitting Tyler Collins. After a wild pitch moved the runners over, Collins smacked a single up the middle in his 20th major league at-bat. Then, Rajai Davis delivered a hit to right, scoring Suarez for our 3rd run.
Scherzer left Royals on base in the following innings:
1st) A leadoff double was bunted over with one out. 007 struck out the next two batters swinging.
3rd) The first two hitters reach on singles, then are bunted over. Scherzer got the ensuing snarf to pop in shallow foul territory. “Lightening” then struck out the final.
5th) Their lone run off 00 scored, then reached second base with two outs. “Lightening” erased the frame with another K.
6th) With one out and one on, Kansas City doubled and moved the runner to third. The next Royal hit one right to Ian Kinsler, who then threw it past our second baseman. When the snarf on third tried to score, he was ruled out for not tagging up. Double play.
Our bullpen was a little shaky. Joba Chamberlain sailed to two outs in the 8th. Then, a single turned into a run, aided by a wild pitch before “the bearded horseman” reached the last out.
Leading 3-2, the ninth inning was not for the weary. Joe Nathan got the first out, then let two base runners reach on singles. They were bunted into scoring position with one out to go. Nathan got the groundout to Cabrera, who stepped on the bag and ended the game.