Blame $narf.

I woke up groggy, and my Tigers seemed to display the same lethargy for much of the game. You know, just like the last two – great pitching while our offense just couldn’t score in the early innings.

The White Sox struggled mightily off of Justin Verlander, scoring their only run on a triple. Otherwise, it was a throwback performance from the lifelong Tiger – eight innings, striking out the last batter.

After Chicago scored, their starter took the mound in the 6th. He drilled Victor Martinez in the back of the shoulder on his first pitch. After failing to look V in the eye with any words, the snarf started running his mouth as Martinez walked to first. It was intentional because he actually claimed V had a guy in center field stealing signals for him. All V could do was laugh, like seriously?

Snarf from Hell

Evil Snarf

The benches cleared – Martinez was out a whole season recently for health issues. The snarf only did this because V was batting over .500 in his career against the youngin’. His immaturity lit Detroit’s fire and proved to be his undoing. On a beautiful day in our home ballpark, the crowd began to roar. The next batter, J.D. Martinez, smashed a double into left field. Nick Castellanos blasted a deep fly ball for the sacrifice fly, tying the game.

Their starter was done, but the Tigers weren’t. With Rajai Davis running from first on contact, Ian Kinsler sent one into the left field corner, scoring Davis. Kinsler flashed the binoculars right back at Chicago’s dugout. Then, Torii Hunter singled for runners at the corners. We tacked on one more when Miguel Cabrera sacrificed Kinsler home.

In the eighth, after Verlander’s K, we really came alive. J.D. led off with a base hit. Nick Castellanos reached base, too, and Don Kelly pinch ran. Bryan Holaday found a way to contribute, laying down a nice bunt to the third basemen that advanced both runners. Andrew Romine delivered a suicide squeeze, catching everyone off guard. Rajai stepped up and outran a ball to the left-side gap, scoring “The Don.” Davis manufactured our final run by stealing second and scoring on Kinsler’s blooper.

Joakim Soria sent the White Sox home for good with a smooth ninth inning.