Back home, the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 in the first game of five.
Anibal Sanchez struggled out of the gate, giving up four base runners and one run in the first inning. However, he settled down nicely, and that run would be the only notch against him all night. Through seven and one-third innings, he recorded five strikeouts on 115 pitches, giving up seven hits and one walk.
Andy Dirks led off the game with a slap into right field, a theme that would continue all day, as Dirks finished 4-4. Still in the first, Prince Fielder unleashed a bomb to put us on the board, 2-1.
Dirks committed the first of two Tigers base running mistakes in the 3rd inning. After a leadoff double, Torii Hunter hit one to the pitcher – Dirks made a fake to third – and then Dirks was caught between bases and tagged out; meanwhile, Hunter tried to fuck with them by rounding first and was also tagged out. Bad! Furthermore, later on in the 6th, Brayan Pena will get caught between bases after singling Omar Infante on a hit-and-run to third base, wasting a one out-sacrifice fly setup. We can do better.
Dirks doubled to put runners on second and third in the bottom of the fifth. Hunter seized the situation and lined a drive up the middle past the Royals’ Bruce Chen to score Jose Iglesias. Next, Miguel Cabrera blooped one past the infield to score Dirks for the 4-1 final score.
It’s worth mentioning that Anibal Sanchez was clearly left in a little too long. He dominated the sixth and seventh innings, striking out two batters in each frame while recording easy 1-2-3 outs. But, in the 8th, his pitch count was already above 100. He let a deep fly ball get saved by Hunter for the first out.
That’s when you pull him.
Lucky break, perfect time.
Nope! Jim Leyland left him in to give up a quick single, then pulled him. Just unnecessary.
Bruce Rondon got the next two outs.
Joaquin Benoit saved the game in the ninth, walking one.
Tomorrow, a double header ensues with Justin Verlander pitching at 1:08 PM & Jose Alvarez pitching at 7:08 PM ET. I looked it up: you are allowed to call up one player for a double header.