Game 2014: 31 Twins 2, Tigers 1

Well, the Tigers haven’t won since before the NFL draft. This is troubling.

Quick standings update.

Det 20-10    —

Chi  18-18     5

KC   16-18     6

Cle  16-19    6.5

Min 15-18   6.5

Not a whole lot to complain about coming off of an 8 game win streak, though Cabrera still looks off. He’ll get fooled now and then, everyone does, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s taking ABs off. Fielder went through the same thing for 1/2 of 2012 and all of 2013.

Sorry for the short post, but I always seem to be up on my birthday. We started drinking at work…and now I need to get to dinner. But more tomorrow.

Normal RH lineup v. Phil Hughes. Whom the Tigers have hit in the past – 6-6, 4.34 ERA (11 starts)

1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Hunter, RF
3. Cabrera, 1B (15-31 lifetime v. Hughes, 5 HR
4. Martinez, DH
5. Jackson, CF
6. Castellenos, 3B
7. Avila, C
8. Romine, SS
9. Davis, LF

Postgame:

I was only following along via the greatest app known to mankind, but it looks like Phil Hughes showed what the Yankees Twins thought he was all along tonight. Sometimes you just gotta give credit where credit is due. Tigers made it interesting late, but it wasn’t enough. 1-9 RISP will do it for you.

Interesting stat of the night – Verlander’s 1.29 WHIP tonight lowered his season WHIP. 1.29 is good, but not what we expect from an ace. The dozier 5 pitch walk in the 7th, with 3 of those being buried in the dirt, killed JV. Yes, Brian Dozier, he of a career .239/.695 OPS. You wouldn’t think that Verlander really needs to fool him with 2 out in the 7th. The last two pitches of the AB were off-speed pitches. I don’t get it. But I’m not complaining (too much).

The NFL draft has been our kryptonite in 2014.

 

 

 

23 thoughts on “Game 2014: 31 Twins 2, Tigers 1”

  1. I think you are being a bit hard on Fielder. After all, he was on fire for 2 weeks or so early last season.

    1. He was on fire all season long. Slowly burning down, as it turned out.

  2. Happy birthday! We’ll excuse you for screwing up and saying it’s Phil Hughes pitching; clearly it’s someone way better than that.

  3. Happy B-day Kevin – hopefully you (Dallas) didn’t get hit with that wave of heavy weather that just swept through TX again today.

    DET need to win the MIN series – because it on the road for 9 games against BAL, BOS & CLE – then TEX comes to DET…

      1. Am I the only one surprised that Ausmus left JV in after he walked what’s his name to load them up? I mean he was at what? 110 pitches at that point?? I would’ve pulled him. Not that he pitched that poorly — he didn’t pitch poorly in my view. Instead, he had a few crappy defensive plays behind him and no offensive support.

  4. Miscommunication between fielders leads to an error, followed by a walk, Darvish with a a no-no through 6 2/3.

      1. Ouch. You know, if I’ve got a no-hitter with 2 outs in the 9th and Ortiz is up, and an 8-run lead, sorry, I’m walking him.

  5. Oh well, it’s tough when they throw out the combo of Cy Hughes and Cy Fien against you. I throw my cap at them.

  6. Castellanos saved a run or two early with the leaping catch. Nice last gasp clutch hits from Jackson and Avila. Yet another good start for JV. Slipped away, but it’s difficult to recall a game where the starting pitching hasn’t kept the Tigers in the game. Better still, no gratuitous late-inning runs allowed by the bullpen. A loss that doesn’t feel that bad.

    Hughes was good again. Some games you just can’t afford to give up even 2 runs. Felt like that pretty early tonight. Too bad about the 7th, but I trust JV to get out of his own jams more than I trust anyone in the bullpen.

  7. Drinking at work, Kevin? Hope you are not a nuclear reactor employee or a train engineer, but hey, Happy Birthday, and I am guessing you are young still! Lets all get well tomorrow, esp. the birthday boy….

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