Category Archives: Game Post

2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.011: Tigers at Mariners

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PREGAME: I’m still shaking my head about last night’s game. So…it’s a simplistic preview today.

Erik Bedard is striking out lots of people. He has 15 K’s already. The Tigers hadn’t really been striking out a great deal…until last night. The Tigers had also been slugging quite well but had no extra base hits among their 9 knocks.

Edwin Jackson was stellar against the Blue Jays, and just OK against the Rangers. If Jackson has a modicum of command this game could set up nicely for him.

As for TV coverage, this game will be picked up on FS Detroit once the Red Wings game and postgame are completed. Prior to that you can catch the action of FS Detroit +.

Game Time 9:10

Detroit vs. Seattle – April 18, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: Awesome stuff from Edwin Jackson again. The efficiency was reminiscent of the Toronto start and Jakcson went 7 2/3 on 98 pitches. This time though he added 5 K’s. As someone who criticized this trade, I’m happy to be wrong so far.

  • Curtis Granderson looked much better tonight at the dish. He had 2 walks and a single and saw 26 pitches tonight. There was also that money throw to end Seattle’s only scoring chance.
  • Magglio Ordonez looked better tonight also. Unfortunately Miguel Cabrera had one of his only down games for the year and stranded 6.
  • Brandon Inge accounts for both runs, sort of. He gets credit for one and Ichiro gets credit for the other.
  • Fernando Rodney allowed his first baserunner and wasn’t quite as crisp as his first 4 outings, but that runner never made it past first base.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.010: Tigers at Mariners

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PREGAME: When one looked at the Tigers early schedule, it was full of teams that finished in the bottom half of their divisions in 2008. The Blue Jays, the Rangers, and the Mariners. So far some of those teams have been pretty good, including the Mariners that are 7-3 and the run-preventingest team in the American League.

The Mariners are only allowing 3.2 runs per game. Their pitching staff is headlined by Felix Hernandez (more on him in a minute) but he’s backed up this season with Jarrod Washburn and Erik Bedard. They were there last year, but not so much effective. Between the staff and an outfield defense featuring Endy Chavez and Franklin Gutierrez gaps are hard to find and opposing teams are only slugging .316. Now those teams have been the A’s, Angels, and Twins. Make of it what you will, but basically we don’t know a lot yet.

Tonight’s match-up is ace on ace with Justin Verlander taking on Hernandez. Verlander is looking for some efficiency after getting knocked about before the 6th inning in his first 2 starts. The Mariners see only 3.61 pitches per plate appearance, the lowest in the AL, so he may find some. In 7 starts against Seattle Verlander has a 1.252 WHIP and 2.91 ERA.

Hernandez has fanned 14 in 13 inning this year. In terms of Tigers with Success, Granderson and Polanco have both hit well against Hernandez in limited at-bats. It would be nice to get off to a quick start on the road trip with those two at the top of the order.

Kenji Johjima has hit the DL, but Ichiro is back from his ulcer issues.

Game Time 10:10

Detroit vs. Seattle – April 17, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: Ugh. If you went to bed and didn’t watch this one, you wouldn’t believe how good Justin Verlander looked by looking in the box score. If you watched the whole thing, you wouldn’t believe how things unraveled in the 5th.

Verlander retired 12 straight and fanned the side in the 4th. But then the Mariners started swinging at first pitches. They had runners on 2nd and 3rd, one out and one run in. Yuniesky Betancourt hit a ground ball to third and Russel Branyan broke for home. He was out by a mile, or would have been if Brandon Inge hadn’t bounced the throw. Instead of a 3-1 game with runners at the corners and 2 outs and the number 9 hitter up, it was 3-2 with runners at the corners and 1 out. A suicide squeeze went for a hit and tied the game. Then there were more hits and 5 runs scored. Four of the runs ended up being earned, but the error completely changed the complexion of the inning and subsequently the game.

  • The Tigers got their 3 runs in the 2nd, and really only hit one ball hard.
  • Cabrera continues to mash with 3 more bullets and he missed a homer by about 2 feet.
  • The Tigers managed 9 hits, but all were singles and two were eliminated via GIDPs.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.009: White Sox at Tigers Redux

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PREGAME: The weather didn’t cooperate yesterday, but things look much better for today with things drying off around game time and even a little sunshine.

The rainout did have one effect and that was to provide the Tigers with a match-up that at least looks more favorable on paper. Instead of going up against the Sox staff ace John Danks (and really, he’s a better pitcher than Buehrle), they will be facing Jose Contreras.

Contreras allowed 10 base runners in 5 innings of work in his first start of the year. Current Tigers hitters have an 841 OPS against Contreras in their careers.

The Tigers will skip Rick Porcello and instead send Armando Galarraga to the mound. On Opening Day Galarraga shut down a hot hitting Texas Rangers and went 7 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits with 8 K’s.

Game Time 1:05

Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers – April 15, 2009 | MLB.com Gameday

POSTGAME: What’s my favorite part of this win you ask? It is putting to rest for the time being the talk of “the Sox own the Tigers.” If they lose the series, then it starts to become “a thing” and then it starts to become annoying. For now anways, they are all square.

As for the game, I caught the first 5 innings of this one on the radio, and missed the rest while in a meeting. So I missed the part where it turned into a laugher and banged my keyboard a little too hard when every pitch was a moment of tension.

Unlike his firsst start, he had to work through this one. I’m not saying he wasn’t good, but listening to the game it sounded like the command wasn’t quite as good at times and it required a few more pitches, many under duress where it seemed that one run might be enough to win or lose this game. but when he needed a strike out, he found a way to get it. He pitched out of a runner on third one out situation and a 2nd and 3rd one out situation. In the end it was a 6.1 inning 4 hitter with 5 K’s and 2 walks. Tremendous stuff.

The Tigers only had one real scoring chance prior to breaking through in the 6th. A 2nd and 3rd none out situation that they weren’t able to take advantage of when Ramon Santiago struck out and Curtis Granderson popped out. And Contreras was cruising. Through 4 innings he only needed 52 pitches. So in my mind the at-bat of the game was…

Josh Anderson’s 10 pitch walk. It was the first at-bat where Contreras really had to work, and it put him in the stretch. It led to a Placido Polanco 2 run double blasted to centerfield. And while the game would get out of hand, it was all the Tigers needed.

  • Bobby Seay faced a batter and got 2 outs. Fernando Rodney pitched a 1-2-3 9th, just trying to get work in. Ryan Perry? He pitched a scoreless inning but a walk and 2 wild pitches made things a little interesting.
  • Josh Anderson and Ramon Santiago were both outstanding again today. Santiago got the start when Adam Everett was told to stay home with the flu.
  • Curtis Granderson is really fighting it right now but he did pick up his 3rd hit of the homestand.
  • Miguel Cabrera not fighting it at all, and he teamed up with Galarraga to turn in another nice defensive play. It’s too soon to make stat based defensive judgements, but the eyeball test has him improved in my opinion.
  • That Brandon Inge play in the 3rd was sick. The highlights are here.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.009: White Sox at Tigers

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PREGAME:  This is more of a theoretical game post, because the chances of this game being played are pretty slim. But…if they do play it will be Rick Porcello making his home debut against John Danks.

Porcello was hurt by a couple homers in his first start against the Blue Jays. He surrendered 7 other hits, but all were singles and most were ground balls.

Danks picked up his 2009 season where he left off his great 2008 season by blanking the Royals for 6 innings of 3 hit, 5 K ball in his first start of the year.

Game Time 1:05

Chi White Sox vs Detroit – April 14, 2009 | MLB Gameday

2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.008: White Sox at Tigers

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PREGAME: After brief stops in the other AL divisions, the Tigers get to take their first stab at their Central foes.  Last year the team was 27-45 in division, a mark they are determined to improve on in ‘09. They welcome the White Sox to town for 3 afternoon tilts.

Zach Miner will be the Tigers moundsman (I don’t think that is a word but it sounds like something they’d use in the 1920’s doesn’t it?). Miner was one Ramon Santiago error short of a quality start against Toronto. Which was a little surprising considering it took him 5 Jays hitters to record his first out.

He’ll be opposed by Gavin Floyd who pitched 7 innings of two run ball against the Kansas City Royals. Scouting him with Pitch F/X, the table below shows his pitch selection and what the Royals did with said pitches.

Results/Pitch CH CU FC FF FT SL Total
Ball 4 11 2 14 3 6 40
Called Strike 4 1 6 11
Foul 1 9 2 4 16
In play, no out 1 2 1 4
In play, out(s) 1 1 7 2 1 12
In play, run(s) 1 1 2
Swinging Strike 4 1 6 11
Total 4 20 7 40 8 17 96

Only 11 called strikes is what jumps out at me. If the pitch was near the zone, the Royals were hacking at it. Virtually all of the swings and misses came on the breaking balls from Floyd.

Game Time 1:05

Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers April 13th, 2009 | MLB Gameday

POSTGAME: That wasn’t nearly as much fun as the winning. I got most of my description from Dan and Jim today, and watched an accelerated version of the game on the DVR. Zach Miner didn’t have it today. I don’t know if the extreme cold played a role in Miner’s struggles, but given the fact that White Sox pitchers walked 9 Tigers it certainly seems that it was a tough day all around for pitchers.

The Tigers got some offense today, and had many chances, but couldn’t come up with enough clutch hits to drive in the numerous baserunners.

  • I hated the idea of Ramon Santiago batting 6th, but he did it all right. He ripped a 3 run homer, and had a couple more hits and was robbed of a triple.
  • Josh Anderson also had a very fine game with anice defensive play and he drove in the Tigers other 3 runs.
  • Curtis Granderson can’t get anything going since leaving Toronto.
  • Eddie Bonine has now allowed homers in each of his 3 appearances
  • Juan Rincon allowed 4 baserunners, but he ate up 3 innings on a tough day, allowed no runs, and fanned 5
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.007: Rangers at Tigers

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PREGAME: The Tigers look for a series sweep of the Texas Rangers this Easter Sunday. The Rangers mashed Cleveland pitching but haven’t been able to muster much offense against the Tigers starters. Today it will be Edwin Jackson making his second start of the season. His first effort was wasted by the bullpen as he pounded the strike zone (67.4% strikes) en route to a 7.1 inning, 89 pitch start.

Kevin Millwood April 6th Start - pitch fxKevin Millwood pitches for the Rangers. He held Cleveland to 1 run in 7 innings on 5 hits, a walk, and 5 K’s. He went with a fastball heavy repertoire (91MPH 4 seam, 90MPH 2 seam), and didn’t seem to get the ball down that well. Still, the results were impressive. Hopefully if he keeps the ball up against the Tigers, they’ll either layoff it or hammer it.

Game Time 1:05

Texas vs. Detroit – April 12, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: It’s a good day to be named Brandon. Inge of course due to his 4th homer (and career number 100) to start the 8th inning comeback and his 2 out RBI single to cap it. Plus he threw in a slick play on a bunt to start the 9th. Part of the reason that the Tigers only needed to come down by 4 is because Brandon Lyon came on and retired 6 straight batters on 17 pitches. It was a very nice bounce back outing, and only his second since he blew Edwin Jackson’s last start.

As for Jackson, he wasn’t as sharp as his last outing, but mostly effective. He pitched out of a big jam in the 5th and in the 6th inning he retired the side on 10 pitches, mostly 95mph+ fastballs to put a nice cap on his day.

Kevin Millwood was frustratingly good. It was a steady diet of 89 mph fastballs and curves that had the Tigers completely fooled.

  • Fernando Rodney picked up the save on 5 pitches (and the previously mentioned nice play by Inge)
  • Placido Polanco seems to have his stroke going after a slow spring
  • A couple of awful at-bats by Magglio Ordonez and Gerald Laird in that 8th inning. Fortunately the rest of the team picked them up.
  • Speaking of which, how about the struggling Carlos Guillen lacing a two strike double down the line?
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.006: Rangers at Tigers

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PREGAME: The Tigers look for their first 2 game winning streak of the season in another afternoon tilt against the Rangers.

Justin Verlander is on the mound for the Tigers as they start their second turn through the rotation. Verlander was the only one in the first turn that struggled as he was charged with 8 runs on Opening Day. Those 8 runs were 1 more than the other 4 starters combined to allow.

The Rangers will counter with Matt Harrison who is making his 2009 debut. Harrison posted a 5.49 ERA in 15 games as a 22 year old last year. He doesn’t strike out many (42 K’s in 83.2 innings). Lefties posted a .971 OPS against him last year.

Game Time 1:05

Texas vs. Detroit – April 11, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: How about that pitching? Justin Verlander followed up the performances of his rotation mates with a return to form so to speak. His command was great, but the Rangers couldn’t find his fastball above the belt, nor could they lay off it. The results was 8 K’s in 5 innings of work. The pitch count got a little higher than we’d like, but part of that was due to crappy left side defense in the 5th inning.

Verlander was asked to get 5 outs in that inning, and he didn’t unravel after the errors by Inge and Everett. He got a K of Michael Young after the first. He did allow a walk and then a bloop single to Hamilton that plated two. But he didn’t get rattled.

The bullpen was asked to get 12 outs, and they did it without allowing a baserunner. Nate Robertson pitched two scoreless innings, Bobby Seay got his two guys, and Ryan Perry retired one with a pop out before Fernando Rodney K’d the side in the 9th.

  • Adam Everett had entries in both sides of the leder in this game. He picked up a couple hits, drove in a couple runs, and scored from first on a double to left. He also blew a hit and run and had a costly error.
  • Miguel Cabrera looked dominant for 5 games and lost in the this 6th one.
  • Gerald Laird had a very nice game offensively and defensively. He was 3 for 4 with a hustle double and made a nice play on a foul ball reaching into the dugout.
  • How about the guy in the stands that pulled back the fan reaching for the double that Everett scored on. That guy gets an RBI.
  • Justin Verlander got 17 swings and misses in this game, and only 15 called strikes. That’s a pretty remarkable ratio.
2009 Season, Game Post

Fish Fries and Flyovers – Opening Day: Rangers at Tigers

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PREGAME: The Home Opener is finally upon us. All of the regular traditions will be in place. People will find their regular watering holes or tailgate spots. Therer will be a ceremonial first pitch. Four F-15s will buzz the park once the DSO completes the National Anthem. The traditional Opening Day fish fry will take place at various Big League Grills in the stadium. You know, the regular stuff.

The weather looks like it will cooperate and stay dry and not too cold.

As for the game, it will be Armando Galarraga for the Tigers earning the Home Opener nod after his impressive debut year in 2008. He’ll take on Kris Benson and the undefeated Texas Rangers. Benson hasn’t pitched since 2006, so who knows what will happen.

Have a great day everyone. I’ll be down at Casey’s early so stop by and say hi.

Game Time 1:05

POSTGAME: Well that was some kind of fun. It was a glorious day weather-wise, and the boys represented the English D well with a thorough thumping of the Rangers.

It’s been a full day, and a long week with 3 games in two cities for me, so we’ll keep this short.

  • Armando Galarraga stepped up big today. I’m expecting regression from him due to his BABIP being at unsustainable levels. But, he could always pitch his peripherals “into” his ERA. That’s something we saw as the year wore on last year, and with 8 K’s and 1 walk today that certainly is getting off on the right foot.
  • Miguel Cabrera hits the ball hard. Sometimes it has sufficient lift to carry the fence. Sometimes it lacks the lift and instead dents the fence. But for 5 straight games now he is hitting bullets.
  • Ryan Perry struggled with control today. It was about the only downside on the field.
  • Brandon Inge made an awesome play going back on a pop-fly. The funny thing is my buddy Russ had mentioned the pitch before that Carlos Guillen looked to be playing too deep. Inge took care of that though.
  • I haven’t experienced Opening Days other places, but I truly believe that it just has to mean more in Detroit than most places. It may not be the best, and other cities like St. Louis and Cincinnati truly appreciate it also. But it completely changes the city for one wonderful day every April.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.004: Tigers at Blue Jays

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PREGAME: It was really nice that the Tigers got a win last night so that Rick Porcello doesn’t have the added pressure of stopping a losing streak. What’s that you say, Rick Porcello? Yeah, the kid is making his debut. And he’s doing it against Ricky Romero, another first rounder making his debut. I’m pretty geeked to be heading to this game. The post game will be significantly delayed as I travel home following the game.

Game Time 12:37

Detroit vs. Toronto – April 9, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: The kid did all right. He is a ground ball machine as advertised and he can certainly field his position. His infield defense wasn’t particularly sparkling though and with a little mor ehlpe he’s spending more time pitching out ofo the windup rather than the stretch. He did get hurt by homers a couple time swhen he left the ball up, but all in in it seemed like he wasn’t overmatched. Most impressive was after allowing a homer, he fanned the next two hitters.

Other stuff:

  • Juan Rincon has been really bad in two appearances
  • I had a great view of that Alex Rios/Marcus Thames triple. I was in that section in the corner. The one with the Tigers jersey. I thought about posting to the blog but thought that might be tacky while he was injured.
  • Carlos Guillen picked up a couple of hits as he starts to look a little more comfortable.
  • Not a lot of fans at the Rogers Centre for the two games I went to. It made things comfortable at least as we could spread out, and the kids got a ton of autographs without the crush of people. So at least that’s good.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.003: Tigers at Blue Jays

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PREGAME: Losses suck, and I’m sure the Tigers won’t go 0-162, but let’s just get that first win out of the way okay fellas? Otherwise it become a “thing.” And the hand wringing becomes hard to tolerate. Somebody has to be blamed for everything bad that happens. It doesn’t make for a happy fan base (or a happy blogger).

Tonight it is Zach Miner who will try to follow up Edwin Jackson’s fine effort. He’ll be opposed by Jess Litsch who put together a heck of a season last year with only 39 walks in 176 innings en route to a 3.67 ERA. The Tigers only have 27 plate appearances against Litsch, and only 4 hits and 2 walks to show for it.

Game Time 7:07 (this one is on FS Detroit Plus for those of you getting the Detroit feed)

Detroit vs. Toronto – April 8, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: That’s a more better. For all the talk of small ball and bunts and hit and runs and advancing the runner…they advanced a lot farther when the ball sails out of the park. The Tigers plated all 5 runs via the long ball tonight which is fine by me.

Zach Miner had a VERY rocky first inning. But he escaped allowing only one run, and came up one out short of a quality start. It isn’t a stat that means a tremendous amount, but for the pitcher’s sake I’d like to see them get it.

And the bullpen. Perfect. They were asked to record 10 outs and Bobby Seay, Ryan Perry, and Fernando Rodney did not allow a baserunner. So it can happen.

  • Miguel Cabrera has hammered the ball in Toronto. He looked great in BP Tuesday night and that carried over the last two games.  But he still trails teammate Brandon Inge in the homer column.
  • Speaking of Inge. Huh. I’ll have more on Inge in an upcoming post, but these homers he’s hitting are crushed. And it’s not because he’s pull happy. Would really like to see it continue
  • Ryan Perry was solid in his debut. He went to a full count a couple times, but didn’t allow a baserunner.
  • Fernando Rodney. Seven pitches, seven strikes. Yes, the last one was hit as far as it possibly could be while staying in the park, but I’m not going to complain.
  • Sure to be overshadowed by the other relievers, Bobby Seay had the best night of the 3. He recorded 4 outs, 2 via the K, with only 12 pitches. Awesome.
  • Ramon Santiago had a rough night with 2 K’s and the E6 that cost Miner the QS. He did have a single though.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.002: Tigers at Blue Jays

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PREGAME: Well let’s not have a repeat of last night’s debacle. And I’m not talking about the throwing of stuff on the field, which may be curtailed because the stadium will be dry tonight. No, I’m talking about the beat down the Tigers took as the Blue Jays pummeled pitch after pitch into the gaps.

Edwin Jackson makes his debut for the Tigers tonight. He’s faced Blue Jays quite a bit from his days in the AL East. Adam Lind and Alex Rios are both slugging over .600 against him, so that doesn’t necessarily bode well. He has held hitters to a .228/.312/.431 line in SkyDome though.

Lefty David Purcey gets then nod for the Blue Jays. Purcey made 12 starts last year and he posted a solid strike out rate (8.03/9IP), and a decent K/BB ratio (2.0), but he did give up 9 homers in 65 innings leading to a 5.54 ERA.

Game Time 7:07

Detroit vs. Toronto – April 7, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: New faces, same results. Yesterday it was Juan Rincon. Today, Brandon Lyon.

Edwin Jackson was awesome, stunningly awesome. His efficiency and the way he pounded the strike zone was a sight to behold. Unfortunately it was all for naught as Brandon Lyon imploded.

He had some help. Brandon Inge extended the inning with a throwing error. And a ground ball was just out of Adam Everett’s reach. And the pitch that led to the 3 run homer was actually down in the zone. But the 9th inning was all Lyon.

Other stuff of note:

  • Miguel Cabrera had himself a very nice game. A couple walks and a missle to center on the offensive side and two slick plays defensively.
  • Inge’s error sucked, but he also accounted for half of the offense and that homer was an absolute bomb.
  • Bobby Seay did what he was supposed to.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.001 (aka Opening Day): Tigers at Blue Jays

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PREGAME: Finally. Months 6 months of despair over last year’s debacle are washed away. Two months of roster speculation can be forgotten (six Tigers are experiencing their first opening day). It’s finally time to play ball. Tonight’s pitching match-up is a dandy, as most opening day match-ups are.

The Tigers will try to scratch out a couple runs against Roy Halladay. The Tigers, like most teams, struggle against Halladay. Granderson is 4 for 10 lifetime and Polanco is 5 for 11. And the success ends there.

Verlander has only made one start in his career against the Jays and he got knockeed around to the tune of 6 runs in 4.1 innings. Fortunately we can claim “sample size!” and dismiss this information.

Tonight’s lineup is:

  1. Granderson, CF
  2. Polanco, 2B
  3. Ordonez, RF
  4. Cabrera, 1B
  5. Guillen, DH
  6. Laird, C
  7. Inge, 3B
  8. Everett, SS
  9. Anderson, LF

Yes, Josh Anderson gets the Opening Day start over Marcus Thames essentially as Jim Leyland is trying to save Guillen’s hamstrings – on the first day of the season.

Detroit vs. Toronto – April 6, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

Game Time 7:15 (bummed about the lack of high definition for this game though)

Oh yeah, there is another big game tonight. We’ll see how the chatter goes come 9:00pm. Good luck MSU fans.

POSTGAME: For everyone who is ready to say “same old Tigers” not so fast. The bullpen didn’t blow a lead. There. Take that. I’m not saying the bullpen was good, but they didn’t cost the game. That would largely fall on the shoulders of Justin Verlander.

Verlander had nice velocity (he was at 97 the first couple innings), a curve ball that buckled some knees, but command was inconsistent. And the Blue Jays had not trouble with any of it as they banged out 6 extra base hits.

Aside from the shellacking, the other damaging part of Verlander’s outing was that he didn’t even make it through the 4th inning. So Leyland turned to Bonine to mop-up, and subsequently Nate Robertson. Robertson actually pitched well retiring the side with 2 K’s on 9 pitches. My suspicion for Robertson being lifted was that Leyland didn’t want to burn both long guys on the same night.

Juan Rincon had a hard time finding the strike zone, but those runs really had little impact.

The good news is that the offense plated 5 runs off of Roy Halladay, including 2 homers. Curtis Granderson looked good, as did the middle of the order. And of course Brandon Inge with an opposite field homer.