Courtesy: Freep.com
The opening game of the Cleveland Indians series was a confidence builder for this young team. Coming off of a sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox hurts no matter how you slice it. To say it was demoralizing is probably an overstatement. None of the games were blowouts (seven runs decided the three-game set), the team continued its hitting success (.321 AVG, .889 OPS), and Jim Thome owns the Tigers! That said, a big 5-1 win against the Indians to snap the four-game skid was in order on Friday night to right the ship.
The Tigers hit Indians' starter Jake Westbrook early and often posting runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings. Westbrook yielded all five of Detroit's runs on nine hits (six were extra-base hits including three home runs) in six innings of work. It was the back of the lineup that did the most damage. Sixth, seventh, and ninth hitters went 6-for-11 with four runs batted in powered by Brandon Inge's two-home run evening and of course, the continued mashing of one Chris Shelton. Shelton stayed in the yard but knocked his fifth double and third triple. Carlos Guillen, hitting seventh, was 2-for-4 to raise his average to .289 on the season. Curtis Granderson hit his third home run of the season.
Starting pitcher Kenny Rogers put 10 men on, but allowed just one run while striking out five in eight innings of work to notch his second victory in a Tigers' uniform. The start comes after Rogers was touched up for 12 hits and five runs against his former team, Texas, on Sunday. He will likely start on Wednesday the 19th in Oakland against Joe Blanton. He has a career earned run average of 4.30 against the A's, but was 4-0 with a 2.70 five starts against them in 2005. Rogers also spent nearly two seasons in Oakland from 1998-1999 making 52 starts before moving to the New York Mets mid-season.
Designated hitter Dmitri Young left the game in the sixth inning after straining his right quad while running the bases. He is expected to hit the 15-day disabled listed opening up some playing time for power-hitting reserve Marcus Thames. Young is hitting .219 with a .492 OPS in eight games.
Today, the Tigers face a rookie in Fausto Carmona. Carmona, 22 years old, posted a 4.50 earned run average in 10 innings of work with the Buffalo Bison. He struck out nine batters while walking just one. It should be open season on the rookie as the team has showed absolutely no signs of slowing down with the bats.
Baseball By Paul 