Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals
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Friday, April 6, 2007
By Cory Smith
If the Tigers could find a way to pitch effectively in the sixth through eighth innings, they might be unstoppable. Unfortunately, that is currently not the case.
The Kansas City Royals snapped a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning on a triple with one man on by Tony Pena Jr. against the Tigers Jose Mesa, who relieved Justin Verlander after six solid innings. Two pitches later David DeJesus singled to left field sending Pena home to put the Royals up 3-1. After Mark Grudzielanek hit a line drive to right field for the first out, Wilfredo Ledezma replaced Mesa to close the inning with a walk, a foul popout, and a strikeout to finish.
Detroit would manage just one
more hit in the top of the eighth, giving De La Rosa his first win on the season. De La Rosa held the Tigers to just 4 hits, and kept the Tigers frustrated, preventing them from taking the leading at any one point during the game. The Tigers couldn't find their way home, as 5 runners were left on base throughout the game.
The Tigers only run came on a sacrifice fly hit by Craig Monroe in the second inning. Monroe also got his first hit of the season on a double in the fifth inning.
Verlander looked phenomenal in his
2007 debut. Allowing only two hits, the Royals managed just one unearned run on
an error by Magglio Ordonez. Verlander struck out four, walked five, and
crossed the 100 mph mark four times. Verlander threw 97 pitches in his six innings at the mound, 57 of them strikes.
Players of the Game
Detroit – P Justin Verlander – 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 4 SO, 97-57 PC-ST
Kansas City – P Jorge De La Rosa – 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 103-59 PC-ST
The Tigers Starting rotation, after 3 games, has been solid. Bonderman, Robertson and Verlander have each kept the Tigers in position to win, but with the Tigers lack of hitting, combined with shoddy relief pitching has the left the Tigers to start 1-2 on the year. With Moroth making his debut tomorrow, and Bonderman up again on Sunday, the Tigers should hold the Royals to minimal runs. The quesion is, can the Tigers lineup put up enough runs to combat the runs that teams score against the Tigers relievers? Lets hope so.
The Tigers play again Saturday April 7 at 2:10 pm. against the Royals. Mike Moroth will make his debut, pitching in what one can only assume will be a chilly Saturday afternoon. Moroth spent the latter of the 2006 season on the DL after surgery on his left elbow. Moroth returned to the Tigers three months after surgery, but as a relief pitcher.
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