Ryan Raburn, Magglio Ordonez Lead Tigers Over Nats

Washington 4, Detroit 7 (box)

Right fielder Magglio Ordonez was back in the lineup for the Detroit Tigers after missing the last six games with a strained oblique. He wasted no time in getting back into the running for an all-star berth. Ordonez collected four hits, including two doubles, to help push the Tigers past the visiting Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

The Tigers fell behind 1-0 and 4-2 at separate points in the game, but once Max Scherzer (3-6) settled down, the Tigers bats were able to put together run scoring rallies in the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings against lefty John Lannan. Lannan (2-4) was working himself into and out of trouble for most of the night, but in the fifth, he got Raburned.

After a lead-off single by Gerald Laird, Danny Worth reached via an error. The situation screamed for a bunt; game was tied at four, and Ryan Raburn was at the dish, having just broken out of an 0-for-15 slump. Raburn wasted little time in depositing Lannan’s second pitch over the bullpens in left to give the Tigers the winning margin, and their fourth consecutive victory to begin their current nine game homestand. (…)

Cheers for

• Magglio Ordonez– He didn’t see a live pitch in over a week, then rolls into the lineup today and goes 4-for-5. Maggs raised his average to .324 and drove in his 42nd run of the year. He’s an all-star, people. Or he should be anyhow.
• Ryan Raburn– Raburn was only in the lineup because Austin Jackson (back spasms) was unable to go, but boy did he make the most of his chance. Two hits including his first home run of the year.
• Gerald Laird– Well, he did allow a couple of stolen bases on the day, but he had three hits as well, raising his season total to five. Okay, he has a few more hits than that.
• Max Scherzer– Originally, this was going to be a jeer, but his final line looks okay and he fanned nine in six innings, and after the fourth he pitched very well, plus the Tigers won, so why make people feel bad?