Tigers Bats Forgot About Daylight Savings Time In Lakeland Loss to the Astros 3-1

The Tigers managed to score just one run off of six hits and four walks today against the Houston Astros. The Astros held on in the ninth inning and defeated the Tigers 3-1 in Lakeland.
BOX

Details after the jump…

AT THE PLATE:
Will Rhymes spring struggles continued as he grounded into an inning ending, bases loaded 6-4-3 double play. He was hitless on the day and is now batting .214. Scott Sizemore is starting to heat up, Will Rhymes might want to do the same.

Clete Thomas had two hits on the day and is now hitting .321 this spring.

Magglio Ordoñez hit his first home-run of the spring. Despite his less than impressive batting average this spring I am quite pleased with Maggs thus far.

Andy Dirks chipped in a hit to remain in the hunt for the final bench spot.

ON THE BUMP:
Max Scherzer struggled again and lasted just 3 2/3 against the Astros today. His first two innings he threw a lot of pitches and gave up some hard hits. He surrendered two runs on five hits and three walks. Scherzer did rack up four strikeouts on the day. I’m still not waving the white flag yet but Scherzer will need to go deeper this season.

Dune Below pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Aside from one terrible outing this spring, Below has looked pretty solid this spring.

Jose Ortega gave up his first run of the spring today. J.R. Towles hit an Ortega fastball out of the park in the sixth inning.

Fu-Te Ni tossed another scoreless inning of ball. It has been nice to see Leyland properly use Ni his last few appearances. I know that Ni is currently not on the 40 man roster but he is certainly making a case for himself to head north with Miggy & Company.

Brad Thomas tossed a scoreless eighth inning after allowing two base-runners.

Southpaw Matt Hoffman put up a zero on the scoreboard in his first action of the spring. He walked one and had a strikeout.

UP NEXT FOR THE TIGERS: Per Jason Beck,

"Detroit will travel to Viera, Fla. on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET to take on the Washington Nationals with right-hander Rick Porcello slated to take the mound opposite the Nats’ Jason Marquis. Enrique Gonzalez Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde are also scheduled to throw for the Tigers."