Tigers Storm Back to Rout the White Sox

Detroit 12, Chicago 5 (box)

Magic Number 7

Nate Robertson was not very effective last night.  Before you may have known the game had started, Robertson allowed a hit, an error on a wild pick-off attempt, and another single to give the White Sox and early 1-0 lead.  The Sox added another on an Alex Rios homer in the second, and three more came home on Carlos Quentin’s blast in the fourth.  In total, Robertson gave up six hits, three walks, and five runs (four earned) in just 3.2 innings.

But, it actually could have been a lot worse.  The White Sox were bitten by the double play bug last night, grounding into five twin-killings on the night.  Robertson induced three such balls in the first three innings, else the damage would have been significantly greater.

So with the game almost out of hand into the fifth, the Tigers went to work.  Miguel Cabrera homered to get the Tigers on the board, then drove in two with a single in the sixth, bringing the Tigers to within 5-3.  Chicago starter Freddy Garcia had looked sharp early, having only allowed a single through four innings.  By the seventh, however, the whole Tigers’ team had him figured out.  Four of the first five Tigers reached base safely before Garcia (2-4) was lifted from the game, and all of them scored when Tony Pena allowed base hits to the first two batters he faced.  The Tigers piled on, with another four run inning in the eighth, and a single run in the ninth.

Cheers for

• Alfredo Figaro– Figaro (2-1) relieved Robertson with 2.2 innings of one hit ball.  He kept the White Sox off the board while his teammates mounted the comeback.
• Miguel Cabrera– Cabrera went 4 for 6 with a homer and four RBI, bringing his season total to 100.  His home run came in a 5-0 game and there was the feeling that maybe he would just be stat padding, but the next inning Cabrera’s two-run single got the Tigers back into the game, and quieted the critics who say he comes up small in big spots.  We need to see more of this from Miguel.
• Curtis Granderson– It looked like Grandy would end up being listed below when he started the day 0 for 3 to extend his slump to 2 for 25.  But Grandy came through with RBI hits in each of the final three innings, including an opposite filed triple that almost left the yard.

Jeers to

• Nate Robertson– Nate laid an egg in what was probably the biggest game of the year for the Tigers.  Until the next game, anyway.  Right from the jump, he wasn’t fooling anyone and the Sox hitters made him pay.  If they could have stayed away from GIDPs, they likely would have put this game away early.
• Freddy Garcia– In his final 2.1 innings of work, he allowed nine hits and seven earned runs.  I just wonder why it took so long to get to him.
• Scott Linebrink– His line is the ugliest of all: 2/3 of an inning he fanned two, but also allowed five hits and four runs.

What’s on tap

The Tigers wrap up the final road trip of the year when they close out the series with Chicago this afternoon.  Edwin Jackson takes the hill against rookie right hander Daniel Hudson.  Hudson (0-1, 3.38) took the loss in his first big league start last week, losing a 7-0 decision to the Twins.  Jackson (13-7, 3.25) tossed seven shutout innings in his last start, a win over Cleveland.  You won’t find a recap on today’s game, as I will be en route to Motown to attend Monday night’s game.  In the meantime, Go Tigers!!

Division Update

The Twins just keep on winning, now 11 of 12 have been victories after another drubbing of the Royals last night.  Zack Greinke has not faced the Twins this year, but will do so this afternoon.  He will be looking to slow down an offense that has scored eight or more runs in each of their last four games.  The Twins have to lose sooner or later, right?  Right???