Tigers Take Series With Red Sox

This was probably a series the Tigers should not have won. The rotation wasn’t set up for it, they had just played a grueling series with the Yankees, and it just seems like losing this series after playing so well against the Yankees would be a Tigers thing to do. A wild come from behind win on Saturday night put this series up for grabs.

Armando Galarraga took to a Major League mound for the first time this year, Danny Worth took to a Major League field for the first time ever, and you would have to add the batting averages of the seventh and eighth hitters together to make them look anything like Miguel Cabrera’s. Oh yeah, this definitely had the makings of an ugly affair.

The first glimmer of hope came with the starting lineups. A quick glance over the lineup cards might make one expect to see Pawtucket at Toledo across the top.

The second glimmer of hope came in the bottom of the second inning when Danny Worth beat out a ground ball to first when John Lackey couldn’t get his foot on the bag. Worth’s first Major League hit was a big one as it drove in the game’s first run with two outs. Toledo 1, Pawtucket 0. Johnny Damon followed with a bases loaded walk to plate Don Kelly, the only batter besides Danny Worth to get a hit in the inning.

Add an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Brandon Inge and a two run home run to right field from Ramon Santiago and the Tigers had built a relatively comfortable 5-1 lead.

Despite giving up a run in the top of the third, Armando Galarraga found a groove and put together an outing that exceeded expectations. Galarraga retired the next ten batters after Jeremy Hermida’s RBI double before he gave up a Kevin Youkilis single and a base on balls to David Ortiz and was relieved by Jeremy Bonderman. With a tired bullpen as a result of Saturday night’s 12 inning game Bonderman got his regularly schedule side session in game action.

Fu-Te Ni worked himself into and out of trouble in the seventh and Ryan Perry and Jose Valverde combined to finish off the series win. Tigers 5, Red Sox 1.

With the exception of the struggling Alex Avila, every Tiger that made a plate appearance had at least on hit, RBI, or run scored. This was truly a team effort and while there are certainly bigger goals for the season the team can feel good about taking five of seven games with the Yankees and Red Sox.

On Deck: Chicago White Sox (15-22)

Monday, 7:05 PM: Freddy Garcia (2-2, 4.75) vs. Rick Porcello (3-3, 6.08)

Tuesday, 1:05 PM: John Danks (3-2, 2.25) vs. Justin Verlander (4-2, 3.88)