Rapid Reactions: Tigers Snap Losing Streak

Tigers 4, Yankees 2 (box)

• We can all take a deep breath right now and take a look around. We’re all still here. Hopefully the world will stop ending in the Tigers’ corner of the internet and we can all think and interact rationally again. Hopefully.
• My initial reaction throughout this game was “Yeah! They’re finally scoring!”, and perhaps that was true in the early going, but four runs isn’t an offensive outburst. Coming into the evening the team was averaging 4.13 runs per game, so the offense was really “more of the same”. The win does improve the Tigers record to 5-13 when scoring four or fewer runs this season.

• Even though 4 runs isn’t anything special, it “felt better” because the 1-3 hitters were doing their jobs. Jackson, Sizemore, and Ordonez were a combined 7 for 13 with three extra base hits. That’s how you set the table for the big fella.
• Speaking of Sizemore, he was fantastic at the dish. I’m probably starting to look like a bit of an idiot for my “Don’t Free Scott Sizemore” post last week, but I still think he’ll end up being a .750 (ish) OPS guy this year. That’s still decently good, but he’s not going to change the offense all by himself. For what it’s worth, he did show actual signs of hitting better (and not just luck) in the last week in AAA after my post. Great game tonight at any rate.
• The real difference between this win and the past four losses was the bullpen. The Tigers pitching allowed 22 runs in the previous four games, and 10 of those runs were allowed by the bullpen (in only 12 innings of work). For the most part, they were doing a fine job of wasting good outings.
• Casper Wells popped up a bunt with two runners on and no outs in the eighth inning. That goes to show that a sacrifice bunt isn’t a sure thing, and that bunting Brennan Boesch wouldn’t have necessarily yielded better results the other night. And Wells is probably a much better bunter than Boesch is.
• Following the game, Omir Santos was optioned to AAA Toledo. Victor Martinez will be activated from the disabled list before tomorrow’s game.

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