7th
May
2008
Game 35: Baseball’s a funny game
posted in 2008 season, Boston Red Sox |Tigers 10,
Red Sox 9
Recap:
- Well, the Tigers kept their undefeated streak when scoring 6 or more runs alive by edging the Red Sox.
- Of course it’s not that clean-cut, is it? It was a heavyweight fight where every punch by the Tigers got countered by the Red Sox. They thought they clocked the Tigers at the end of the match, but Detroit stood on wobbly legs, got one last hit in and won by judge’s decision in the end. Ultimately, all that matters is they won.
- Of course it’s always more fun to be the counter-puncher than the team trying to hold on, isn’t it? Which is why the ninth inning comeback win was great.
- Boston’s superb closer Jonathan Papelbon got tagged with the blown save and loss after Matt Joyce hit an infield single (Ryan Raburn pinch ran), Edgar Renteria got on via error by Boston shortstop Julio Lugo, Pudge bunted them to second and third, Curtis Granderson drove in the tying run with a ground out, and Placido Polanco hit a broken-bat walkoff just over Lugo’s head.
- Sure, kinda a blah way to win a game, but who cares, the Tigers came from behind and won a game!
- Polanco went 5-for-6.
- Let’s see, other stuff that went on:
- Armando Galarraga pitched mostly OK but sorta tired in the late middle innings… again. He gave up five runs in 5.1 innings, but had six strikeouts and one nasty, nasty little strikeout pitch — knuckle-curve Rod Allen called it on FSN — that froze David Ortiz and left him bewildered.
- Francisco Cruceta — The Caped Cruceta, as the commenters at Bless You Boys have taken to calling him — had a tough game. He had a blown saved and allowed runs in both the seventh and eighth innings. A three-run homer in the seventh tagged Zach Miner with a pair of earned runs.
- Edgar Renteria made a beautiful stop to save a run, ranging far behind second base and making a diving stop.
- Todd Jones got the win.
Analysis:
- Well, the Tigers needed that. I’m not about to say any win “turns them around” but it sure turned around my ever-worsening attitude for the night.
- Galarraga is proving himself as a guy who could remain with the Tigers the full season. If he isn’t a starter, he can sure be an effective reliever. Ask Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz about his ability to get the strikeout. Or witness for yourself (way too often) his ability to pitch out of jams, as long as it’s within the first 4 or so innings. After that, he goes downhill. That has reliever written all over it. Except the Tigers need quality starters, too, and might not want to change his role.
- Polanco is back! I think.
- Miner + close game = *covered eyes*
- Cruceta proved that he is human. He gives up runs just like anyone else in the Tigers bullpen, visa problems or no visa problems. I think he’ll be OK. At least he has a cushion of fan positivity while he gets everything together.
- This team just has to keep battling. That’s really all you can ask of it right now. They did a good job of that today.
Nice to see them grind it out!
We sure were due for one of those wins. Some good bounces will go a long ways.