11th
June
2008
Game 65: Verlander goes the distance
posted in 2008 season, Chicago White Sox |Tigers 5
White Sox 1
Recap:
- For the first time since Justin Verlander threw a no-hitter, a Tiger threw a complete game. And lo’ and behold, it was no other than Justin Verlander who did it! weird huh?
- He got plenty of offense, which for Verlander this year is kinda odd. He struck out 3 and allowed four hits and walked none.
- Marcus Thames’ 3-run homer was all the offense Detroit needed. Miguel Cabrera opened the inning with a 14-pitch at-bat that resulted in a walk. He narrowly avoided getting out at second on an Edgar Renteria grounder to the second baseman, but the ball was dropped. Thames sent a laser no-doubter over the left field wall after that. It wasn’t a particularly long hit, but you could just tell.
- Curtis Grander and Placido Polanco both had two hits.
- Detroit has now won 4 of 5 since learning Jeremy Bonderman was lost for the year, and the loss came in the game Dontrelle Willis melted down.
- As promised, Brandon Inge was back at catcher, and Pudge will be back there Thursday.
- Maggs threw A.J. Pierzynski out when he tried to stretch a single into a double… but he did get an RBI so I guess he was OK with it.
- THE TIGERS WIN!
Analysis:
- Of course in this see-saw season anytime you try to get excited that things are turning around for the better at last, bad things happen. So I’m still concerned. And the Tigers are still 9 games out of first and 1.5 out of third.
- But hey, Detroit took the series from the red-hot White Sox. That alone is enough to be happy about.
- Verlander didn’t get many strikeouts but he really didn’t need them. He was in control the whole game. He’s just one of those guys who doesn’t need strikeouts I guess. After he got the first nine batters out without too many pitches, your mind had to at least entertain the thought that something special could happen. And hey, a complete game and a Tigers win, that kind of special is fine by me.
- Plus he proved that he’s the Tigers’ ace again and helped the bullpen get some extra rest after Monday’s game.
- The Tigers realy need to sweep the Sox and make us really feel good about this week. It’s Kenny Rogers vs. left-hander Mark Buehrle so the Tigers have a shot.
Kurt,
Do you make anything of the lack of Ks and relatively stagnant (93-94 mph) fastball that Verlander has been dealing with this year? I’m happy as a crazy clam in a stew of tomatoes, vodka, benedryl, and Miller 64 about the game, but do you think he out executed the Sox or did they beat themselves?
I mean I watched the game, but I recall folks just saying he was ridiculous filthy last year. Here, the Sox just looked sluggish to me. And yes the V-man certainly capitalized on that, but a 5 pitch first inning? That’s (gasp) Tiger-like, and I gather that’s mostly on poor execution from the pale hose.
P.S.
Kudos to Pudge Jr. (Miguel) on that riDONKulous at bat. I sincerely think that was the game.
Verlander has alluded to the fact that he knew if he wanted to have a lengthy MLB career, he couldn’t dial it up to 98 all the time. I think a lot of this decrease in velocity is attributable to that fact. As long as he pitches effectively (and he throws with the kind of control he did last night) I don’t think he needs to be as overpowering as he was when he first came up. Looks like he’s starting to pitch now, rather than just throwing.