8th
July
2008
Game 89: Clobbering Cleveland
posted in 2008 season, Cleveland Indians |Tigers 9
Indians 2
Recap:
- Justin Verlander got the first batters out, let the next two batters score, then shut down the Indians for pretty much innings 2 through 7.
- The Tigers brought their power shoes, especially Miguel Cabrera. He had two homers Marcus Thames one and Pudge one. Thames also chipped in an RBI double, and Curtis Granderson singled in a run.
- Did I mention Cabera went 4-for-4? Well, he did!
- This scoring outburst from the team came with Maggs on the DL and Carlos Guillen gone for the birth of his daughter.
- Not to be lost, Aquilino Lopez pitched two fantastic innings of relief for Detroit.
Analysis:
- The Twins thankfully lost. There might be 2 and a half months left in the season, but it is starting to get closer to make-or-break territory. Of course we’ve been on the other side of things, where the Tigers have been great at the all-star break only to have things go wrong in August. So, you know, if the baseball gods would like to bring the White Sox and Twins back to earth soon, that would be good, ya know?
- But if the Tigers keep getting good starts from pitchers and Cabrera is able to hit a little more consistently — a little more Thames-ian if you will– I have hopes September will still feature meaningful games. The next week is really a big one for Detroit, as they face the Twins four times. While normally you might like to face the pushover teams to collect some W’s, I think the only way the Tigers get back into a true division race is playing and beating the Twins and White Sox themselves. If they can’t do that, they don’t deserve the division title anyway.
Other stuff:
- It appears it’s tendinitis in Dontrelle Willis’ knee. I guess that’s better than a torn ACL or something, though it’s not exaclty confidence-giving for me. It’s just something he’ll have to rehab and work his way through.
- Michael Hollimon has gone back to Toledo. Ramon Santiago is headed back to Detroit.
- And Brandon Inge is rehabbing in Toledo.
If I was a pitcher in MLB, Cabrera is the last one I would want to pitch to. The guy is injured and swinging it like that. He is really heating up…and what’s even scarier is that he has just started.
In the next couple of years he will be one of the premier RBI guys in MLB.
I know what you’re thinking, FJ.
“Hurry up and turn the game on, Kurt!!”
Sorry, but I’m already watching :/
Clearly the comeback is linked to my drinking — Margaritas equal seventh inning comebacks.