They Can Be Heroes: Tigers 5, Giants 1

by Ian Casselberry on Jun 18, 2008 1:30 AM EDT in News Comment 7 comments

I'm not about to compare this season to 2006; that would be ludicrous. But one of the great things about that season was that there seemed to be a different hero every night. Craig Monroe, Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordonez... even Vance Wilson had his turn as a late-game hero.

Against a pitcher who had no-hit stuff for five innings, this game initially looked like those we'd seen so often in April or May. Another fine pitching performance by Kenny Rogers may have been wasted by a lineup that couldn't generate any offense. Nowadays, however, the Tigers are getting the big hit when they need it. Tonight, that came from Ryan Raburn, who pinch-hit for Rogers in the eighth inning. Raburn crushed the second pitch he saw from Sanchez high and deep (deep!) into the left field seats to break a 1-1 tie.

But the game was truly put away by the guy who's been wearing the cape so well over the past five games. All good things have to come to an end? Someone tell Marcus Thames that. For the fifth straight game, The Hammer nailed a baseball out of the park. This one was blasted to dead center field, ricocheting off the wall behind the fence. The man's last eight hits have been home runs, and I don't know how we're able to look directly at him on TV without being blinded.

Not even a typical roller coaster ninth from Todd Jones (Three hits? Really, Jonesy?) was going to ruin this one.

Here's one more happy note to take to bed: With Cleveland's 10-2 loss at Colorado, the Tigers are now tied for third place in the AL Central, 6 1/2 games behind the White Sox.

Roll Call

Oooh, it was a hot one in the GameThread tonight! And unlike last night, we were rewarded for staying up late with the Tigers.

Fist-bumps to ThaWalrus9, rook34, beefshower (Good luck on the bar exam), spotstarters, rock n rye, pfuhrmeister (Congrats to the Celtics), Tony K, Zappatista, busta, cannonad03, Grant E., Tigsfan, syratiger, densogirl (keep bringing the Vernor's), rossjohnson87 (Rojo!), spartyboy40 (thanks for posting the lineups), and EricV (Welcome!) for making it a fun night.

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IAN

Do you ever sleep? 1:30 am post, then 7 am post! working hard…I told my seldf I was not going to stay up and watch the score on the internet..but I found my self right there at 1 am doing just that..what another great outing by the gambler..This game right here is a perfect example of where the Tigers have come in the last few weeks. A month ago they would have curled up in a ball if they put up 5 goose egg innings…but this team appears to have turned the corner..and expect to get the big hit every night, my only fear is they have one bad series and things steem roll…almost like they remember how to lose again..dont want to be a glass half empty guy, just want them to come ALL THE WAY back..this has certainly gotten fun the last couple weeks. Cannot believe they have made up 5 1/2 games in less then 2 weeks..Go Tigers!!!

by PBURGTIGER on Jun 18, 2008 9:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just between you and me

I wrote that Bondo post during the game, but scheduled it to publish later (cool SBN 2.0 feature), after the game recap went up. Shh, don’t tell anyone my secret.

I could use some more sleep after the last two nights of baseball, though.

Bless You Boys

by Ian Casselberry on Jun 18, 2008 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha, yea got in too late last night, but I’ll try and check in from time to time on the Game threads…internet’s a bit touchy but been better lately haha. Glad to see the cats coming around.

by rossjohnson87 on Jun 18, 2008 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ummm….can we just NOT let Thames know that good things must end? He seems unconscious right now, and I’d just as soon he stay that way….

any confirmation yet on whether 8 hits in a row over the fence is a record?

by ahtrap on Jun 18, 2008 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mcguire hit 11 straight hits over the fence in 01, dont know what the record is..I know what the Tiger record is for consecutive games with a homer…FIVE, Marcus, Willie Horton, and I forget who else..

by PBURGTIGER on Jun 18, 2008 12:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs