The Harder They Fall: Blue Jays 8, Tigers 6

by Ian Casselberry on Sep 12, 2009 10:50 PM EDT in Detroit Tigers News

What a gut punch. None of the losses during this losing streak by the Tigers has been particularly easy to take, but tonight's is the type that just makes you sick.

Detroit had a 6-3 lead after the fifth inning, thanks to a three-run bomb by Miguel Cabrera. But the Blue Jays kept chipping away, mostly with the long ball.

Vernon Wells and Marco Scutaro each hit solo homers in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to cut the Tigers' lead to one. Then Brandon Lyon coughed up the lead in the eighth on a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score.

And if I were to say Fernando Rodney came in for a non-save situation, would your reaction have been to scream, set yourself on fire, and jump out a window. Okay, maybe not. But did you feel that way after Rodney served up a two-run homer to Aaron Hill? What if I added that it all happened with two outs in the inning?

But it certainly didn't help that the lineup only mustered two hits in the four innings after Cabrera's home run. Yes, the Tigers had already scored six runs, but with the way this pitching staff has been struggling - along with how the Jays were swinging the bats - the offense needed to do more in those late innings.

This team picked a hell of a time for their first five-game losing streak of the season. Good luck with trying to sleep this one off.

Whimper:

Besides Rodney, you mean?

It seems almost unfair to call out Edwin Jackson when he pitched relatively well through five innings, allowing three runs and five hits. But Jackson needed to shut the door after he was given a three-run lead, and he let the Jays right back into it with the homers by Wells and Scutaro.

Comment of the Night:

Good thing I was already planning on drinking tonight

by ahtrap

And for the runner-up, we give you a visual aid.

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Tomorrow's pitching matchups in other AL Central games:

A’s vs. Twins: Gio Gonzalez against Brian Duensing (A battle of lefties. Gio Gonzalez has struggled most of the year, but every once in a while will get it together for a good start. Brian Duensing has a really good ERA. The Twins will be desperate to not get swept at home).

White Sox vs. Angels: Mark Buerhle against Scott Kazmir (Another battle of lefties. Buerhle got his first win since the perfect game in his last start, but Kazmir has done good work so far for the Angels. However, with Buerhle on the mound, the Angels’ chief weapon will largely be shut down).

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 12, 2009 11:00 PM EDT reply actions

:(

Bad Saturday for me.
Syracuse loses, Tigers lose…

It was a theme for the last few years we have to make the playoffs!

by actioncuse on Sep 12, 2009 11:12 PM EDT reply actions

Rondey should be locked up in non-save situations.

Guy’s a giant powder keg anyhow but in non-save situations he just blows up.

by 13194013 on Sep 12, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions

The whole bullpen is a powder keg right now

And the starting staff ain’t much better.

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 12, 2009 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Days like this make me wonder why I'm a sports fan.

Tigers fan first and foremost: Punch to the nose.

MSU Alumni: Kick to the groin. Actually, two kicks to the groin.

Raised in an OSU household. Fight Club style punch to the ear.

And tomorrow-another Tigers game and the inevitable Lions beatdown.

Going to the museum at game time tomorrow. Need a break from sports.

Hopefully the Tigs turn it around. Talk to you all later.

by rook34 on Sep 12, 2009 11:57 PM EDT reply actions

I'm sorry the game was so horrible, but not sorry I missed it.

I’m EXHAUSTED, mentally and physically. The game I went to ended 11-10 for the good guys in 11 innings.

WOW it was a hell of a freaking game. :)

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 12, 2009 11:58 PM EDT reply actions

My Soul...

it weeps.

My Music: Some Sorta Giant

by madpoopz on Sep 13, 2009 12:10 AM EDT reply actions

//sadness :(

I could tell you about the Loons to cheer you up?

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 13, 2009 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

they won 11-10 in extra's right?

My Music: Some Sorta Giant

by madpoopz on Sep 13, 2009 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions

OH MY GOD YES!!!!

That was an amazing game – down 4-0 after the first two innings to Fort Wayne, and the starter pulled before he could even get an out in the second. Steve Smith (what an anonymous name) got hauled in from the bullpen and pitched 5.1 innings so the Loons could get back in it with 2 runs each in the 4th and 5th innings. Fort Wayne scored another two in the 7th to take the lead AGAIN, and then the Loons tied it up in the bottom of the inning AGAIN. In the 9th inning Fort Wayne scored three more to take a 9-6 lead, and then in the bottom of the 9th Jaime Pedroza homered to right field with two runners on to give himself a 23rd birthday present (and this is after he hit the series-winning homer in the 10th inning the night before). Then Fort Wayne scored a single run in the top of the 11th, and Pedroza scored on a sac fly in the bottom of the 11th and Jerry Sands singled in a pinch runner on third base for the winning run.

I was there live and in person, and I’m still not sure I believe what happened. It’s all such a blur.

They were against the premier closer in the league in the ninth inning – the man is unhittable (33 saves, 34 opportunities, 1.27 ERA) – and they got a 3-run homer off him to tie. And this is with the Loons’ closer, Cole St. Clair, out of commission for the game since he pitched three innings the previous game.

Just WOW.

The Loons play-by-play guy was hilarious on the post game radio – he still had some of his voice left, surprisingly, but after they replayed this clip of Jaime’s homer in the recap he laughed and said he couldn’t decide if he sounded more like a prepubescent boy or a chain smoker. :)

What a game – it’s such an overused statement, but this team really has no quit in them at all. I have no idea who they have left to pitch in game 2 today, though. But Fort Wayne is in about the same fix, I think. :)

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 13, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

with that title and the fireworks

I did NOT intend for anything to be suggestive, so please don’t interpret it that way. I just meant to express that it was an amazing game and I love the way these guys play and I’m extremely happy. :)

Talk about aggressive base-running – I lost track of the number of times I saw an outfielder for Fort Wayne settle under a fly ball, and thought “no way can he advance on that, it isn’t deep enough” and glanced back at the bases to find a Loon tagging up and tearing like hell for the next base. Usually made it, too, but it was nerve-wracking to watch. :)

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 13, 2009 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions

and if anyone is interested

Here’s the link to the game recap of the four comebacks.

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 13, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions

and yes, you read that correctly

They did have an actual live rally camel at the game. He was very sweet, his name is Gunther and he is 14 years old.

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 13, 2009 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Okay, here's an interestng question

They called the Rays-Red Sox game in the top of the sixth due to rain (and the fact that the score was 9-1 Red Sox). Does Josh Beckett get credit for a complete game even though he only went five innings plus one batter?

And by the way, you thought the Tigers were in a skid? The Rays are in a full-out collapse. That’s their ninth loss in a row.

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 13, 2009 12:19 AM EDT reply actions

Ouch.

Man, the Rays are just spiraling out of control to almost Met-like proportions.

by 13194013 on Sep 13, 2009 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Random thoughts

I thought after Thursday’s game we would be due for a Layland rant, but then I thought what do you really need to say by Sept. 10th that hasn’t been said already? Now I say rant on!
Anyone else find themselves waking up with the song Free Fallin’ stuck in there head?
How many more times will we be able to get away with saying “atleast the Twins/white sux lost”?
Who is our # 5 starter right now if Nate is hurt (do not answer Galarrage, Miner or Willis)?
Did anyone seriously think they would ever say the words “I miss Luke French?”
A week ago, did anyone seriously think we would be debating who is more likely to win today, the Tigers or the Lions?
Does anyone actually care that today is the Lions season opener? (that’s a no for me)
Seriously though, with all the negative vibes out there this team is 5 up with 21 to play. If someone told me all I had to do was give away my first born and they could promise me the Tigers would be 5 up in the central this late in the year I would have considered it. This is a bad time for the pitching staff as a whole to go into a slump but we have 5 home games in a row to turn it around before the season’s final road trip. A win today will make a week’s worth of bad feelings go away.

I can't believe I ate the whole thing!

by tigerfaninChicago on Sep 13, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions

Fifth starter

Willis has been shut down.
Leyland doesn’t want to use Miner unless he has to.
Galarraga is still injured (I’d advocate him if he was healthy, but he’s not).
That leaves Eddie Bonine (and no, I don’t miss Luke French).

Leyland only rants if he feels that the team is not giving an effort.

I have a Bonnie Tyler song stuck in my head.

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 13, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

A week ago, did anyone seriously think we would be debating who is more likely to win today, the Tigers or the Lions?

Sure. Toronto isn’t a completely crappy team – they have been badly hurt by their division – and the Lions have to win sometime, after all. And what would be more Lions than to win the first game of the season and then commence losing in the oddest ways possible?

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill

by Baroque on Sep 13, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

I duck out for three days and this happens?

*sigh

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by David Tokarz on Sep 13, 2009 9:52 AM EDT reply actions

Tigers lacking

I have been a Tigers fan since I was able to talk. And like other seasons its always exciting to see your team in a pennant race. Although this year I believe Leyland is over thinking, and making the changes during the wrong situations.

Unlike many other tigers fans I thought picking up Washburn was a mistake. Leylands uncanny way of predicting ace pitchers astounds me. Also when i see a struggling leadoff hitter going 0-3 in the sixth and still batting humiliates the team and infuriates the fans. Last nights lead homer was a improvement, but I seen the same slumping Granderson i the rest of his at bats. Rayburn would have been a nice choice to start even though he might have needed a rest. I was also surprised not to have seen Ramirez last night, this is an impressive kid who can make plays and hit the ball hard.
In the seventh when I seen that the bullpen was warming up I about came unglued. Sure Jackson gave up 5, but as we all know he gets better after a hundred pitches and could have gotten through the eighth just as efficiently as Lyon, ultimately setting Rodney up for a SAVE chance.

I just believe the coaching staff is over analyzing after the sweep in KC. Put in your hottest hitters and make defensive changes late in the game with your slumpers!

by fubar0227 on Sep 13, 2009 9:53 AM EDT reply actions

Trust me, I have been very vocal in my dislike of the Washburn trade.

Overly so in my opinion.

by 13194013 on Sep 13, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions

If Porcello doesn't win today

I’m going to have to go to the Freak Out tent

by ChrisDTX on Sep 13, 2009 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

Well, someone's gotta get this pitching staff to settle down again.

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 13, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

I dont even want to get out of bed

I forgot how miserable losing is.

No Run Support

by allikazoo on Sep 13, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

For the first time this season, I am not even interested in watching the game today

As for a Leyland rant….I could start now and not be done when the game begins. Let’s just keep bringing in Rodney in non-save situations, and hand over this division to someone else.

Tammy

by VegasTigers on Sep 13, 2009 11:51 AM EDT reply actions

So, um, am I going to be the only one in the Game Thread today?

Cuz it’ll be really lonely if I am.

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 13, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions

I should be

I’ll be at my parents’ so I’ll be distracted, but around.

No Run Support

by allikazoo on Sep 13, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't worry, I'll be distracted too

Pharmacokinetics exam tomorrow

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 13, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't even say that word ;)

Tammy

by VegasTigers on Sep 13, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

lol

It’s actually the first of three exams this week. I also have Pathophysiology & Pharmacotherapy on Wednesday and Med Chem on Friday. The Med Chem one kinda annoys me, because our professor gave us the option of having it either on Friday or the following Monday (and bear in mind, we have no exams that week). I wanted that weekend to study, but most of the people in my class voted to have it on Friday because the UT-Ohio State game is on Saturday.

http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com

by SabreRoseTiger on Sep 13, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions