A picture of someone vomiting might have been more appropriate for tonight's recap.  Although the act of vomiting is rather violent.  And though some Tigers fans might feel that way right now (Watch out, small animals!), this game seemed to inspire more of an arms-folded disgust.

Was it entirely predictable that the Tigers would follow up a game in which they scored 10 runs and knocked 18 hits with a flaccid one-run, six-hit performance?  I'm not saying that this lineup should've done more against Josh Beckett, because he was quite good tonight, striking out eight batters.  What I am saying is that more - much more - is expected.

Justin Verlander didn't throw a very good game.  You're just not going to beat many teams giving up five runs and nine hits.  But how about scoring some runs for the guy?  Verlander deserves to be under .500 with the way he's pitched this season.  But if he gets any kind of run support, he's not dragging around a 1-6 record.  Maybe that's irrelevant tonight, but don't you wonder if the tiny margin of error his team provides is getting to him?  I imagine Verlander sometimes feels as if he has to throw the ball through a toilet paper tube.

By the way, has Kevin Youkilis officially been fitted for his Tigers Killer jacket?  Because he's definitely in the club now, after hitting yet another home run against Detroit.

Curtis Granderson is 0-for-10 over the last two games, with seven strikeouts.  He batted 2-for-18 in this series, striking out in eight of those at-bats.  Miguel Cabrera batted 2-for-14.  (And we'll have more on him tomorrow, though The Daily Fungo has a head start on us.)  Magglio Ordonez hit 4-for-16 with one RBI.

While enduring his weekly conversation with Rob Parker, the Detroit News' Tom Gage brought up Sparky Anderson's old adage that you couldn't judge a team until it's played 40 games.  Well, the Tigers have played 36 of them and are five games under .500.  Bear with me because I was an English major, but even if the Tigers win their next four (and how confident do you feel about that?), they'll be one game under .500 at the 40-game mark.

Maybe we should save ourselves the trouble and pass judgment now.

Roll Call

The Tigers didn't make it worthwhile to see this game through, but here are those who chimed in before it just became a slog.

Thanks to BigAl, pfuhrmeister, ThaWalrus9, miggy4mvp, rock n rye, LosTigres, tbliggins, Tigsfan, dettigionswings'stons, Matt in Toledo, and Tony K for being willing to have their hopes crushed.

Josh Beckett (3-2, 4.19) vs. Justin Verlander (1-5, 6.28)

I joked about saying this last night, so jeer me if you must, but could that walk-off win have given the Tigers a much-needed kick in the pants?  Or was it just a speed bump against the semi-truck that might be the Boston Red Sox?  Regardless of what happens tonight, I won't mind seeing Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell leave town after what they've done to Detroit pitching in this series.  (Yes, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez have been good, too, but didn't you kind of expect that?)  

Josh Beckett was knocked around in his last start by those pesky Tampa Bay Rays, but the four runs he allowed were easily surpassed by the 12 his lineup scored for him.  (Funny how that works, eh?)  Beckett hasn't been lights-out, however, giving up three runs or more in four of his five starts this season.  In his only start against the Tigers, back in 2006 at Fenway, Beckett gave up five runs and six walks in six innings. 

Depending on who you consult, an injury might be the reason Justin Verlander has struggled in his seven starts this season.  He hasn't been very good, allowing four runs or more in six of those seven appearances, but Verlander has also been victimized by the fourth-worst run support among AL starting pitchers.  In one start vs. the Red Sox last year, Verlander gave up only two runs in 7 2/3 innings in Boston.

Both team's left fielders are getting the night off, with Manny Ramirez and Gary Sheffield each sitting out.  Jacoby Ellsbury will fill in for Ramirez, while Matt Joyce starts in left for the Tigers, along with Marcus Thames batting at designated hitter.  Edgar Renteria will get a rest, as well, with Ramon Santiago filling in at shortstop.

Over the Monster has your SB Nation opposing view for tonight's series finale.