Tigers 3
Royals 2
WP: Rodney (1-1)
LP: Riske (0-1)
S: Jones (3)
Thumbs Up
Pudge: 2-4, 3 RBI, game-winning HR
Guillen: 2-3, 2B, BB
Bonderman: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 8 Ks
Thumbs Down
The rest of our hitters (excluding Maggs and Thames)
This matchup looked like one that could be very beneficial to our hitters, as the Royals were sending out a guy in Brandon Duckworth who was slated to be in AAA. So what did Duckworth do? He pitched 6.1 innings, only giving up four hits to the Tigers in the process. This was a combination of a great performance out of Duckworth and a collective flop by the Tigers lineup today in Kansas City.
Bonderman wasn't bad at all today, excluding his battles with the Royals' Mark Teahen -- a guy who always seems to bring his A game against the Tigers (along with DeJesus, don't get me started on that guy). Bondo scattered hits and struck out eight along the way, but still hasn't picked up a win after his first two starts (at least he doesn't have any losses).
Thank goodness for Pudge and his clutch three-run blast in the ninth after Ordonez's double and Guillen's walk. This win felt pretty good all things considered, and had that 2006 feeling of late heroics by our Tigers once again. Plus it felt good to see the Tigers take a series from KC after the Royals halted their run for an AL Central title in the last weekend of the season in '06.
Fernando Rodney, who now holds a 13.50 ERA out of the pen, picked up his second decision of the season; This time it was a victory to add to the record. Todd Jones got two outs in the ninth, allowed a baserunner, then ended up getting the save -- what a novel situation for these Tigers.
Up Next: The Tigers travel to Baltimore for a 3:05 pm ET matchup with the Orioles. RHP Chad Durbin will get the start for the good guys, trying to take advantage of the position he is in due to the Rogers' injury.