Between last night and this morning, we've been a little pressed for time (plus, I don't know how many people actually watched the game), so we'll have to do this recap bullet-point style.
- We can't have a recap without talking about Miguel Cabrera, who blasted two home runs (one of which was a bomb over the Hy-Vee sign in left). It's too bad this surge of his didn't come with the Tigers in the playoff race (and I certainly hope that's not a harbinger of years to come), but since the All-Star break, Cabrera has shown just how special a player he's going to be in Detroit. Watching him crush the ball to right field has become one of life's little pleasures.
- I suppose you can't complain about the starting pitcher throwing shutout baseball, and Justin Verlander hasn't allowed an earned run in his last two starts now. I'd still like to see Verlander (and his fellow starters) to be more efficient with the pitch totals, but going into the seventh and leaving it to the bullpen should be good enough on most nights.
- That is, if you have a good bullpen. Again, holy geez with these guys. Did John Lowe's article in the Freep on Friday put a jinx on Fernando Rodney? Todd Jones must have been proud of Rodney's roller coaster effort in the ninth inning, because he did just about everything but blow the lead. Two runs, three hits, and one walk in an inning is no way to get through life, son.
- You think Francisco Rodriguez's agent will include that ninth inning in a presentation for his client to the Tigers this winter?
- Neither is ending the game on a tag at home plate following a wild pitch. The Tigers got a pretty fortunate bounce with the carom coming right back to Brandon Inge, allowing him to get the ball to Rodney at home. And a good job by Rodney in getting over there to cover the play and tag out David DeJesus.
Can Zach bounce back tonight? Let's hope so, though his spot in the rotation probably isn't in much danger for the rest of the year, now that Nate Robertson's been demoted to the bullpen.