Walk-off walk or Walkoff walk?
While the guys at this website have staked their claim to one answer, I don't care how you want to type it. I just care that the Tigers rallied from five runs down to end the game with one.
Ramon Santiago watched four straight pitches miss the plate in the 12th inning and celebrated the victory with Magglio Ordonez...
... who then pointed out it would probable be a good thing if Santiago went over to touch first base before anyone had to open up a rule book.
That the Tigers came back at all was a feat of amazement, really. Dontrelle Willis -- pitching on 11 days rest if you're looking for a convenient excuse -- walked seven batters in 3 1/3 innings. Eddie Bonine walked three himself in three inning on the mound, and the Tigers were looking up at a 6-1 deficit on the scoreboard when Bonine stepped off the mound in the sixth inning.
Fortunately, Boston did not score after the fifth inning, and the Cardiac Cats were not going to accept a loss that easily.
Combine some timely hitting by the bottom of the line up -- Adam Everett and Brandon Inge both had RBIs -- and typical hitting from the middle of the lineup and the Tigers were well on their way to a comeback.
Brennan Boesch finished the day 4-for-6 with two RBIs on a triple in the sixth inning. Following an Inge sacrifice to cut it to 6-4 after the sixth inning, Magglio Ordonez homered and Inge had his second RBI of the night to tie the game in the eighth.
A bit of routine squanderage later, including not getting a runner home from third base with no outs, the Tigers won in a walk-off in 12 innings.
You love to see the win, but you hate to see the bullpen taxed for a second consecutive day. It had to throw for 8-1/3 innings tonight after four innings on Friday.
Likely the number of available relievers to pitch behind Armando Galarraga on Sunday will be limited to Ryan Perry, Fu-Te Ni, Phil Coke and Jose Valverde.
But a win is a win is a win.
Roster news:
- SP Max Scherzer and 2B Scott Sizemore were optioned to Triple-A Toledo after the game. Danny Worth will have his contract purchased from the Mud Hens, and Galarraga will be recalled. A spot was available on the 40-man roster by my counting. More on the moves in a soon forthcoming post.
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Zach Miner may need surgery. He has a partial tear in his right elbow.