:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/736805/tigersblogger.png)
KEY STAT
1-for-13: The top four in the Tigers' batting order struggled. They did walk three times, but no one could drive them in.
KEY PLAY
With the bases loaded in the 1st inning, Don Kelly hits a fly ball to center field. Curtis Granderson first appears to take a few steps in before rallying to make the catch. If the ball lands, two or three runs score and AJ Burnett is quite possibly pulled from the game. Granderson catches it, the Tigers fail to score, AJ locks in, and that's that.
KEY THOUGHTS
Other than that? What a stinker. I don't know what else can really be said. Detroit missed its chance early, thanks to a key defensive play. Detroit missed a chance later, due to a key defensive play by Curtis Granderson again. And then the bullpen members who show up when the Tigers are trailing exploded. Ugh-ly.
Also I didn't like a bunt in the first inning. AJ Burnett struggled with the leadoff batter, and one of last night's heroes is asked to sacrifice himself. The free out ultimately may or may not have mattered. You never know. But giving a struggling pitcher free outs in the FIRST inning just doesn't seem like a good move to me. I suppose Jim Leyland must have really wanted a first-inning run. He must have felt Rick Porcello would be able to pitch better with a lead.
But let's admit it. The Yankees are really, really good at the plate. You don't need to score a run to beat them, you need to score many, and sacrificing in the first inning isn't going to help you do that.
OK, so that's my complaint. I'm sure everyone has their own.
I imagine it's going to be an ugly 36 hours around the Detroit sports media and anywhere that people talk Tigers. Don't feed into the Schadenfreude.
By the way, I'm taking the day off tomorrow -- planned ahead of time -- and Big Al will be your blog host for the day. Enjoy!