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KEY STAT
0-for-0: Tigers got no runners in scoring position today
KEY PLAY
Casper Wells hit a home run off Trevor Cahill. This was the first earned run the Tigers scored off an A's starter
KEY THOUGHTS
The Tigers scored just seven runs in four games when you remove the extra-innings explosion Friday. They scored three runs total Saturday and Sunday.
You want to play .500 on the road and better at home. Do that and there's a good chance to be a playoff team. The Tigers went .500 in Oakland. Yet after winning the first two games of the series, losing the last two leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It feels like a real opportunity missed.
Of course opportunity missed has been the story of this series, hasn't it? The Tigers were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position Saturday; 1-for-8 on Thursday. (3-for-6 Friday if you're keeping track). Of course, in the series finale the team just totally didn't get any to second base. So, uhm, wow.
You can look at Brad Penny -- whose ERA is up to 8.44 -- and see a problem. I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. But both losses this weekend have to be placed on the lineup rather than the pitching staff. Still you have to wonder when Penny will find the plate better. He's up to 12 walks in four starts. Twice -- including today's -- he walked four. Once three. If you're looking for a bright point, however, he allowed his fewest hits (4) and had his most strikeouts (5) in a game this year.
Anyway, blech. Better do better in Seattle.