KEY MAGIC NUMBER
Six! Why not five? Blame the Indians, who have one less loss than the White Sox.
KEY STAT
In the 1st inning Delmon Young walked for the second time as a Tiger. The Tigers' record when Young takes a base on balls? 2-0.
Good things happen when Young gets a free pass.
KEY PLAY
It was a blowout.The curb stomping of the Central continues.
But if I have to name a key play, it was Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Raburn with back-to-back jacks in the 2nd inning. Their homers off of John Danks quickly and decisively countered the White Sox taking the lead off of Rick Porcello. Just like that, the Tigers were up 3-1, Porcello settled in, and it was all downhill (like a runaway steamroller) from there...
KEY THOUGHTS
After a tough 1st inning, Porcello cruised to a quality start, winning his 14th game of the season.
The Tigers punished White Sox pitching to the tune of 21 hits.
The Tigers have scored 49 runs in their last four games against the White Sox, and have 32 runs in the past two.
Watching Juan Pierre and Alejandro De Aza attempt (badly) to field Ryan Raburn's 5th inning double (one of four (!!!) hits on the night, a triple shy of the cycle) made me spew my drink all over my desk. Hysterical high comedy! Tip your waitresses! Try the veal!
We had a David Pauley sighting, who got garbage time clean up duty in the 9th. He gave up a long home run to Brent Morel, who channeled his inner Joe Crede by taking Tigers pitching deep twice. There always has to be a Tiger killer.
There was also a Carlos Guillen sighting, getting his first playing time in over a week. But he entered the game at...1st base? Yes, Guillen played 1st base for the 1st time since 2009. It's for good reason, if you've ever seen him play the position.
It took most of the season, a trip to Toledo and back, but Brandon Inge is back on the good side of the Mendoza Line. A three hit night raised his average to.204!
Jim Leyland emptied the bench in the late innings. Even Omir Santos got in an inning for the Ironman, Alex Avila. The only Tigers position player to not see the field was Wilson Betemit. What does Leyland have against Wilson?
During the Tigers' six run 6th, Austin Jackson, of all people, was hit by a pitch from Josh Kinney. I think we can all agree it was a purpose pitch called by the more than slightly insane Ozzie Guillen. So Ramon Santiago came up and drilled a two RBI double down the 1st base line. That's how you retaliate in a blow out. Getting into a beanball war when you are destroying your divisional rivals isn't worth the effort.
The Tigers have won ten games in a row. The last Tigers team to win ten consecutive games? The 1968 World Series winners. Could it be Kismet?