/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5960351/20120311_kdl_sv7_047.jpg)
Welp, it was an interesting day of baseball. Sorta. The Tigers had their first of just two split-squad games scheduled for this season. Left-hander Drew Smyly was set to face the Houston Astros, but rain intervened. So that didn't happen.
In Clearwater, the other half of the Tigers' split-squad played to a 4-4 tie with the Phillies. That's two ties -- and two days of sister-kissin' -- in a row for Detroit. The teams did not feel the need to go to a skills competition to decide who won, so a tie will have to suffice.
There were a lot of 0-fer batting lines from the Tigers, but quite a few multi-hit games as well. Getting into the fun were Ramon Santiago (3-for-3), Ryan Raburn (2-for-3), Miguel Cabrera (2-for-3) and Don Kelly (2-for-2). Raburns hits were both extra-bases: a two-run (video) and a double.
On the pitching side of things, Rick Porcello stretched out to four innings, allowing two runs on six hits (highlight video includes 5-4-3 DP started by Cabrera). Daniel Schlereth struck out two in two-thirds an inning, but allowed a run on a lead-off hit by pitch, a walk and two-out single by JI-Jim Thome (video).
Active-roster longshot right-hander Brayan Villarreal allowed a hit during two scoreless innings on the mound, while roster-hopeful Chris Bootcheck tossed a scoreless inning with two hits allowed.
Reminder: If you didn't get a chance to see this game, it will replay on the MLB Network at midnight. So uhm, set your DVRs, I guess.