:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/7934945/148638870.jpg)
When the Tigers beat the Angels on Monday, at least a few people had to be thinking, "Hey, great, this means they won't be swept!" The Angels are, after all, a pretty good ball club that has been playing solid baseball after starting the season pretty awful. Tuesday's 13-0 defeat by LA just went on to prove their point.
With Doug Fister on the mound Wednesday, it was a night-and-day difference. Not only did Fister keep the Angels off the board, he dominated for a large stretch of the game. In eight innings, he gave up just one run -- a solo home run by Albert Pujols in the first inning -- on two hits while striking out 10. Now that's the Fister than Tigers fans came to know and love last year. That's also the one who was missing for much of this season following an injury during his first start. Those 10 K's were Fister's most of the season. It was only the second time in his career he hit double figures in strikeouts.
Now Detroit has the opportunity to take three of four on Thursday afternoon when Max Scherzer takes the mound. That would be a pretty good showing by the Tigers, and added confidence boost to those who still have lingering doubts.
You might have noticed the Tigers scored more than their fair share of runs, too. A four-run second inning accounted for the majority of them after Detroit loaded the bases with no outs. But there were a number of successes along the way, too.
Brennan Boesch and Prince Fielder each had two hits. Boesch had two doubles, actually. Five of Detroit's seven runs came with two outs on the board. Fielder had a pair of those, Boesch a pair and Delmon Young the fifth.
Bonus fact: The Tigers' run differential rebounded to +7, in case you're counting.
3 ROARS
Doug Fister - 8 IP, 10 K, 2 H, 1 R
Brennan Boesch -- 2-for-3, 2 doubles, 2 RBI
Prince Fielder - 2 hits, 2 two-out RBI
3 HISSES
Austin Jackson -- 0-for-4, 2 K, 4 LOB
Joaquin Benoit -- 1 R allowed. At least it wasn't by home run
GAME 91 PLAYER OF THE GAME
None.