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The Detroit Tigers had the crowd of humans and canines at Comerica Park in a howling good mood as they stared the home stand off right, with a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Things did not start off in such a good way, as the Royals struck early, scoring their first run two batters into the game thanks to a lead-off ground rule double and a single. Two singles later and Tigers ace Justin Verlander found himself with the bases loaded and nobody out. A Texas league single that fell just out of the reach of Ian Kinsler made it three to nothing and had Verlander being threatened to be knocked out early.
But, Verlander and the Tigers stepped up and took control from then on. Verlander got out of the inning without further damage and went on to pitch 6 scoreless innings after that. J.D. Martinez got the Tigers on the board in the second inning with a home run into the bullpens. In the third inning, Miguel Cabrera did what he does best and put the Tigers in front with a line drive, three run home run the opposite way. Ian Kinsler would add an insurance run in the fourth to make it five to three, which would prove to be more than enough.
The bullpen was good tonight as Stumpf and Rondon worked a scoreless eighth, and Justin Wilson slammed the door in the ninth with two punchouts.
All doggos are good doggos at Bark at the Park. pic.twitter.com/XJvvNLeWO2
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 27, 2017
Who’s a good boy?
After panting through the first inning, Verlander found his groove, retiring 16 of the next 22 batters on five singles.
Getting a start in centerfield and hitting second in the lineup, Mikie Mahtook rewarded his manager with two hits and a spectacular running leap at the deepest part of the right-centerfield wall, to take a probable triple away from Salvador Perez.
The wall is fine, by the way.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 28, 2017
Watch ➡️ https://t.co/nQJDroM7NJ pic.twitter.com/WwxKHQ7w3k
No, bad dog!
There were no bad dogs tonight. All dogs are good dogs.
STREAKS AND INFO:
The home run in the second inning was RBI No. 400 in the career of J.D. Martinez. He also moved into a tie for 685th place on the all time home runs list, with current players Manny Machado and Pablo Sandoval, and passing former Tiger Mickey Cochrane.
The Tigers have now won two games in a row, which seems noteworthy after recent week.