by Ben Kouchnerkavich
Lakeland, Fla.--Spring Training games have begun for the Detroit Tigers, who
currently sit at a 2-1 record in Grapefruit League play.
The first Spring Training game was held on Friday, February
22, against the Atlanta Braves. Despite being held hitless in the first seven
innings, the Tigers were able to squeak out a late 2-1 win. In the top of the 8th,
Tyler Collins and Jeff Kobernus hit back to back triples to make it 1-0.
Kobernus scored on a sacrifice fly by Hernan Perez to make it 2-0. In the
bottom of the 9th, the Braves got on the board with a home run by
Joey Terdoslavich off of pitcher Jose Alvarez. Tigers’ starting pitcher Rick
Porcello (who is competing with Drew Smyly for the fifth spot in the rotation)
had two perfect innings, with two strikeouts. Luke Putkonen also pitched two
perfect innings, with two strikeouts. Darin Downs and Kenny Faulk also had
perfect innings of work, with three strikeouts combined.
The Saturday, February 23 game started out on a positive
note for home opening day in Lakeland, Florida, despite what ended up being a
10-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Anibal Sanchez started the game for the
Tigers, allowing three hits, but no runs, in two innings of work. Torii Hunter
kicked off his Tigers debut with a double down the right field line, setting up
an opportunity for Prince Fielder, who promptly crushed a mammoth 2-run home
run in the 1st inning. Miguel Cabrera followed with a solo shot of
his own in the 3rd inning. At the end of the 3rd inning,
the score was knotted at 3. When the top of the 6th came around, it
was largely a game of non-roster invitees. Ryan Robowski pitched in relief for
the Tigers, allowing a single and two walks, leading up to a grand slam home
run by Lance Zawadzki. Melvin Mercedes then allowed a 3-run home run to Ryan Goins
in the top of the 7th inning. In more positive news, Duane Below
pitched an inning of perfection with a strikeout, and flamethrower Bruce
Rondon, the expected Tigers rookie closer, looked promising, allowing a hit and
a walk, but striking out two, without allowing a run.
On Sunday, February 24, Justin Verlander took the hill for
the Tigers against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing a run on three hits in
two innings of work, while striking out two. If there was any concern about
Victor Martinez getting his swing back, it’s gone now. Martinez finished the
day 3 for 3, with a home run off of Phillies starter Roy Halladay. Another guy
who looked good, though, was Ryan Howard of the Phillies, who finished the day
2 for 3, with an RBI off of Kyle Lobstein. Lobstein, who couldn’t survive two
innings of work, also gave up a solo home run to Kevin Frandsen. Al
Albuquerque’s day was a mixed bag, striking out two, but allowing a home run to
Domonic Brown. For other members of the Tigers bullpen, Joaquin Benoit and Phil
Coke both struck out two, and Brayan Villarreal had a perfect inning. The game
went into the 10th inning, but no team was able to break through and
win the game, which ended on a 5-5 tie.
On Monday, February 25 against the Phillies, Drew Smyly made
the start for the Tigers, as part of his competition for the job of fifth starter
in the rotation. He finished with 2 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing one
hit. Cliff Lee started for the Phillies, walking one, while striking out two
and not allowing any runs in his two innings of work. In relief for the Tigers,
Casey Crosby retired the side in order in the bottom of the 3rd, but
had a much more difficult 4th inning. The bottom half of the 4th
started with an infield single by Yuneisky Betancourt. Then, Crosby walked
Chase Utley and Michael Young to load the bases. A deep sacrifice fly by Ryan
Howard allowed each runner to advance 90 feet, scoring Betancourt and making it
1-0 Phillies. Crosby then hit Darin Ruf with a pitch, but escaped further
damage by inducing a double play off the bat of Carlos Ruiz, ending the inning.
It didn’t take long for the Tigers to roar back though. Tigers organization top
prospect Nick Castellanos smashed a go-ahead 2-run homer in the top of the 5th
inning. Later in the inning, after Alex Avila walked and Austin Jackson
singled, Torii Hunter plated Avila on an RBI single to make it 3-1, and
advanced Jackson to second base. Miguel Cabrera followed with a towering
three-run homer, making it a 6-1 ballgame. All six runs were charged to
Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon. In the top of the 6th, Tyler
Collins (remember him from the first game?) hit a 2-run triple down the right
field line, scoring Castellanos and Daniel Fields. Kevin Russo added to the fun
with a solo home run in the top of the 9th inning. Darin Downs had
two good innings out of the bullpen, allowing one hit and no runs, while
striking out three. The final score of this game was 10-1 Tigers.
Brennan Boesch and Ramon Santiago are continuing to play it
safe with injuries and have not appeared in any Spring Training games to this
point. Boesch is dealing with oblique soreness and Santiago is out with a calf
strain. Andy Dirks had a left intercostal strain that had kept him out of the
last two games, but is expected to play again Tuesday, along with Jhonny
Peralta, Avisail Garcia, and Quintin Berry. Doug Fister is set to make his
first start of the spring.
