Holy cow! The Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon as the two teams opened up a four game series. Aleast the Tigers don’t have to worry about getting swept this series!

The Tigers offense was able to score four runs on six hits off of Rays starting pitcher Scott Kazmir. They also scored three more runs off of the Rays bullpen. The Tigers used the long ball to win the game as they hit five home runs including two from Ramon Santiago. Mike Hessman, Curtis Granderson, and Dusty Ryan also hit home runs in the game. Miguel Cabrera also added a rbi with a sac fly in the game.

Armando Galarraga ended up with the victory even though he allowed three home runs in 7 2/3 innings. Galarraga gave up six hit and five runs but improved his record to 13-6 for the year. He had a pretty good year and probably should have had more victories and the offense been there to back him up in a couple of games.

Francisco Rodney recorded the final four outs of the game to pick up his 11th save of the season. Great job by Rodney in the game.

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The Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals finished up a three game series and the Tigers were beaten in all three games. Things are very bad with the Tigers right now and then management came back to say that Jim Leyland would be back next year as manager. Hmm hopefully the players respond better next year I guess.

Nate Robertson was terrible as he was charged with seven hits and eight runs in just 4 2/3 innings. Robertson took the loss and is now 7-11 on the year. Chris Lambert was charged with the two other runs that the Royals scored in the game.

I think the offense has pretty much given up. They just want this season to get over with. They can’t even hardly score against the Royals pitchers and that is bad. The only runs the Tigers scored came via the home run ball on Wednesday night. Mike Hessman hit a solo home run while Placido Polanco hit a three-run jack in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Things sure don’t get easier for the Tigers in their final series of the year. They will be taking on the Tampa Bay Rays in a four game series. I think we could be looking at another sweep.

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It was a great offensive showing for the Detroit Tigers on Monday night as they pounded out twelve hits and scored 13 runs in a 14-8 victory over the Oakland Athletics. It was a great way for the Tigers to kick off the series against the A’s.

Finally the offense came around that everyone thought we would see all season long. Gary Sheffield hit two home runs and finished the game with five rbi’s. Miguel Cabrera hit a home run as well and finished the game with three rbi. Magglio Ordonez was right behind Cabrera with a home run of his own and two rbi’s. Mike Hessman also tacked on a home run for the hot hitting Tigers. Brandon Inge added two rbi of his own while Edgar Renteria also had a rbi.

It was a good thing the Tigers hit some many home runs and finished with four runs because the starting pitcher really didn’t throw the ball that good at all. Zach Miner was tagged for 11 hits and eight runs in only 4 1/3 innings. The Tigers bullpen did a good job of holding the A’s to the eight runs to secure the Tigers victory.

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The Detroit Tigers defeated the New York Mets in the first spring training major league baseball game of 2008.  The Tigers used a four spot in the 7th inning for their big inning as they went on to beat the Mets 4-2.

Magglio Ordonez’s infield single leading off the second inning was Detroit’s only hit through the first six innings, until Mike Hessman tripled off the center-field fence with one out in the seventh. Marcus Thames doubled him in, then Wilkin Ramirez’s two-run single put the Tigers ahead. Brandon Inge, who replaced Curtis Granderson in center field, had an RBI single and a walk.

Jeremy Bonderman pitched two innings for the Tigers pretty much just throwing fastballs and gave up two runs on four hits.  Location is the big thing that the pitchers are trying to find at this point in spring training.  That is why you didn’t see Bonderman throwing any of his offspeed pitches today.

Jason Grilli and Zach Miner each threw two innings of scoreless ball while Larrison, Byrdak, and Bautista, each threw one inning of scoreless baseball.  Larrison picked up the win as well.

The Tigers spring training record now stands at 1-0.

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