Saturday, May 20, 2006

Tonight's Hero: Curtis Granderson

Tonight was another game which brought me and many other Tiger fans back to the glory days of the 1980's. It started like so many other Tiger victories this year - a well pitched game with just enough offense to give them a comfortable lead. With the Tigers up 5-1 going into the 7th, Adam Dunn belted a 2 run home run off of starter Mike Maroth. Maroth also gave up a single to the next hitter Javier Valentin and was relieved by Joel Zumaya. Zumaya proceded to load the bases and then slumping Ken Griffey crushed one to right field for a dlam which put the Reds in front 6-5. Yesterday, Jeremy Bonderman got shelled in the Tigers 9-4 loss to the Reds. Today, Zoom blows a 3 run lead. The series was not going well.

The score was still 6-5 in the bottom of the 9th and the first two Tigers went down. It was up to Curtis Granderson who earlier saw his boyhood hero hit the grand slam which put his team behind. Granderson hit a David Weathers pitch deep to the opposite field. It was hit hard but there was definitely some question as to whether it would go far enough. Left fielder Austin Kearns kept drifting back and back. Finally, he leapt up reaching over the fence but it was out of his reach. It was a tie game and Comerica Park erupted like it hadn't erupted in a long time. Maybe never before

There was still work to be done but the 10th inning was almost anti-climatic. You had the feeling the Tigers could not lose now and they didn't. Fernando Rodney retired the side in the top of the 10th. David Weathers struck out Magglio Ordonez to start the 10th. He then hit Carlos Guillen and walked Chris Shelton. Dmitri Young hit into a force out which sent Guillen to third. Craig Monroe hit a grounder to Felipe Lopez at shortstop. Lopez double clutched and threw wild to first and Guillen scored. Tigers win 7-6. What a game!

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