It was Yorman Bazardo in his first major league start versus two time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. Not a promising match-up for the Tigers. That didn't bother the Tigers in the first inning though. They loaded the bases with one out and Carlos Guillen knocked in a run with bloop single to right just out the reach of Michael Cuddyer. The seemingly ruvenated Pudge Rodriguez followed with a long double off the Metrodome baggy in right to clear the bases and put the Tigers up 4-0. That turned out to be all they needed and that's good because that's all they got off Santana who allowed just 2 more hits over the final 7 2/3 of an 8 inning stint.
I was hoping the Tigers would get 4 or 5 solid innings out of Bazardo and they did. He went 4 2/3 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits. He allowed a run in the 3rd inning on 2 singles and a wild pitch, one which looked like Pudge could have had. The Twins scored again in the 5th on a double by Luis Rodriguez, a fly ball to right and a grounder to second. Bobby Seay then came in to get Joe Mauer on a grounder for the final out of the inning.
Seay was the first of 4 Tigers relievers including Zach Miner, Joel Zumaya and Todd Jones. All pitched well although Miner made a throwing error which cost him a run in the 7th. Joel Zumaya came in after the error and got Mauer to hit into a double play to end it. He followed with a 1-2-3 8th to set up Todd Jones. Jones allowed a walk in the final frame but managed to get his 299th career save.
The win was their 82nd of the season and guaranteed the Tigers their first back to back winning seasons since 1988. More importantly, it moved them to within 2 1/2 games of the Yankees who lost 10-1 to the Red Sox today. The Tigers will go for a sweep of the Twins tomorrow afternoon. It will be Jair Jurrjens versus against Scott Baker but then who really cares about matchups after today's game?
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