Tigers take opener

The Tigers were amazingly shut out in each of Kenny Rogers' three previous starts. Today, they scored eight runs and topped the Blue Jays 8-4. As has generally been the case this year, it was not an easy win. Rogers was better than his last two starts (where he couldn't get through the fifth inning) but still walked four and allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, the Tigers scored only one run in 4 1/3 innings versus the debuting David Purcey despite seven walks. The result was a 4-1 deficit after five innings.

For the third time this week, the Tigers did most of their scoring in the sixth inning and beyond, They scored two in the sixth on an RBI single by Marcus Thames and an RBI double by Ivan Rodriguez. That made it 4-3. They then took a 7-4 lead with a four run seventh highlighted by doubles by Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez and a two run home run by Edgar Renteria. They added another run in the ninth on an RBI hit by Renteria.

They held on to to win thanks to 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief by Aquilino Lopez, Denny Bautista and Todd Jones. Yeah, Jones put his usual two men on base but with a four run lead it wasn't too scary this time. Game two of the series will be tomorrow afternoon with Jeremy Bonderman opposing Dustin McGowan.