Armando Galarraga faced the Indians tonight for the first time since his famous imperfect game on June 2. He started off right where he left off retiring the first 14 batters he faced. That made it 42 straight Indians set down by Galarraga. After Brandon Inge made an outstanding play on a smash to the left side to retire Shelley Duncan for out number 14, you had to start wondering whether this might be another special night for Armando. The streak came to an end though when Jayson Nix hit a double just off the outstretched glove of Don Kelly in deep left.
Galarraga was outstanding in pitching seven scoreless innings. In fact it was one of his best games of his career. He allowed just three hits, walked nobody and tied a career high with eight strikeouts. Was it something that Alex Avila said? We'll never know what kind of an effect the dugout spat with Avila had on Galarraga but he He was certainly pitching into the zone more aggressively than he has in many past games. Gerald Laird was the catcher in today's game by the way.
It was an easy win tonight, something that hasn't happened very often this year even when they were winning in the first half. Donald Kelly had four hits and Brandon Inge and Austin Jackson three apiece to pace a 16 hit attack. The only Tiger without a hit was Johnny Damon.
The Tigers are finally done with their long stretch of games versus the top teams in the league. They failed miserably during that time. Hopefully, they can now finish the season in somewhat respectable fashion against an easier schedule.
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While the results were better June 2 the pitching may have been better today.
ReplyDeleteGslarraga with eight strike outs???