Time for Another Streak?

The streaky Tigers beat the Rays 6-3 tonight giving them back-to back wins for the first time since May 14.  As you can see on the chart below, the Tigers have alternated between hot and cold since April 20. Hopefully, it's now time for another long winning streak.

4/20 - 4/24  4-0
4/26 - 5/12  0-7
5/03 - 5/14  10-1 (including 7-0)
5/16 - 5/21  0-5
5/21 - 5/22  2-0

Here are the highlights of tonight's game:

• Phil Coke twisted his ankle fielding a bunt in the fourth inning and had to leave the game.  It didn't look too serious as he was able to walk off the field.  You sometimes don't know about that type of injury until the next morning though.

• Charlie Furbush replaced him and looked impressive in his major league debut.  The eighth player from Maine to see major league action walked a batter (on what should have been a strikeout) to load the bases.  He followed that up with two real strikeouts to end the inning.  He pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings giving the Tigers uncertain bullpen a much needed boost. 

• The struggling Joaquin Benoit moved back into the set-up role and pitched a scoreless eighth to preserve a 2-1 lead.

• Andrew Dirks, who looks very good to this untrained amateur observer, hit his first major league homer in the fifth.

• The Tigers scored more than three runs for the first time since a 9-7 victory over the Twins on May 11.