feelin' the chill

2-9 Tigers almost no-hit, shut out for third time this season
BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • April 13, 2008

CHICAGO -- When Gavin Floyd threw the first pitch, the chilled Chicagoans at U.S. Cellular Field on Saturday could have looked at the mound and seen a wisp of the right-hander's breath floating into the air.


The temperature at game time was announced as 39 degrees, but the windblown drizzle -- sometimes heavy, always there -- made it feel colder than that. And for more than seven innings, Floyd trudged toward what would have become one of the soggiest no-hitters on record.

Edgar Renteria's sharp single with one out in the eighth saved the Tigers from becoming the answer to a trivia question, but it didn't make for any kindling on a dreary afternoon. Scott Linebrink emerged from the bullpen and retired Pudge Rodriguez on an inning-ending double-play ball.

Then the White Sox, apparently unaffected by the spring freeze, mounted a six-run rally in the eighth, principally against Detroit ace Justin Verlander, to bust open a one-run game. The Tigers lost, 7-0, as their worst-in-the-majors record tumbled to 2-9.

Detroit finished with two hits. A lineup that had been compared to some of the greatest in baseball history has been shut out three times in the season's first two weeks.

"We got one hit today that left the infield, but I'm not really worried about that," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I think we're going to start swinging the bats pretty good."

They had grounded into 16 double plays -- the most in the majors -- entering Saturday. And then they grounded into three more. "We're not a speed team," Leyland said. "When we hit the ball on the ground with a man on, it's going to be a double play in most cases."

Verlander pitched masterfully through the seventh. When he came out for the bottom of the eighth inning, he had allowed only one run, on Orlando Cabrera's solo home run to leftfield. "Gavin pitched unbelievable," Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski told reporters, "and Verlander matched him almost pitch for pitch."

But everything changed in the eighth. In a span of four batters, Verlander walked Nick Swisher and hit Orlando Cabrera and Paul Konerko. Cabrera was hit on the head and remained on the ground for a short time before taking his base.

"For some reason, the balls got cold and slick," Verlander said, when asked about the inning. "It felt like they were in a freezer.

When you can't feel the ball, guys get hit in the head and guys get hit."

When asked about hitting Cabrera, Verlander said, "By no means did I mean to do it, but, like I said, I didn't have a feel for the ball that inning ... I was glad to see he was all right. That's scary. Guys get their careers ended like that."

The inning hinged on Pierzynski's at-bat. Left-hander Bobby Seay had warmed up earlier in the inning, but Leyland elected to stay with Verlander. ("He pitched great," Leyland said. "That's why I let him pitch to Pierzynski. He's my horse. He deserved it.") Pierzynski lined a two-run single into right-centerfield, on Verlander's 115th and final pitch, for a 4-0 Chicago lead.

Verlander (0-2) was stuck with the loss, as his ERA expanded to 6.52. Leyland said afterward that Verlander had pitched "tremendous," and that it was a shame to waste such a great pitching performance.

"If I keep pitching the way I have, things will turn around," Verlander said.

Time for Verlander to pick up that big first win tonight!!

Amen to that Saint!!!

It's time!! He was lookin' hungry for a win last night in the dugout...

Let's hope Faustop doesnt light us up with his sinker...

gdennis59 wrote:

Let's hope Faustop doesnt light us up with his sinker...

that is sure what I remember from last season...

gdennis59 wrote:

Let's hope Faustop doesnt light us up with his sinker...

Howzabout we just "Light HIM up"?

tigersaint wrote:

gdennis59 wrote:

Let's hope Faustop doesnt light us up with his sinker...

Howzabout we just "Light HIM up"?

Fire!!!! yep, we will show them that last night we were going easy on them.

Why does JVB look so goldang awful??

Chuck Hernandez?? WHAT??

tigersaint wrote:

Why does JVB look so goldang awful??

Chuck Hernandez?? WHAT??

Chuck Hernandez is the reason!

time for some younger blood!

tigersaint wrote:

Why does JVB look so goldang awful??

Chuck Hernandez?? WHAT??

Chuck Hernandez