Tigers Defeat Mariners In 14

 Benoit's Save 

 Sends Detroit Past Mariners 2-1
 In 14 innings for Win #4 

Brayan Peña holds onto the ball to tag Justin Smoak and
complete the final out in the bottom of the 14th inning.

The Tigers tied a team record Wednesday night in Seattle.  They struck out 21 times!  But they also remarkably extended their season best to 4-in-a-row at Safeco Field in what was actually a drawn out pitchers duel from the word GO!

Seattle fans sit in the "King's Court" and count strikeouts.

Tigers starter Max Scherzer struck out 12.  Mariners starter Felix Hernandez struck out 12.  Scherzer pitched 8 innings.  Hernandez pitched 8 innings.  Max Scherzer gave up 6 hits.  Felix Hernandez only gave up 4, but the Tigers benefited from an error and Victor Martinez raced home to get a run in the top of the 5th.

Victor Martinez on the base pads scores in the 5th inning.

Catcher Brayan Peña was the hero on this night.  He made the hit that scored the winning run and then he saved the game by taking a monstrous collision at the plate and hanging onto the ball for the final out.  But the big story of this game was the pitching.  There were a total of 40 strikeouts between the two teams!  That is a bunch when you consider that mathematically in a normal 9 inning game there is only a possible minimum of 54 plate appearances - 51 if the home team wins.  There were 14 different pitchers!

Felix Hernandez kept the Tiger bats in check.

Seattle's starting pitcher Felix Hernandez continues to perform well for the Mariners.  He leads the team all-time with an ERA of 2.27.  A lot of hope is placed on him, in this, his 8th season with Seattle since beginning with them when he was only 19 in 2005.  He is signed to play with Seattle for another six years - he makes $27M.  Because of him Prince Fielder went 0-for-6 for the first time this year and his hitting streak was broken.  He struck out 5 times!  He was not alone, however - Miguel Cabrera went only 1-for-6 and struck out twice.  Detroit managed only 7 hits overall.

Prince Fielder strikes out again.  he had 5 K's against him!

Drew Smyly, the 7th Tiger pitcher on the night, got the win and Joaquin Benoit hung on for the save.  Brayan Villereal faced two and walked them both.  Phil Coke pitched a full inning and had 1 strike out.  But it was Max Scherzer who kept Detroit in the game.  Again, it was a no decision for him.

Max Scherzer pitched well enough again, but gets no decision.

This west coast trip may prove beneficial for Detroit if we keep getting good breaks - even when the bats are quiet.  But don't look behind too very far!   Both Kansas City and Chicago were also winners against stiff competition and the AL Central standings remain tight with Detroit at the top by only 1 game.

Safeco Field in Seattle Wednesday night.

The Tigers play again in Seattle Thursday afternoon and you can catch the game during CUBS' A.C.'s Happy Hour!!

  Here's the Deal - You can catch the Tigers on the Big H-D Screens at CUBS' A.C. in Ann Arbor during Happy Hour - Monday thru Friday from 12 Noon until 6 PM - and also.... Happy Hour II from 9:00pm 'til Midnite Mon-Thur - and enjoy $2.00 LARGE domestic drafts that are crisp, clean, cold and fresh.

 GO TIGERS!!   

Game Notes: E_B.Ryan, O.Perez. LOB_Detroit 11, Seattle 10. 2B_A.Jackson, T.Hunter, A.Dirks, F.Gutierrez, M.Morse, D.Ackley. S_J.Peralta, D.Ackley. GIDP_R.Ibanez, J.Smoak, D.Ackley. DP_Detroit 3 (O.Infante, J.Peralta and P.Fielder 2), (M.Cabrera, O.Infante and P.Fielder). IBB_off O.Perez (J.Peralta). 
WP_F.Hernandez.
T_4:27. A_14981.
Umpires_Home,Bob Davidson; First, Jim Reynolds; Second, James Hoye; Third, John Hirschbeck.