Max Scherzer pushed his record onto the winning side as the Tigers came back to beat the White Sox 9-2.  Scherzer gave up runs in the fourth and fifth and he had to wait until the seventh inning, when the Tigers scored six runs, to finally get some run support.  In all, it was another nice outing by Scherzer and he struck out eleven in eight innings of two hits ball.  Unfortunately, those two hits went over the fence. The eleven strikeouts were his second best total of the season and that brings his season total up to 173.  It’ll be cool to see next year the possibility of the Tigers having two 200 strikeout guys in the same rotation.

Ryan Perry pitched a shutout ninth because Jose Valverde was shut down.  Valverde has been having some problems with his right elbow so for now he’s not going to pitch.  The Tigers haven’t said it, but I doubt if we’ll see Valverde again this year.  After an awesome first half, Valverde has looked mortal with a 6.95 ERA and a 1.818 WHIP in 22 innings.  Phil Coke was given the closer job for the time being.

Al Avila and Austin  Jackson had the big hits in the Tigers sixth run seventh.  Avila gave the Tigers the lead with a two run double and then Austin Jackson capped off the inning with a two run home run, his fourth of the season.  Jhonny Peralta drove in two runs and Ryan Raburn continued his exceptional second half with a single, three walks and two runs.

The Tigers play at 4:10 this afternoon and it’ll be Justin Verlander going up against rookie Lucas Harrell.    Either a Tigers loss or a Twins win means the Tigers will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  Verlander needs 10 strikeouts to reach the 200 mark and if he does that, he’ll be the first Tiger since Jack Morris in 1986 and 1987 to reach 200 strikeouts in back to back seasons.

Permalink | Posted in 2010 Tigers