Hopefully, we got a glimpse of the future last night.  Rick Porcello gave up just four hits and three walks with three strikeouts in seven shutout innings to pick  up his second career win.  He only needed 87 pitches to do it and 14 of the 18 outs that weren’t strikeouts came on ground balls.  Not bad for the 20 year old and it was a solid win for the Tigers against a division opponent.

Nate Robertson and Juan Rincon threw a shutout frame each.  After struggling in his first few appearances, Rincon has thrown a shutout frame in each of his last two so hopefully he’s getting back on track.  Nate Robertson still has the 6.30 ERA, but most of that was the four runs beatdown he took against the Yankees last week.

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I’ve been questioning Jim Leyland’s lineup construction skills since he took over back in 2006 (he regularly his Alexis Gomex fifth) and what immediately sticks out is Clete Thomas hitting third in his first big league game of the season.  Well, maybe Leyland knows something all of us dont because Clete rose to the occasion and went three for four and he was a home run short of hitting for the cycle.  Miguel Cabrera homered and drove in four while Curtis Granderson hit his ninth from the five spot in the order.

Carlos Guillen has hit the disabled list.  Clay Rapada was also sent back down to the minors and that made room for Thomas and Jeff Larish. The Tigers have had their share of injuries this year, but so far, they’ve been able play through them.

The Royals have won four straight and they kept their game and a half lead over the Tigers in the Central.  The Tigers have that same lead over the third place Twins thanks to last night’s win.  Next up is a two game set against the fourth place (barely, they’re a half game back of the Twins) White Sox.  It’ll be Mark Buehrle (who’s been good this year) against Armando Galarraga.

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