BASEBALL

We had my six-year old niece with us and it turned out to be a good day to have a young one with us.  Since it was on-field photo day the gates opened early and most fans went right to the field.  We rode the carousel, the ferris wheel and went to the Radio Disney area and waited in no lines.  The 90 degree heat usually keeps people to the concourse so I’m thankful for on-field photo day, even though we did not participate.

Justin Verlander carried a no-hitter into the 8th inning for the second in-person game for me this season. The bottom of the seventh and the top of the eighth made about the strangest inning of baseball I’ve seen. Earlier in the game Ordonez hit a home run. He stayed to watch it to make sure it stayed fair. Weaver thought this was showboating and chipped at the Tigers about it. So, when Guillen hit a home run in the eighth he decided to demonstrate true showboating. He stood, watched the home run, then made an arm motion that seemed to me like saying, “See. That is showboating,” before he started into a trot. The umpire warned both benches and Weaver was ejected after throwing the next pitch at Avila’s head.  Weaver’s shouted comments at Guillen as Weaver left the field violated the fan-friendly atmosphere rule they have at Comerica Park.

In the top of the eighth Verlander allowed two runners to get to second without losing the no-hitter.  Aybar bunted and reached second on a Verlander error.  Trumbo grounded out advancing Aybar.  Bourjos reached second and Aybar scored when a run down on Aybar failed. Don Kelly had fielded Bourjos’ ground ball and threw home.  So 1 run had scored, a runner was on second and the no-hitter was still intact.  Kendrick struck out.  Then Izturis singled to break up the no-hitter.  Hunter struck out to end the inning.

Valverde pitched a scoreless ninth and the Tigers won 3-2.

This was a pretty exciting weekend of baseball.  Two teams in contention split a series.  The intensity of a no hitter and a hot-headed Weaver made this last game a great game to watch.