The Tigers won their 3rd win in a row, crushing Cleveland 13-2. 2007 Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia, and ultimate Tiger nemesis from last year, was rocked from start to finish by Tiger bats that have seemingly come alive.
But that’s not the real story behind this game. That’s not what made this game so special. What made this game so special was a man named Armando Galarraga. Who? Yeah - that’s what I thought. I figured the Tigers just threw in some schlep off the streets to get them by until Dontrelle Willis comes back from the DL. Well, shows what I know.
I don’t want to get too carried away. It was his first start, and I’m sure that once Big League hitters see some tape on this guy, he’ll become more hittable. But after retiring 17 batters in a row, what’s not to like? Seeing Willis go to the DL may be the best thing that ever happened to this team.
Giving up one hit in 6 2/3 inning, with 6 strikeouts and no walks, is a very good thing. And the home run that he gave up early was actually a helluva pitch that Delucci just golfed out. I can’t say enough about what this could mean if Armando Galarraga continues pitching like this. For now, patience. Dontrelle will still be on the DL when his spot comes up again in the rotation, probably against Toronto. This will give us another chance to get a longer look at Armando Galarraga, and him a chance to earn a permanent spot on a rotation that could surely use some consistent, quality innings from its starters.
