Game 31: A TD and 3 FGs? No, Horton Hits 3 HRs; Tigers Frolic 16-3

Bloomington, MN (May 19) - Swinging the bats as if they were getting a season long's worth of frustration out of them, the Tigers used brute power to cruise past the Minnesota Twins, 16-3, here tonight.

The Tigers smacked six home runs, including three by Willie Horton (seven for the season). Ron LeFlore hit two homers and Leon Roberts belted one as the Tigers set season records for runs scored and hits (20).

It was a bad night for Minnesota pitching, especially for starter Mike Pazik and Bill Butler, who relieved Pazik during an eight run uprising in the fourth inning.

By the end of the fourth, the Tigers led 11-1 and had outhit the Twins, 14-3.

And the Tigers weren't done.

They hit everything the Twins pitchers threw to the plate, and hard. Especially Horton.

The Tigers DH hit three home runs in one game for the first time since June 9, 1970 against the Brewers at Tiger Stadium.




Tonight, it seemed as if each home run was more majestic than the last. Horton connected in the third, fourth and sixth innings.

"Just one of them nights," Horton said afterward, shrugging. "The ball doesn't always carry good here, but sometimes it does. This was one of those nights."

LeFlore had a big night, too. The speedster hit two homers, a triple and a single and is 24-for-56 (.429) over his past 13 games.

"This was definitely fun," LeFlore said. "It was like we all knew everyone was going to get into the act. We have the talent. Tonight we showed it."

The benefactor of all the offense was Joe Coleman, who pitched eight innings and enjoyed the support.

"I wouldn't say it was easy, but it's nice to have breathing room," Coleman (3-4) said. "That way I can just try to make pitches and not worry as much about making a mistake."

Coleman scattered seven hits and was never in any real trouble.

The Tigers snapped a two-game losing streak and are 2-2 on their nine-game road trip.

"As a manager, you'd like to bottle some of this for tomorrow," said Ralph Houk. "But on the other hand it was good to see the boys have fun and gain some confidence. This was a long time coming," he added about the outburst.

Of Horton, Houk said, "Willie, and I'm not just saying this---and I managed (Mickey) Mantle and (Elston) Howard and (Moose) Skowron---he's the strongest man I've ever seen in this game. You saw evidence of that tonight."

Three home run strong, on this night.

Notes: Nate Colbert even got into the act, with a couple singles...Houk lifted 2B Gary Sutherland and catcher Bill Freehan in the eighth for kids John Knox and Gene Lamont, respectively...Roberts (.365) batted third for the first time this season...The Tigers raised their team BA from .274 to .280 thanks to their 20-hit uprising...The six home runs were the most for the Tigers in one game since they also hit six in June, 1968.

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Tigers record: 14-17 (actual 15-16)
Home: 7-11
Away: 7-6
Last 10: 5-5

Game 30: Good Grieve!! Rangers Overtake Tigers Late, 6-4

Arlington, TX (May 18) - Tom Grieve wasn't even supposed to play, let alone be the hero.

Grieve, the Texas Rangers outfielder, crushed a pinch-hit, three-run home run in the eighth inning, and the Tigers lost a heartbreaker, 6-4, here today.

The home run came off John Hiller (0-2), who has thrown four gopher balls in 16 innings this season.

Grieve was told by Texas manager Billy Martin before the game that he'd have the day off to rest a sore shoulder, which caused Grieve to miss yesterday's game, too.

But when Martin saw the lefty-lefty matchup before him (Hiller and Mike Hargrove), and that Grieve could play Hargrove's position in left field, Grieve was told to grab a bat.

"I was smart today," Martin quipped. "Sometimes you're smart, sometimes you're not. Today I was smart."

Grieve sure made Martin look that way as he drove Hiller's second pitch deep into the left field grandstand, scoring Cesar Tovar and Jeff Burroughs ahead of him.

The Tigers (13-17) had just taken the lead in the top of the eighth, thanks to a bases loaded, two-run single by Leon Roberts.

The late innings saw the game become a see-saw affair. The Rangers moved ahead 3-2 in the seventh; the Tigers scored twice in the eighth to lead 4-3; then Grieve put the Rangers ahead to stay.

Tigers starter Lerrin LaGrow, who entered the game with a 5.56 ERA, cruised through the first five innings before the Rangers got to him in the sixth with two runs to tie the game, 2-2.


Grieve went from benchwarmer to hero for Texas


Tovar had three singles and scored twice for Texas. Toby Harrah homered in the seventh to put the Rangers ahead, 3-2.

The Tigers lost the series after winning the opener Friday night.

It was the second time this week that Hiller gave up an eighth inning home run that lost the game. It happened last Monday in Detroit against Kansas City's Harmon Killebrew. Hiller called that pitch bad, but not today's against Grieve.

"Give (Grieve) credit," Hiller said. "He hit a slider down and away."

"Just have to shake it off," said manager Ralph Houk. "What can you do? You take a left turn and head for the airport."

The Tigers start a three-game series in Minnesota tomorrow.

Notes: Bill Freehan got a rare day off and was replaced behind the plate by farmhand Gene Lamont, who was called up after backup Terry Humphrey complained of a sore back yesterday. Lamont had a double and scored a run...The Detroit News reported that the Tigers are contemplating cutting 1B Nate Colbert, which would be a stunning move this early in the season. But Colbert, acquired from San Diego last winter, is hitting .101 and showing no signs of improving...Gene Michael started a fifth straight game at shortstop and is 6-for-19 in that stretch.

******************************
Tigers record: 13-17 (actual 14-16)
Home: 7-11
Away: 6-6
Last 10: 5-5

Game 29: Wasted Chances Doom Tigers, 4-1

Arlington, TX (May 17) - For yet another night, traffic on the base paths wasn't a problem for the Tigers. Getting that traffic to cross the plate, was.

The Tigers left eight men on base and squandered several opportunities to score, and the Texas Rangers came away with a 4-1 victory as a result.

Twice the Tigers (13-16) started an inning by putting men on first and second. Neither time did they score. Light-hitting Gene Michael had the lone RBI---on a two-out single. But the Tigers didn't get enough of that kind of clutch hitting.

"We haven't found our stride yet," manager Ralph Houk said after yet another spotty offensive performance. "Everyone is trying to do too much."

While the Tigers have shown flashes of punch, the overall numbers show just 100 runs scored in 29 games---an average of 3.4 per game.

Tonight, it was the usual recipe for defeat: runners left on base, Tigers pitcher tosses a game good enough to win on some nights.

But not on this one.

Vern Ruhle turned in 6.2 strong innings (four runs, two earned; eight hits, one walk) but it still resulted in a loss, dropping his record to 1-4.

The Tigers did score first, however. In the second, red-hot Leon Roberts (.375) opened the inning with a double. Michael drove him home with a two-out single.

The Rangers finally broke through against Ruhle in the sixth. Jim Spencer doubled home Willie Davis, who had singled. Then Mike Hargrove followed with another double, plating Spencer, to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.


Spencer had three hits and two RBI for the Rangers


In the seventh, the Rangers scored two more times, both unearned---thanks to a Michael error with two out, which kept the inning going. Spencer was again involved, singling home Davis once more.

The Tigers threatened in the eighth, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But Ben Oglivie hit into a 4-6-3 double play to pretty much kill the rally.

"I swung at the first pitch, which I normally don't do," Oglivie lamented afterward. "I guess that's why we're struggling. Guys aren't staying within themselves."

Roberts isn't struggling. He had three hits and is 10 for his last 29 at-bats.

"Wish we were winning more, though," Roberts said when asked about his hot hitting.

That pretty much sums it up.

Notes: Nate Colbert was out of the lineup. Oglivie played first base...The Tigers finally handcuffed Lenny Randle, who was 0-for-3. But Randle did walk and score a run. He's 8-for-22 against Detroit this year...Houk said the Tigers wouldn't place SS Tom Veryzer on the disabled list, despite his sore ankle which has caused him to miss four straight games. "Day to day," Houk said...DH Willie Horton batted cleanup for the first time this season and went 1-for-4.

********************************************
Tigers record: 13-16 (actual 14-15)
Home: 7-11
Away: 6-5
Last 10: 6-4

Game 28: Lolich Stifles Rangers, 4-1

Arlington, TX (May 16) - Mickey Lolich pitched his third complete game of the season, a six-hitter, and the Tigers cranked out enough offense to secure a 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers in Arlington tonight.

Lolich (4-3) lowered his ERA to 2.50 as he didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, and no runs until the seventh.

Dan Meyer hit his team-leading fifth home run to start the scoring in the second inning, putting the Tigers ahead 1-0.

With Lolich cruising, the Tigers added two runs in the seventh thanks to some shoddy Rangers defense.

Leon Roberts' sacrifice bunt was botched by Texas starter Bill Hands, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Then Gene Michael bunted, and catcher Jim Sundberg's decision to try for Meyer at third base backfired, loading the bases with no outs.

One out later, Ron LeFlore singled home a run, and Gary Sutherland knocked another in with a force out.

Willie Horton provided insurance that Lolich really didn't need with a solo home run (4th) in the ninth inning.

LeFlore had three singles and stole his third base of the season.

As for Lolich, Tigers manager Ralph Houk marveled at the portly lefty.

"Rubber armed Mickey---that's what we used to call him when I was with the Yankees," Houk said. "He just keeps eating up innings. He was terrific tonight."


Lolich has already thrown 57.2 innings this season


"I like pitching here," Lolich said of Arlington. "I like that it's warm here already."

The game time temperature was 82 degrees, a welcome change for the Tigers (13-15), who've played a lot of games in cold, rainy weather so far.

Notes: The saga of Nate Colbert continues. He went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, lowering his average to .105. Houk didn't want to talk about Colbert after the game. "Next question," the Major barked when asked...Tom Veryzer's sore ankle is responding slower to treatment than originally hoped. Michael started at SS for the third straight game...Despite Lolich's performance, Texas 2B Lenny Randle continued his assault on Tigers pitching this year with a 2-for-4 night, making him 8-for-19 (.421) in four games vs. Detroit this season. Randle has two hits in each game.

*************************************************************
Tigers record: 13-15 (actual 13-15)
Home: 7-11
Away: 6-4

Game 27: Freehan's Power Sparks Tigers, 4-2

Detroit (May 14) -- Bill Freehan had been grumbling about his lack of production over the past several days. Tonight, he did something about it.

The Tigers' catcher slammed two solo home runs---his first of the season---and they were the difference as the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-2, to salvage the final game of the three-game series.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak and gave the Tigers (12-15) a 5-4 record on their now-completed homestand.

Veteran shortstop Gene Michael, starting for the second straight game in relief of Tom Veryzer, who's nursing a sore ankle, also hit a solo shot.

The power outburst made a winner of Joe Coleman (2-4), who pitched 7.1 strong innings. John Hiller picked up his sixth save, though he had to squirm out of an eighth inning, bases loaded jam to do it.


Freehan broke out of his funk in a big way


Freehan (.205 BA, no homers) entered the game in a deep slump, though his defense has been brilliant. The lack of production had been bothersome, and he spoke of it a couple days ago.

"I need to pick us up," Freehan said then. "The middle of our order isn't cutting it, and I'm one reason why it isn't."

Freehan deposited a Nelson Briles fastball into the lower deck in left in the second inning, then added another off Briles in the fourth---an opposite field shot off a slider into the lower deck in right.

"I know Nellie a little bit from the '68 World Series," Freehan said of the Royals right-hander, who pitched for the Cardinals. "I don't know if that helped or not, but it probably didn't hurt."

Tigers manager Ralph Houk was tickled.

"Bill's been pressing. He's a Tiger. He'll always be a Tiger. He wears the English D on his heart. It was great to see him knock a couple over the fence."

The Tigers now begin a nine-game road trip, starting Friday at Texas.

Notes: 2B Gary Sutherland (wrist) missed the game. His spot in the batting order (no. 2) was taken by LF Dan Meyer. John Knox played second base, and had three hits, making Knox 5-for-7 so far...Nate Colbert finished his first 100 at-bats as a Tiger with 11 hits and 36 strikeouts...The last time Freehan hit a home run, he also hit two---on October 1, 1974...Michael's last homer was on May 26, 1973.

****************************************************
Tigers record: 12-15 (actual 13-14)
Home: 7-11
Away: 5-4

Game 26: Royals Crown Tigers, 11-6

Detroit (May 13) - No wasting of a good pitching effort on this night.

The Tigers pitchers had a rare stinker, and the Kansas City Royals jumped all over them en route to a convincing 11-6 win at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (11-15) lost their third straight and fell to 4-4 on their homestand, which wraps up tomorrow.

By the sixth inning, the Royals led 10-1 and at the end of the night, the Tigers' team ERA jumped from 3.68 to 3.95.

Lerrin LaGrow (1-5) lasted just 2.1 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. Dave Lemanczyk and Tom Walker didn't do much to stop the bleeding in relief.

Meanwhile, Al Fitzmorris went seven innings, and even though the Tigers eventually got to him and then roughed up reliever Lindy McDaniel in scoring five runs in the final three innings, it was too little, too late.

"We fought to the last out," manager Ralph Houk said. "But the hole was too deep."

It was deep because the Royals scored three times in the third inning, all on a home run by Detroit's own John Mayberry, and then four runs in the sixth, punctuated by a two-out, two-run single by DH Tony Solaita.

Strangely enough, the Tigers rapped out three triples, the second time they've done that this season. Prior to that, the Tigers hadn't hit three triples in a game since 1971.

Mayberry's three-run homer got the Royals going

Ron LeFlore had one of those triples among his three hits. Leon Roberts had three hits and two RBI.

The Royals registered 16 hits; the Tigers had 14, but were far less efficient. They continue to be the worst team in the big leagues when it comes to base hits per runs scored (244/91).

"That's a lot of men left on base," Houk said.

LaGrow tried to take the blame for the loss.

"If I hadn't stunk up the joint, the game wouldn't have gotten out of hand," the right-hander said. "I let the team down tonight."

Houk didn't agree. "Lerrin wasn't sharp, but we had a lot of time to get back into the game and we didn't score until it was too late."

Notes: SS Tom Veryzer took the day off with soreness in his left ankle. Veryzer (.350) was replaced by veteran Gene Michael, who went 1-for-4...The Tigers, after Aurelio Rodriguez was caught stealing, are now 6-for-18 in attempts this season...Nate Colbert had one of the Tigers' triples, but for the second straight night declined to talk to the media after the game...Houk said that he was looking forward to the team's upcoming nine-game road trip. "I think it's time we get away from home and bond. It will be our first extended trip of the year."

**************************************************************************

Tigers record: 11-15 (actual 13-13)

Home: 6-11

Away: 5-4

Game 25: Harmon Is a Killer; Royals Win, 3-1

Detroit (May 12) - He's 38 years old and figures to retire at the end of the season. He's not hitting all that much. But tonight at Tiger Stadium, Harmon Killebrew flashed his power of yesteryear.

Killebrew smashed a two-run homer off reliever John Hiller in the eighth inning, breaking a 1-1 tie, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers 3-1.

Killebrew also had a single and a double for the Royals, who rode the pitching of Dennis Leonard to victory.

Hiller surrendered his third home run in just 12.2 innings.

"Bad pitch," Hiller said after the game. "Fat as a beach ball."

Killebrew deposited the pitch about 10 rows into the upper deck in left field. Having played his entire career in the American League, there's no telling how many similar home runs Killebrew has hit in Detroit.


Killebrew turned back the clock Monday night


"I've seen Killer do that way too often to my teams," said Tigers manager Ralph Houk, who managed the Yankees for most of the 1960s and until 1973 before joining the Tigers last year.

But few were bigger than tonight's clout, which tipped the scales in the Royals' favor after a pitching duel between Kansas City's Dennis Leonard and Detroit's Vern Ruhle.

Leonard, just one day after Texas' Fergie Jenkins vexed the Tigers, threw a complete-game eight-hitter for the win.

The Tigers (11-14) have dropped two straight after a four-game winning streak. They scored 27 runs in the winning streak and just three runs over the past two games.

"Just when you think we might be swinging the bats good, we have gone back to bad habits," Houk said. "Too anxious, too impatient. You can't do that against good big league pitchers."

The Tigers fell to 6-10 at Tiger Stadium.

But they are 4-3 on this nine-game homestand, so they can still end it on a positive note.

Southpaw Hiller was summoned after John Mayberry singled with one out in the eighth inning. Though the right-handed hitting Killebrew was up next, Houk saw lefty swinging Vada Pinson after Killebrew.

"I thought if John could get Harmon, there'd be two outs and I'd have a lefty-lefty matchup," Houk reasoned. "Plus, Vern was spent."

But Killebrew "killed" those plans, and the Royals went on to victory. As Killebrew rounded the bases, a smattering of boos and catcalls were heard from the Detroit faithful.

"Maybe they were booing me," Houk said.

"I'd have booed, too," Hiller said.

Notes: Willie Horton is having a strange year as the Tigers' full-time DH. His batting average is a solid .295, but he only has three extra base hits---all homers---and just 13 RBI, batting in the third spot. "The last player I'm worried about is Willie Horton," Houk said. "Check the numbers at the end of the year. I'm just happy he's healthy for a change"... After Killebrew's homer, catcher Bill Freehan went to the mound to speak to Hiller. The conversation was brief. "I just told him to shrug it off and go after Pinson," Freehan said...Houk refuted a TV report indicating that spare infielder Gene Michael, who turns 37 in July, is contemplating retirement. "Stick isn't retiring," Houk said. "He knew that playing time would be limited." Even more so with SS Tom Veryzer and 2B Gary Sutherland hitting so well.

******************************************************
Tigers record: 11-14 (actual 13-12)
Home: 6-10
Away: 5-4

Game 24: Jenkins, Rangers Bats Too Much For Tigers, 6-2

Detroit (May 11) - On Mother's Day in Detroit, Fergie Jenkins pitched a game only his mom could love---because nobody in the Motor City appreciated it.

Jenkins fired a complete-game four-hitter, and his Texas Rangers teammates roughed up Mickey Lolich in salvaging the finale of a three-game series, 6-2.

Jenkins struck out 10 and walked only one as he dominated a Tigers offense that had scored 27 runs in its previous four games, all victories.

Lolich (3-3) was knocked out in the seventh inning after failing to retire any of the six batters he faced. It was a 1-1 game before the Rangers put up four runs in the seventh, highlighted by Tom Grieve's two-run homer.

That was more than what Jenkins needed to finish off the Tigers (11-13), who despite the loss are 4-2 on this nine-game homestand.

Jeff Burroughs and Jim Fregosi hit solo homers for the Rangers.

At one point, Jenkins retired 20 Tigers in a row before struggling Nate Colbert, of all people, touched Jenkins for a solo homer in the ninth.

The Tigers actually struck first. Ron LeFlore tripled in the third inning, and Gary Sutherland plated him with a sacrifice fly.

Burroughs answered in the fourth with a moon shot into the upper deck in left field. Lolich managed to go toe-to-toe with Jenkins until the Rangers' uprising in the seventh.

"He's been doing this for years," Lolich said of his counterpart on the mound. "I had one bad inning, but that's baseball."


Jenkins was dominant on Mother's Day


Tigers manager Ralph Houk was reflective afterward.

"It's hard to sweep teams," Houk said. "They had one of the all-time greats on the mound, and you saw what happened."

Indeed. Jenkins, 32, last year's AL Comeback Player of the Year after winning 25 games, was in total control all afternoon. After LeFlore's triple, Jenkins set down the next 20 batters before Colbert's home run.

The Kansas City Royals invade Tiger Stadium for the final three games of the homestand.

Notes: Mickey Stanley, who's been bothered by a sore hamstring since the end of spring training, made a rare start, in left field. Why? "Mickey actually went 4-for-10 off Jenkins last year," Houk reasoned. Stanley had one of the Tigers' four hits...Colbert declined to speak to the media after the game...Aurelio Rodriguez, after a fast start, is in a 3-for-20 funk.

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Tigers record: 11-13 (actual 12-12)
Home: 6-9
Away: 5-4

Game 23: Tigers Score 3 in 9th, Stun Rangers

Detroit (May 10) -- In the latest example of an awakening offense, the Tigers rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Texas Rangers, 6-5, at Tiger Stadium this afternoon.

The Tigers trailed 5-3, but quickly loaded the bases with nobody out against Texas reliever Stan Thomas. Bill Freehan singled, Ben Oglivie doubled the Tigers catcher to third, and Leon Roberts walked.

Tom Veryzer walked to to force in a run, and after Aurelio Rodriguez struck out, Ron LeFlore delivered a single to score Oglivie and tie the game. Texas manager Billy Martin then went to fireman Steve Foucault.

That brought the American League's leading hitter, Gary Sutherland to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.

"No reason to not have confidence," LeFlore said of Sutherland being up in that situation. "He's the man lately."

Sutherland, ironically, didn't get a hit, but still won the game for the Tigers. His drive to right fielder Jeff Burroughs was deep enough to score Roberts with the winning run as the Tigers streamed onto the field from the dugout.

After scoring just 55 runs in their first 19 games, the Tigers (11-12) have plated 27 runners in the past four games, all victories.

"Amazing how scoring runs can make you smarter," manager Ralph Houk cracked after the game.


Sutherland (.387 BA) won the game with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning

The win went to reliever Gene Pentz (1-0), who pitched two innings after starter Joe Coleman went the first seven.

Lenny Randle, a thorn in the Tigers' side in the first two games of this weekend series, slammed a rare home run in the fifth. The two -run shot gave Texas a 3-1 lead. The Tigers responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.

Texas scored single runs in the seventh and ninth, before the Tigers' offense rose to the challenge.

Toby Harrah had three hits and scored three runs for the Rangers. LeFlore had three hits, including a triple.

The Tigers go for the series sweep Sunday, with lefty Mickey Lolich facing right hander Fergie Jenkins.

Notes: Houk was asked if he was concerned with the lack of stolen bases from speedster LeFlore, who is 2-for-7 in attempts this season. Many projected LeFlore to steal 40+ bases this year. "They (stolen bases) will come," Houk said. "Ronnie has too much speed for them not to. A couple calls haven't gone his way, either"...The saga of Nate Colbert continues. Houk put Colbert back into his cleanup spot, but the first baseman went o-for-4 with three strikeouts, lowering his average to an unsightly .107. He has struck out 30 times in 84 at-bats...The Tigers have committed a league-high 25 errors this season.
***********************************************************
Tigers record: 11-12 (actual 12-11)
Home: 6-8
Away: 5-4

Game 22: Tigers Go Deep, Bury Rangers

Detroit (May 9) -- For the first few weeks of the season, the Tigers learned to win games without the benefit of the home run, of which they had hit precious few.

But the baseballs flew out of Tiger Stadium tonight---three Tigers home runs---and Detroit overpowered the Texas Rangers, 6-4.

The Tigers (10-12) now have their first three-game winning streak of 1975.

Dan Meyer (4th HR), Leon Roberts (2nd) and Willie Horton (3rd) all went yard to overcome an early 4-1 deficit.

The power surge helped make a winner of starter Lerrin LaGrow (3-2). John Hiller notched his fifth save, and second in consecutive nights.

"This team can hit," Meyer said. "It's good to see us finally doing it."



Texas starter Jackie Brown surrendered all three dingers.

"Mistakes are killer in this ballpark," Brown said. "It's a very unforgiving place to pitch."

Meyer ripped his fourth homer into the upper deck in right field in the second inning, putting the Tigers on the scoreboard after Texas scored three times in their half of the frame.

The Rangers added a run in the third, then Roberts took Brown deep to left-center for a two-run shot to make the score 4-3.

The Tigers finally took the lead in the sixth, helped by a Toby Harrah error, as the shortstop threw wild to first base. The error came two batters after Horton tied the score with a drive into the left field lower deck.

Roberts singled home Ben Oglivie (beneficiary of the error), and Aurelio Rodriguez doubled to plate Roberts. Both hits came with two outs. If Harrah hadn't botched Oglivie's ball, neither Roberts nor Rodriguez would have come to the plate.

But they did, and the Tigers have a mini winning streak.

"There's more life on the bench now," Meyer said. "Guys are starting to feel it."

Lenny Randle's clutch two-out, two-run single in the second gave Texas an early 3-0 lead.

It didn't hold up.

NOTES: Nate Colbert was back out of the lineup, for the second time in three games. Oglivie played first base and made a couple nice plays, along with stealing his team-high fourth base...Manager Ralph Houk shrugged off concerns from a reporter that Bill Freehan, who's started all but one game at catcher so far, might be getting fatigued. "We've had a lot of rainouts," Houk said firmly. "I'm fully aware of Bill's age, but our games have been spread out more than most teams." Houk's right; the Houston Astros have played 32 games, ten more than the Tigers so far. Several teams have played between 28-30 games, while the Tigers have played a mere 22...Detroit's own "Fat Bob" Taylor sang the National Anthem before the game...Mike Hargrove made the final out after getting on base four times in a row.
***************************************************************
Tigers record: 10-12 (actual 12-10)
Home: 5-8
Away: 5-4

Game 21: Tigers Ruhle, Take Series with Brewers

Detroit (May 8) - Vern Ruhle hasn't been, yet, one of the Tigers' most reliable starters, on a staff with a team ERA among the league leaders. Tonight, he took a step in that direction.

Ruhle pitched 7.1 innings, yielding just one run and six hits, and the Tigers' bats took care of the rest in a 5-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Tiger Stadium.

Gary Sutherland (first) and Dan Meyer (third) each hit home runs. Meyer's two-run blast in the eighth inning proved the difference, giving the Tigers a 5-1 lead, which was helpful, as the Brewers scored twice in the ninth.

The Tigers (9-12) took two of three from the Brewers and have won two straight.

Ruhle dominated the Brewers in lowering his ERA from 5.75 to 4.55.

"Felt good," Ruhle said. "Had my slider working, which helped a lot."

The Tigers hit three triples in a game for the first time since 1971.

Tigers manager Ralph Houk wanted to talk about his starting pitcher, however.



"I thought a key was in the sixth," Houk said, referring to the inning where Milwaukee put runners on first and second with nobody out---without hitting the ball out of the infield. The Tigers were clinging to a 2-0 lead.

Ruhle didn't unravel. He retired the next three hitters, including slugger George Scott on a strikeout to end the frame.

The Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 in the seventh, then Meyer clubbed his home run after the Brewers knocked Ruhle out in the eighth after scoring a run.

John Hiller surrendered a two-run homer to Sixto Lezcano in the ninth, but then set the next three Brewers down in order for his fourth save of the year.

Sutherland continued his torrid 1975, adding a triple to his home run and running his average to .395. He leads the league in both batting average and hits (34).

"I don't know that Suds has ever hit this well for this long a stretch," Houk said.

"He's probably right," Sutherland said when told of Houk's comments.

The Tigers welcome the Texas Rangers and manager Billy Martin for a weekend series, starting tomorrow night.

Notes: Nate Colbert, after one game on the bench, was back in the starting lineup---but batting fifth, not fourth. "Just trying to take some pressure off him," Houk said. Colbert went 0-for-4 and his average sunk to .113...Houk also praised Tom Veryzer's at-bat in the third. Veryzer hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Leon Roberts, who had led off with a triple. But Aurelio Rodriguez struck out before Veryzer came to the plate. "Leadoff triple, you have to score," Houk said. "And Tommy fought off some good pitches and got the fly ball. Huge at-bat."

*************************************************
Tigers record: 9-12 (actual 12-9)
Home: 4-8
Away: 5-4

Game 20: Tigers Find Offense, Trounce Brewers 10-3

Detroit (May 7) - It took them 22 hits to score 10 runs, but the Tigers finally swung the bats and beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 10-3, at Tiger Stadium tonight.

Every Tiger got at least one hit, and eight of the starting nine had multiple hits.

The Tigers (8-12) chased Milwaukee starter Billy Champion in the fourth inning, and then roughed up reliever Tom Hausman. They capped their scoring with a four-run seventh inning off Hausman and Bill Castro.

The Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak as they enjoyed a rare offensive field day.

Willie Horton had two RBI, the first ones he's had in two weeks and over 40 at-bats.

"This was fun," Horton said. "We haven't had much fun around here so far this year."

Ben Oglivie, subbing at first base for the badly struggling Nate Colbert, had three hits, lifting his average to .435.




Ron LeFlore had three hits and a stolen base, just his second this season. And Gary Sutherland stayed hot, rapping out two more hits and keeping the league lead in hits and average with 32 and .390.

"Plop, plop, fizz fizz," Tigers manager Ralph Houk said, referring to the popular Alka-Seltzer TV commercial. "What a relief it is."

Baseball doesn't necessarily have momentum from game to game, but several Tigers spoke after the game about how they hope it means more outbursts are to come. Then again, they said the same thing after their last victory. Three games of dormant offense followed.

But for one night, at least, Houk saw the potential of his lineup.

"We don't have chopped liver," Houk said.

Veteran lefty Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game to get the win, his third (3-2). Lolich gave up 10 hits but was never in serious trouble.

Of the Tigers' 22 hits, 18 were singles. They also had three doubles and a triple.

NOTES: Catcher Bill Freehan batted fourth, in Colbert's usual spot, and had two hits, lifting his average to .227...The Tigers' team batting average shot up to .273 from .258 after tonight's explosion...The Tigers' ratio of 191 hits to 65 runs (2.9 hits per run) is the worst in the majors.

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Tigers record: 8-12 (actual 11-9)
Home: 3-8
Away: 5-4

Game 19: Offense Again Fails Tigers; Lose to Brewers, 3-1

Detroit (May 6) - Once again the Tigers are left wondering: where are the runs?

The lowest scoring team in the major leagues lived up to that billing again tonight, mustering just one run and eight hits in falling to the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1, at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (7-12), who have now lost three in a row and 10 of their past 14, have scored 55 runs this season, by far the lowest in the majors.

The latest pitcher to stymie the Tigers was Brewers righty Pete Broberg.

Broberg went seven innings, yielding a run and six hits. The bullpen tandem of Ed Rodriguez and Tom Murphy pitched the eighth and ninth, respectively. Both innings were relatively uneventful.

In addition to not scoring runs, the Tigers have the lowest slugging percentage (.331) in baseball as well.

"There's not much you can do except fight your way through this," said Tigers manager Ralph Houk after the game. "If I could wave a magic wand and make runs appear, I would."

So would Tigers pitching, whose team ERA of 3.61 is very respectable.




George Scott scored two runs for the Brewers






Tigers starter Joe Coleman (1-4) pitched good enough to win on most nights---and on most teams. Coleman pitched until two outs into the ninth, surrendering all three runs (only one earned) but the Brewers managed just six hits off the right-hander.

Two Tigers errors led to two Brewers runs in the fourth. In the bottom half of the inning, struggling first baseman Nate Colbert (.118) led off with a double and scored on a Dan Meyer ground out.

That was it for the Tigers offense.

The Brewers scored their final run in the ninth, when Pedro Garcia singled past a diving shortstop Tom Veryzer, plating George Scott.

The Tigers fell to 2-8 at home.

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Tigers record: 7-12 (actual 11-8)
Home: 2-8
Road: 5-4

Game 18: Evans "Two Much" For Tigers, 6-2

Boston (May 3) - Dwight Evans bats second in the Red Sox lineup because of his bat control and infrequency of striking out---not so much for his power.

Someone forgot to tell Evans that.

Boston's right fielder smacked two home runs, driving home five runs, as the Red Sox defeated the Tigers, 6-2, at Fenway Park this afternoon.

Both homers came off Tigers starter Lerrin LaGrow (1-2).

The Tigers (7-11) have lost two straight and nine of their past 13.

Evans' first blast was a three-run shot into the left field screen above the Green Monster in the third inning. Then, with LaGrow on the ropes in the seventh, Evans struck again---this time an opposite field drive into the Tigers bullpen in right center, good for two more runs.



Tigers manager Ralph Houk took full blame for the second blast.

"Lerrin should have been out of there," Houk said. "He was out of gas. That was my fault."

Rick Wise vexed the Tigers again, a week after shutting them out in Detroit. Wise pitched eight strong innings, giving up just one run and six hits, striking out seven.

In 17 innings against Detroit this season, Wise has given up one run and eight hits.

"Good command, good stuff," Houk said of the Boston righty. "He got us twice in a week. Hats off."

Evans said his power outburst shouldn't be a shock.

"I have the power [to hit home runs]," he said after the game. "It's not what I'm asked to do, necessarily, with this lineup. But I can reach the seats. It was nice to help the team that way today."

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Tigers record: 7-11 (actual 10-8)
Home: 2-7
Away: 5-4