Game 66: Happiness Then Heartbreak As Tigers Lose in 9th, 5-4

Milwaukee (June 25) - For a few moments, Aurelio Rodriguez looked to have saved the day for the Tigers---or at least had given them a chance to win a game in extra innings.

But the Tigers had to get through the bottom of the ninth, first. They couldn't.

Rodriguez drove an opposite field, two-run home run to right field in the top of the ninth inning, tying the game 4-4. But the Milwaukee Brewers cobbled together a run in the bottom of the frame as Dan Meyer misplayed a base hit, and the Tigers lost, 5-4 at County Stadium tonight.

The Tigers (27-39) lost three of four to Milwaukee after winning three of four from the Yankees in Detroit.

On the game-winning play, Don Money lined a ball toward the line in left field and Meyer, trying to prevent Sixto Lezcano from scoring from second base, overran the baseball.

Lezcano led off the Brewers' ninth with a walk off reliever John Hiller (1-4).Lezcano advanced to second base on a ground out, and after Hiller struck out Pedro Garcia, Money came to the plate.


"I hurried too much," a dejected Meyer said afterward. "And I took my eye off the ball, trying to look at the base runner at the same time."


Money's single scored the winning run---after Dan Meyer misplayed the ball in left field


The Tigers opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the second inning. A wild pitch and a Ron LeFlore single plated the runs.

The Brewers broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh with two runs on a Garcia single and a sacrifice fly from 19 year-old shortstop Robin Yount.

With one out and Bill Freehan on second base in the ninth, Rodriguez took Ed Rodriguez's (no relation) fastball to right field, about three rows into the seats to tie the game, 4-4. It was Aurelio's third homer of the season.

But the Tigers couldn't take the game into extras.

"He (Meyer) just has to shake it off," manager Ralph Houk said of the left fielder's eighth miscue of the season, which leads all AL outfielders. "He was trying to make a play but he just attacked the ball too hard. What can you do?"

Tigers starter Vern Ruhle went 6.1 innings, surrendering just five hits and three runs, two earned. He didn't walk or strike out anyone.

The loss left the Tigers in last place in the AL East, one-half game behind Cleveland.


Now it's off to Baltimore for a four-game series with the Orioles over the weekend.

Notes: The Tigers committed three errors, giving them an unsightly 69 this season...Darrell Porter hit another home run, his third of the series...Hank Aaron indicated before the game that he would play in 1976. The question came up after Aaron was honored by the Brewers with an award by a Milwaukee community organization. "I feel pretty good," the 41 year-old Aaron said. "I think another season is possible."

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Tigers record: 27-39 (actual 26-40)
Home: 13-23
Away: 14-16
Last 10: 4-6