A Sweep?

Just a flat-out amazing weekend for the Tigers. They swept the Rays in Tropicana field for the first time since that stadium opened in 1998. Making the feat all the more amazing is that the Tigers came from behind in all three victories.

The Rays are no slouch. They entered the series with the same record as the Tigers and desperately needed victories to stay in the wildcard hunt. Yet, the Tigers bats, quiet against the starters, absolutely pummeled the Rays' bullpen. Tied 1-1 going into the 9th on Friday, the Tigers put up 3 runs, thanks to timely at-bats by RyRa, Thames, Everett, Granderson, and Polanco. They even scored a run with the Tigers' newfound best friend - the sacrifice fly. Rodney's shaky pitching in the 9th likely caused a hundred ulcers in Metro Detroit, but he somehow maintained the lead by the 3rd out. Leyland, clearly irked, said Rodney would sit out the next two games (publicly citing "pitch count").

With Galarraga pitching on Saturday, the Rays took a commanding 6-3 lead in the 3rd, knocking Galarraga out of the game. Somehow, the Tigers' bullpen kept the Rays off the board the rest of the way, and the Tiger bats came alive in the 7th and 8th. With an 8-6 lead, Leyland gave the ball to Brandon Lyon to close it out. Lyon answered the call with a shockingly easy 1-2-3 inning.

Then Sunday seemed to be the Rays day. With sparkling defensive plays robbing countless Tiger hits, the Rays led 3-1 through eight innings. Edwin Jackson, touched up for 3 runs early, settled down and hardly allowed a hit the rest of the day. Yet, the Tigers bats did nothing against the Rays' starter. In the 9th, facing the bullpen, Guillen led off the inning with a strikeout. Then Cabrera earned a walk. Thames, in a shocking display of patience, also walked. Up next was Maggs. Disparaged all season, Maggs delivered with an opposite-field single to load the bases. Down 2-runs, with 1 out, Tiger strikeout king, Brandon Inge, stepped up to the plate. With his knee "killing" him, Inge choked up on the bat after he fell behind 1-2. The next pitch sailed outside to even the count. Then the skies parted, and God pointed to Inge and said, "It shall be done." Inge clocked that 2-2 pitch all the way to the left-field seats. You could see Brandon say "Wow" as the ball sail out.

Super-hot Polanco followed Inge's homer with a triple, but the Tigers couldn't bring him home. Lyon pitched another 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his second save in 2 days. No doubt Rodney's leash is getting shorter and shorter.