RYAN DIVISH; Staff writer |
• Published June 12, 2011

DETROIT – It would be easy to say the Detroit Tigers’ success against Michael Pineda was simply from seeing him for the second time this season.

After all, Pineda carved up the Tigers on April 28 at Comerica Park, throwing six innings and giving up two runs on four hits while striking out nine.

On Saturday, it was quite the opposite. He got hit, and hit hard. The rookie right-hander had perhaps the worst outing of his brief career, allowing six runs and eight hits and making it just 5 innings in an 8-1 loss to the Tigers.

So, was it the benefit of Detroit seeing him for a second time, or something else?

The Pineda the Tigers saw Saturday was nothing like the Pineda they saw on April 28.

The Pineda of the first meeting was a strike-throwing machine with a fastball in the mid-90 mph range that seemed to have an extra life on it, along with a slider that could be pinpointed and thrown in any situation.

On Saturday, he was all over the place. His fastball was inconsistent, his slider didn’t have that previous precise location, and his change-up – a work in progress all season – was mediocre at best.

“He was a little bit off tonight,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “He didn’t have quite the same command. He didn’t have the same fastball we’ve seen him have. He was little bit flat.”

It was noticeable from the start.

Pineda (6-4) gave up a two-out hit to Brennan Boesch on a change-up left up in the strike zone in the first inning. With Miguel Cabrera at the plate, Pineda uncorked a fastball way wide of the plate for a wild pitch. On the next pitch, he hit Cabrera on the shoulder with a 2-1 fastball.

Victor Martinez then made him pay for the mistakes. Martinez, who was on the disabled list in Pineda’s previous outing, singled up the middle on a change-up to drive home Boesch.

Then Miguel Olivo compounded things by trying an ill-advised pickoff throw to third trying to get Cabrera.

The throw was nowhere near Chone Figgins and bounced into left field allowing Cabrera to jog home.

“That was just a bad throw,” Olivo said.

Pineda found himself down 2-0 after just one inning.

Things didn’t improve.

In the second, he gave up a one-out single to Alex Avila that was followed later by an RBI triple by Austin Jackson over the head of center fielder Greg Halman to make it 3-0.

“The hitters were seeing the ball great,” Pineda said. “In the first three innings, I threw a lot of fastballs up. It’s different than my first time. The first time my fastball was down in the zone.”

But Pineda didn’t just pack it in because he was struggling. He kept trying to fight his way through the Detroit batting order. He held the Tigers scoreless for the next three innings and into the sixth.

“It’s very important to compete in the game,” he said. “Whenever something happens, compete.”

That attitude was more than pleasing to Wedge. It even brought a smile to the manager’s face on a night when there wasn’t much to be happy about.

“He battled back and was better for a little while there,” Wedge said. “It’s so important. You want to find out about a starting pitcher. You take a good look at them when they don’t have their best stuff or they are a little off and (see) how they handle it.”

However, Pineda’s competitive nature couldn’t get him past the sixth inning.

He gave up a leadoff single to Martinez. Two batters later, Jhonny Peralta yanked a two-run home run to left on a 94 mph fastball to push the lead to 5-1.

“It was a pretty good fastball,” Pineda said.

Alex Avila then worked an 11-pitch walk. Wedge, who had seen enough, pulled Pineda after 85 pitches.

“He was working pretty hard out there,” Wedge said. “In that type of game, it was a good opportunity to cut him off a little short. These guys are throwing every five days in this long stretch of games we’ve been playing so it’s something we have to be aware of.”

Pineda’s replacement, Jamey Wright, didn’t do his starter any favors. He came in and gave up back-to-back singles to score another run that was charged to Pineda. Wright gave up another run in the seventh, and Jeff Gray gave up one in the eighth.

“If (Pineda) works through Peralta and gets through that inning, it’s a different ballgame,” Wedge said.

Perhaps. But the Mariners still would have had to score more than the one run they managed against Tigers starter Max Scherzer (8-2). The right-hander went seven innings, allowed one run on four hits while striking out four and walking two.

The Mariners’ run came in the sixth, when Ichiro Suzuki tripled to deep center and then scored on Brendan Ryan’s sacrifice fly. A night after sitting out for the first time this season, Ichiro went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

“I felt like he had good swings,” Wedge said. “That was great to see. He’s a guy we’d love to see get going.”

Other than Ichiro, the Mariners didn’t have much going offensively with just three other hits. In the third inning, Scherzer walked Mike Carp and Chone Figgins to start the inning. But Halman struck out, Ichiro popped out to right and Ryan lined out to center.

“We let (Scherzer) off the hook there,” Wedge said.

Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483 ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners/

Read More: Magglio Ordonez (RF – DET), Omir Santos (C – DET), Detroit Tigers

The Toledo Blade’s John Wagner reports that outfielder Magglio Ordonez is going to rejoin the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. He will likely be activated from the disabled list on Monday, although nothing appears to be concrete just yet.

Ordonez played nine games during his rehab assignment with the Mud Hens. Here is a look at his stats while with Toledo:

Magglio Ordonez finished his nine-game stint with the Mud Hens with a .297 batting average (11-for-37). His 11 hits included one double and a pair of home runs, each of the last two days. He scored three runs and had six RBIs, three of which came last night. He also walked twice and struck out nine times.

When Ordonez is activated, the Tigers will likely send down a pitcher since they have an extra one right now. When Phil Coke was activated from the DL earlier this week, Omir Santos was sent down to Toledo, resulting in the extra pitcher.

DETROIT, June 11 (UPI) — Max Scherzer racked up his eighth win and the Detroit Tigers tied for first place in the American League Central Saturday with an 8-1 victory over Seattle.

Scherzer (8-2) held the Mariners to one run on four hits in a seven inning-effort, walking two and striking out four.

The right-hander, who joined Boston’s Jon Lester and Baltimore’s Jake Arrieta as the American League’s only eight-game winners, led Detroit to its sixth win in eight games and a first-place tie with Cleveland atop the Central Division.

Austin Jackson and Victor Martinez each provided three hits and two RBI for Detroit, which pounded out 14 hits.

Michael Pineda (6-4) absorbed the defeat for Seattle, which lost for the second time in three games against the Tigers. Pineda yielded six runs (five earned) on eight hits before being yanked after 5 1/3 innings.

Brandon Ryan drove in the Mariners’ only run.

DETROIT (AP) — Max Scherzer found his form after three rocky starts, Austin Jackson tripled twice and the Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 8-1 on Saturday night.

Victor Martinez had three hits and two RBIs and Jhonny Peralta homered for the Tigers, who moved within one percentage point of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central after being as many as eight games behind in early May.

Scherzer (8-2) had struggled in his last three starts, but was back in charge against Seattle’s struggling offense. The right-hander allowed one run on four hits and two walks in seven innings to tie for the AL lead in wins.

Mariners rookie Michael Pineda (6-4) had the worst start of his brief career, giving up a career-high six runs — five earned — on eight hits and a walk in 5 1-3 innings.

The Mariners got their first hit on Mike Carp’s one-out single in the fifth, but ran themselves out of the inning on a pair of odd plays. Chone Figgins lined a ball off second baseman Ramon Santiago’s glove and into right, but Carp had retreated on the play and was forced out at second 4-9-6.

Greg Halman then hit a tapper toward shortstop and Peralta didn’t bother throwing to first. Figgins, though, went too far around second and was erased in an inning-ending 6-4-1-6 rundown.

Meanwhile, the Tigers were teeing off on Pineda. They took a 2-0 lead in the first on Martinez’s RBI single and a throwing error by catcher Miguel Olivo, then added another run in the second when Jackson’s triple scored Santiago.

The Mariners got their only run in the sixth when slumping Ichiro Suzuki tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly, but Peralta’s two-run homer keyed a three-run sixth.

Martinez had an RBI double in the seventh and Jackson scored in the eighth after his second triple of the game.

NOTES: Jackson and Tigers C Alex Avila have both had two-triple games in the last three days. … Scherzer had allowed 19 earned runs in his last three starts for an ERA of 12.51. … Suzuki had gotten a rare day off Friday and was 1 for 18 on Seattle’s current road trip before tripling and singling in his final two at-bats.

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) – The Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 8-1 on Saturday night and take a share of first place with the win.

As heard on 97.1 The Ticket - the Tigers share first place in the Central Division with Cleveland after the win over Seattle, and the Indian’s loss on Saturday.

Speaking post game on The Ticket Brennan Boesch said that the team doesn’t think about the beginning of their season: “…we don’t remember the start, that’s in the past…we’re just rolling.”

Max Scherzer found his form after three rocky starts, Austin Jackson tripled twice to aid in the Tigers’ win.  beat the Seattle Mariners 8-1 on Saturday night.

Victor Martinez had three hits and two RBIs and Jhonny Peralta homered for the Tigers, who moved within one percentage point of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central after being as many as eight games behind in early May.

Scherzer (8-2) had struggled in his last three starts, but was back in charge against Seattle’s struggling offense. The right-hander allowed one run on four hits and two walks in seven innings to tie for the AL lead in wins.

Mariners rookie Michael Pineda had the worst start of his brief career, giving up a career-high six runs – five earned – on eight hits and a walk in 5 1-3 innings.

Stay with 97.1 The Ticket as the Tigers look to win their third game in the four game series against Seattle - Sunday afternoon.

(Copyright 2011 WWJ Newsradio 950. All Rights Reserved.)   (Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

I’m not going to lie to you like the TV networks and tell you to stay tuned. This baby is done. Party’s over. There’s a Taylor Swift concert across the street and I’m like, there, man. Front row. Five minutes. Michael Pineda served up a 2-0 pitch to Jhonny (Can’t-Spell-Johnny) Peralta and bango! Ball is over the left field wall with a runner on.

Jamey Wright came in and continued the bleeding with some hits and another run, but at least he isn’t blowing games in the eighth now. Mariners trail 6-1 heading to the seventh.

Pineda has his roughest outing yet. Goes 5 1/3 innings, give up six runs, five earned. Bound to happen at some point.

5:37 p.m.: The Mariners finally got leadoff production from their leadoff hitter as Ichiro lined a triple to right-center to lead off the sixth, which typically has been a tough inning for Max Scherzer. Brendan Ryan got Ichiro home on a sac fly. Justin Smoak singled after that with one out, but, Adam Kennedy and Miguel Olivo both flied out.

Just think, had the left fielder deflected the ball 20 feet and over the fence, we might have a tie game. But alas, Ryan Raburn has been benched for the rest of this series.

Mariners trail 3-1.

5:26 p.m.: Well, well, where to begin? Um, the Mariners still trail 3-0 and will be trailing for some time if any more innings go like the top of the fifth. Mike Carp broke up the no-hitter with a single to left, but then retreated back to first on a Chone Figgins liner — thinking it would be caught by second baseman Ramon Santiago. But it wasn’t. The ball wound up in right field, but Carp was an easy dead duck at second on the force.

Instead of two on with one out, there was a guy on first with two out when Greg Halman chopped an infield single to shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Figgins made it to second, then took a wide turn to third as Peralta pump-faked the throw to first.

Once Peralta looked over at second, he knew he had Figgy dead-to-rights and the rundown that ensued was just a formality. Mariners had better wake up and start to play soon because we’re already into the top of the sixth.

5:16 p.m.: Michael Pineda finally had a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth but still trails 3-0. The Mariners don’t have a hit off Max Scherzer yet, though they managed two walks in the third. Time to get the lumber rolling or this will be a quick exit.

4:47 p.m.: Well, that sure was a disappointing third-inning outcome for Seattle after a pair of leadoff walks by Mike Carp and Chone Figgins. Greg Halman went down swinging in what was not a very good at-bat. Ichiro then flied out to right and Brendan Ryan flied out to center. So, a once-promising start is wasted. Halman has to do more to put the ball in-play and try to advance the runners in that AB.

Mariners still trail 3-0.

4:39 p.m.: This is looking like one of those days for Michael Pineda, who trails 3-0 after two. Pineda gave up a single to Alex Avila with one out, then a two-out triple to right center by the speedy Austin Jackson. Chone Figgins again looked screened by the runner as the throw came in and was fortunate not to have the ball get by him.

M’s have gone six up, six down on offense. Ichiro popped out to shortstop his first time up.

4:25 p.m.: Michael Pineda tries to make it two in a row for a youth-laden Mariners lineup tonight. The Texas Rangers were getting hammered, so this is Seattle’s chance to move within 1 1/2 games of first place.

Well, that first inning sure went downhill in a hurry for Michael Pineda, who trails 2-0. Pineda got the first two out, then gave up a single to Brennan Boesch, who took second on a wild pitch. Pineda then hit Miguel Cabrera with a pitch to put two on and Victor Martinez singled to center to score the first run.

Greg Halman’s throw wasn’t the strongest and Cabrera took third as Olivo coralled the ball. Olivo then tried to pick Cabrera off at third and the ball ended up in left field. Chone Figgins appeared to be trapped behind the runner and barely made an attempt at the ball.

So, it’s 2-0 for the Tigers.