The Tigers lost their third consecutive series to start the season yesterday and it was another bullpen meltdown. I’ve talked about this before, but this isn’t the kind of pen where a starter can go just five innings and leave it up to the pen. Sometime they’ll come through, but unless those top relievers are getting most of the time, it’s a recipe of disaster. Nate Robertson lasted 5 1/3 and that left it up to the back end of the pen. Zach Miner gave up four runs, Yorman Bazardo also gave up four and Francis Beltran gave up a single run.  Probably the only good thing was the Red Sox got only eight innings to hit or it could have been even worse.
At one point in time, the 12-6 loss was a 4-3 game and that was late as the seventh inning. Ivan Rodriguez was a perfect three for three and Magglio Ordonez belted his first homer of the season.
Next up are the second place White Sox. The Tigers are 0-6 in the division and 0-3 against the Sox. If they’re going to pick a good time to kick it into gear, this would be the time. Dontrelle Willis gets the nod and the White Sox will be throwing Jose Contreras.