Man, the bullpen, and then eventually the hitters, put together a really nice game as the Tigers won their fifth straight.  Armando Galarraga was roughed up in his return to the rotation but from the time the first reliever came into the game, things turned around.  Eddie Bonine got an inning ending double play in the third on his first batter and after that, six relievers combined to throw six shutout innings to allow the Tigers hitters to get back into this one.  Jeremy Bonderman threw 1 2/3 shutout innings and while I didn’t see it, he was hitting the low 90s. Bonderman walked a couple in the seventh and got into trouble, but Bobby Seay came in to get further into the jame which he eventually pitched out of.

Placido Polanco put the Tigers on the board in the first with a solo home run.  Then Carlos Guillen tripled home two in the third to make it a 4-3 deficit before the Rays scored two more in the bottom half of the inning.  The seventh and eighth were the big frames.  Al Avila belted a two run home run in the seventh and Placido Polanco later singled home a run to tie the game.  Then in the eighth, Marcus Thames had a solid single (I got to see this) that scored Don Kelly for the game winner.

It’s weird seeing all of the minor leaguers up this early.  I haven’t checked to verify, but this could be the first time in a while that none of the Tiges affiliates make the postseason.  Even the Whitecaps look like they’re going to just fall short.

The Tigers go for their second straight sweep this afternoon.  Edwin Jackson throws for the Tigers against his former team while Wade Davis makes his major league debut.  He’s another 2004 draftee (third round).  The Twins did win but the Tigers kept their six game lead.  The White Sox also won (fourth straight) and they don’t seem to want to go away.

***UPDATE***

It looks like the Caps are in the playoffs.  They play the Loons in a three game series.  The Midwest League, with their first half/second half/wildcard system is a little, well, confusing.

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