The Tigers managed just one run on four hits as they were shutdown by Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley and the Dodgers bullpen.  Austin Jackson had a pair of hits (single and a double) and he scored the lone run in the first inning when Magglio Ordonez drove him in with a sac. fly.  Ordonez also drew a walk (it’s funny how you look at these things when you’re trying to scrape together hitting highlights when they aren’t there) and Brandon Inge doubled.

Dontrelle Willis had another rough start and we’re now almost a month removed from his last win when he threw six shutout innings.  He got off to a good start and gave up just a single in the first three innings but then in the fourth, after going through the lineup once, the Dodgers started producing on him.  The fourth inning was particularly weird because the Dodgers got a run on just one single.  With two outs, it went single, wild pitch, walk, walk then HBP.  He gave up two more runs in the fifth (one with a wild pitch) and then another in the sixth (although the RBI hit came off of Eddie Bonine, who inherited Willis’ runner).

After that, the pen did their job but the Tigers couldn’t get the bats going.  Brad Thomas pitched two shutout innings to close out the game.  It’s nice to see him getting back on track after some bumps in late April.

Tonight, it’ll be Armando Galarraga going up against John Ely.  It’s a late afternoon game in LA so it’ll be the Tigers regular time slot at seven.

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