Half of the twelve runs the Tigers and Mariners scored this afternoon came in the final frame as the Tigers took the rubber game in their series against the Mariners and evened their record at 3-3 on their west coast trip.  The game was a back and forth, semi-pitchers duel until the ninth inning when the flood gates opened and the Tigers scored four before the Mariners scored two in the 7-5 win.

Placido Polanco broke the 3-3 tie with an RBI single but it was a two run double to cap off the four run fourth by Miguel Cabrera that would prove to be the difference in this one.  Curtis Granderson scored three times while Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez both drove in a pair.

Jeremy Bonderman gave up his share of hits (12) but only three of those baserunners came around to scored in seven innings.  More importantly, he struck out five and didn’t walk anyone.  He also has his ERA down to a respectable 4.29 so he still has the team lead if you discount Armando Galarraga’s 3.44 because he doesn’t have enough innings to qualify yet.  Zach Miner threw a shutout eighth and he improved to 2-3 while Todd Jones gave up a two run shot in the ninth but would have had to give up twice that number of runs to blow the game.

The White Sox lost so the Tigers are now just six games out of first place and they’re only one back of the third place Indians.  Next up are the Athletics, who have been a little bit of a surprise after their first sale this offseason.  In fact they’re just one loss worse then the White Sox and they sport a 10-7 record against the AL Central.  Kenny Rogers gets the nod and he’ll face Rich Harden in the opener tomorrow.

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