Always looking for the positive, the Tigers hung in the game after Maroth gave up four runs in the first two innings. Things looked like they were going to turn when Pena hit a solo shot in the fifth to cut the lead to one. The Red Sox threatened in the sixth, with runners on first and second with nobody, but they got Kapler to ground into a double play, and then Munson robbed Nomar (Spurling had come into pitch at this point) of a single making a nice play on a bullet hit between him and Santiago. Unfortunately the Tigers didn’t build on this, and couldn’t even manage another hit after Pena’s no out solo shot in the fifth.
Kim closed the game out, and looked pretty impressive. I’ve had this discussion/argument with others, and I still think this guy is more valuable as a starter throwing close to 200 innings, then a reliever/closer throwing around 80. Hopefully Epstein and the brain trust will come around on this.