Jeremy Bonderman got off to a rough start, giving up a three run homerun to Carlos Delgado in the first inning. It sounded (I listened to most of it on the radio) like it was going to be one of those games. Greg Myers doubled, but Bonderman struck Pond out and got Orlando Hudson to ground out.

If this were 2003, the game would have been over with after just half of an inning.

But something happened. Carlos Guillen reached base on a Carlos Delgado error, Higgy hit a sac fly to make it a two run game, and Craig Monroe drew a walk. Then, it happened.

Eric Munson hit a three shot to give the Tigers the lead. For good.

Jeremy Bonderman was rock solid after that first inning as he pitched four innings of no hit ball. Then in the sixth, the Tigers got a scare when Vernon Wells hit a liner up the middle, and nailed Bonderman in the foot/ankle area. He shook it off, threw some warm up pitches, but they took him out of the game. Hopefully he’s fine. Four different relievers came in to shut the Jays down the rest of the way, and the Tigers ended up with a 6-3 victory.

And with that, they play their home opener undefeated. The last time they won their first three games was 1985. The last time they won their first three road games was 1984. It took the Tigers 22 games in 2003 to win their third game. It took them 30 games to win their third road game.

I know the season is long, and you only have to look back to last year’s Kansas City Royals to see how a team that gets off to a hot start can drop off. But Tiger fans haven’t had a whole lot to cheer about the past several years. So far this week, they finally do.

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