June 20, 1984: Tigers 9 – Yankees 6 (13)

W: Doug Bair (4-0) – L: José Rijo (1-7) | Boxscore

Record: 49-17 — 7.5 up on Toronto

Highlights

Howard Johnson‘s three-run homer, his fifth of the year, with two out in the bottom of the 13th won it for Detroit. Alan Trammell, Lance Parrish and Chet Lemon all homered.

Chet went 4 for 5.

Willie Hernández pitched four innings of relief. Wait, what?

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Dave Phillips, 1B – Jerry Neudecker, 2B – John Hirschbeck, 3B – Steve Palermo
Time of Game: 3:51
Attendance: 43,972

Jim Morrison – IF #9 and #17

The Tigers picked up Jim Morrison from the Pirates on Aug. 7, 1987 for a player to be named later* and Darnell Coles.

*Five days later, they sent Morris Madden to Pittsburgh to complete the trade.

Morrison was expected to be another veteran presence for a Tigers team that was, after a dreadful start, in the thick of the American League East race.

On Aug. 7 against the Yankees**, he made his Tigers debut (a game I attended) at third based and batting sixth. He led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer off New York starter Rick Rhoden.

**The Tigers won 8-0 and sat in third place, just a game behind second-place New York and a game and half behind Toronto.

When the Tigers got him, he was hitting .264 with the Pirates with nine home runs and a .726 OPS. Although Morrison became Sparky’s everyday third baseman for the rest of the year, that performance didn’t carry over to Detroit. He hit just .205 — which was still 20+ points higher than what Coles was hitting at the time of the trade.

After 24 games in 1988, the Tigers released him on June 6. In his final game with Detroit, on June 3, he pinch hit for Pat Sheridan and singled off future-Tiger Jeff Kaiser, driving in a run.

His final line with the Tigers: .209, 4 HR, 25 RBI and a .534 OPS.

Birthdays

Bobby Seay, Paul Bako, the late Charlie Grover, Jim Delahanty and Win Mercer

See you tomorrow.

June 10, 1984: Doubleheader in Baltimore

June 10, 1984: Game 1 Tigers 10 – Orioles 4

W: Doug Bair (3-0) – L: Mike Boddicker (7-5) – Save: Willie Hernández (9) | Boxscore

Record: 42-14

Highlights

The Tigers got to Boddicker early, five runs on seven hits in 4^1/3 innings. Glenn Abbott faired slightly less bad: three runs, seven hits in 2^2/3.

Bair threw 3^1/3 scoreless, one-hit innings.

Lou and Gibby both had three hits and four RBI. Tram and Howard Johnson had a pair of hits each.

The game featured 24 hits — 13 by Detroit — and the Orioles made four errors.

Miscellany

Venue: Memorial Stadium
Umpires: HP – Jim Evans, 1B – Greg Kosc, 2B – Ted Hendry, 3B – Drew Coble
Time of Game: 2:48

Game 2 Tigers 8 – Orioles 0

W: Dan Petry (9-3) – L: Dennis Martínez (1-3) | Boxscore

Record: 43-14 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson and Howard Johnson each had three hits, including a homer, part of a 13-hit attack on El Presidente.

Petry was stellar: a complete-game three-hitter.

All told: Gibby had six hits and six RBI in the two games‚ while Tram and Johnson each had five hits. Lou scored five runs in the first game.

Miscellany

Venue: Memorial Stadium
Umpires: HP – Greg Kosc, 1B – Ted Hendry, 2B – Drew Coble, 3B – Jim Evans
Time of Game: 2:44
Attendance: 51,764

Then, After the Doubleheader …

George Kell informed us that “the Tigers just announced they have acquired the rights to left-handed pitcher … (and it seemed like an eternity before revealing it was …) Sid Monge.”

Birthdays

Al Alburquerque, Elias Sosa and Hank Foiles

See you tomorrow.

June 2, 1984: Orioles 5 – Tigers 0

W: Storm Davis (6-1) – L: Jack Morris (10-2) | Boxscore

Record: 38-10

Highlights

Cue that tired expression: “They should have saved some for today.” The Orioles bounced back from the previous night’s drubbing and tagged Morris for five runs in six innings.

Storm Davis pitched a complete-game three-hitter.

Alan Trammell, Dave Bergman and Howard Johnson accounted for the Tigers offense.

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Rich Garcia, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Al Clark
Time of Game: 2:11
Attendance: 40,292

Game Highlights

Birthdays

Neifi Perez, Darnell Coles and the late Lou Skizas, Gene Michael, Jerry Lumpe and Jack Pierce

See you tomorrow.

June 1, 1984: Tigers 14 – Orioles 2

W: Dan Petry (8-2) – L: Scott McGregor (6-4) – Save: Doug Bair (3) | Boxscore

Record: 38-9

Highlights

This was a blast from the get-go. My friends and I sat in the upper-deck bleachers, taunting Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey during batting practice with a “Dempsey sucks” chant. He was a good sport, egging us on and even turning to face the bleachers and act as a conductor while we rained vitriol upon him.

As for the game, it was nothing short of bedlam. The Tiger scored six in the second highlighted by an Alan Trammell homer, and then three in the third and again in the fourth.

Chet Lemon and Lance Parrish also homered, as the Tigers built up a 13-0 lead in the fifth inning.

Tram had a three-hit game, and Lance, Chet and Larry Herndon each had two hits.

Petry threw six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits.

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Al Clark, 1B – Don Denkinger, 2B – Rich Garcia, 3B – Mike Reilly
Time of Game: 2:28
Attendance: 47,252

Game Highlights

Birthdays

The late Dean Chance, Jo-Jo White and Herm Malloy

See you tomorrow.

May 28, 1984: Tigers 6 – A’s 2

W: Jack Morris (10-1) – L: Chris Codiroli (1-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

Another complete game win for Morris: 7 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts.

On the other side, Codirolio faced the first seven batters, got only one out and surrendered four Tigers runs before being pulled.

Alan Trammell went 3 for 4, Lou Whitaker had three walks, and Lance Parrish hit his eighth homer of the year.

Miscellany

Venue: Oakland Coliseum
Umpires: HP – Jerry Neudecker, 1B – Steve Palermo, 2B – Rick Reed, 3B – Dave Phillips
Time of Game: 2:57
Attendance: 46,238

Birthdays

Lester Oliveros, Jhonny Peralta, Mike Difelice, Kirk Gibson and the late Jim Middleton

See you tomorrow.

🇺🇲 May 27, 1984: Mariners 6 – Tigers 1

May 27, 1984: Mariners 6 – Tigers 1

W: Matt Young (4-3) – L: Dan Petry (7-2) | Boxscore

Record: 35-8

Highlights

Despite 10 hits, the Tigers eked out a single run off three Mariners pitchers. Alan Trammell went 3 for 4

Petry three four innings and gave up nine hits; Aurelio López pitched the other four and gave up five.

The Tigers got the hell out of Seattle and headed for Oakland on a three-game losing streak.

Miscellany

Venue: Seattle Kingdome
Umpires: HP – Al Clark, 1B – Don Denkinger, 2B – Rich Garcia, 3B – Mike Reilly
Time of Game: 2:50
Attendance: 12,755

Edwin Núñez #41

Reliever Edwin Núñez signed with the Tigers on April 1, 1989. He was a mainstay with the Mariners from 1982 through July ’88, when he was dealt to the Mets.

After signing a free-agent deal in April, the 6′ 5″, 235 lb. righty made his Tigers debut on June 29, 1989, against the Yankees, pitching four-and-a-third innings in relief of Frank Tanana. Núñez took the loss.

He appeared in 27 games for 1989 Tigers, with 3-4 record, a save and a 4.17 ERA. In 1990, Núñez appeared in 42 games, posting a 3-1 record with six saves and a 2.24 ERA.

On Oct. 2, 1990, his Tigers career came to close as it had opened: taking the loss in a game against the Yankees — one inning, three runs, two hits and a walk. Núñez signed with the Brewers in the offseason.

Birthdays

Edwin Núñez, Ron Tingley and the late Pinky Higgins

See you tomorrow.

May 25, 1984: Mariners 7 – Tigers 3

W: Ed Vande Berg (4-2) – L: Milt Wilcox (6-1) – Save: Paul Mirabella (2) | Boxscore

Record: 35-6

Highlights

The loss snaps the Tigers’ A.L. record road winning streak at 17

Seattle jumped on Wilcox for six runs in four and a third, and lefty Vande Berg kept the Tigers off balance in his seven innings.

Alan Trammell had two hits, including his sixth homer, and Howard Johnson drove in the Tigers other two runs.

Miscellany

Venue: Seattle Kingdome
Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Don Denkinger
Time of Game: 2:54
Attendance: 15,722

Danny Bautista #29

Danny Bautista was a promising young outfield for the early-’90s Tigers. Here are few things to know about him:

He made his debut on Sept. 15, 1993 against the Blue Jays, as a pinch runner for Rich Rowland.

Bautista’s first major-league start — and hit — came two days later, batting leadoff against the Indians. He singled off Jason Grimsley.

On Oct. 1, he hit his first career homer, at Yankee Stadium off Frank Tanana. He finished the ’93 season with a .311 average in 17 games.

Bautista played parts of four seasons in Detroit, mostly as a part-timer, appearing in 162 games. He hit .228 with 14 homers.

On May 31, 1996, the Detroit Tigers him to the Atlanta Braves for minor leaguer Anton French. His best seasons were in Arizona, where he won a World Series in 2001.

Birthdays

Randall Simon, Joey Eischen and Bill Haselman

Today’s Grid

See you tomorrow.

May 24, 1984: Tigers 5 – Angels 1

W: Jack Morris (9-1) – L: Jim Slaton (1-2) | Boxscore

Record: 35-5

Highlights

A complete-game four-hitter for The Cat — with 10 strikeouts.

Homers by Alan Trammell, his fifth of the year, and Lance Parrish, number seven, fuel the offense.

The win puts the Tigers at the still-mind blowing 35 and 5 mark. Certainly, with the mediocre Mariners next on the schedule, 38 and 5 is assured. Right?

Miscellany

Venue: Anaheim Stadium
Umpires: HP – Terry Cooney, 1B – Richard Shulock, 2B – Derryl Cousins, 3B – Bill Kunkel
Time of Game: 2:14
Attendance: 43,580

Birthdays

Brad Penny, Danny Bautista, Dave Machemer and the late Milt Jordan

See you tomorrow.

May 23, 1984: Tigers 4 – Angels 2

W: Dan Petry (7-1) – L: Frank LaCorte (0-2) – Save: Willie Hernández (7) | Boxscore

Record: 34-5

Highlights

Petry pitched a seven-inning gem in his hometown, allowing five hits and striking out five, surrendering only a Doug DeCinces two-run homer in the fourth.

Lance Parrish hit a two-run shot of his own. He, Alan Trammell, Chet Lemon and Marty Castillo each had a pair of hits.

Hernandez pitched two flawless innings of relief.

Miscellany

Venue: Anaheim Stadium
Umpires: HP – Bill Kunkel, 1B – Terry Cooney, 2B – Richard Shulock, 3B – Derryl Cousins
Time of Game: 2:39
Attendance: 41,205

Birthdays

Jordan Zimmermann and the late Charlie Sullivan and Frosty Thomas

See you tomorrow.

May 22, 1984: Tigers 3 – Angels 1

W: Juan Berenguer (3-2) – L: Mike Witt (4-4) – Save: Aurelio López (6) | Boxscore

Record: 33-5

Highlights

The Tigers opened the scoring thanks to a Kirk Gibson first-inning single followed by a stolen base, and then an RBI single by Lance Parrish.

Berenguer gave up a solo homer to Rod Carew in the home half of the first and then settled down to allow just two more hits in six innings, striking out nine.

Lou Whitaker had two hits.

Miscellany

Venue: Anaheim Stadium
Umpires: HP – Derryl Cousins, 1B – Bill Kunkel, 2B – Terry Cooney, 3B – Richard Shulock
Time of Game: 2:53
Attendance: 41,253

Bob Adams #40

Here are a few things to know about the right-handed hitting first baseman and catcher, Bob Adams.

The Tigers drafted him in the third round of the 1973 amateur draft.

Adams debuted on July 10, 1977 against the White Sox. In the bottom of the ninth in a 5-5 game, he pinch hit for Phil Mankowski and, facing Dave Hamilton, struck out.

On Aug. 9 against the Brewers, Adams got his first big-league hit: a solo home run off Bill Travers. He started the game and batted seventh.

He appeared in 15 games for the Tigers that year, 12 as a pinch hitter. On Aug. 26, he pinch hit for Tom Veryzer in the eighth-inning, a solo homer off the Angels’ Frank Tanana.

Adams’ final game was Sept. 29 against the Orioles. Pinch hitting for Alan Trammell, he doubled off Rudy May.

His major-league numbers: .250 average, two home runs, two RBI.

Birthdays

Andre Lipcius, Al Levine, Jose Mesa, the late Al Simmons and Al Shaw

See you tomorrow.