April 18, 1984: Tiger 4 – Royals 3 (10)

April 18, 1984: Tiger 4 – Royals 3, 10 innings

W: Willie Hernandez (1-0) L: Joe Beckwith (0-1) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Tigers took a 3-0 lead into the top of the eighth. With two out, Jorge Orta hit a three-run homer of Jack Morris to tie it.

Morris and Royals starter Bud Black both scattered nine hits, allowed three runs and struck out three. Morris did it in nine innings, Black in seven.

Willie Hernandez set K.C. down in order in the top of the 10th.

Alan Trammell led off the 10th with a single, then Dave Bergman bunted him to second. Lance Parrish grounded out, moving Tram to third.

Larry Herndon reached on an error by second baseman Frank White and Tram came home with the winning run.

Parrish homered, part of a three for five night. Chet Lemon hit two doubles.

Record: 9-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
Time of Game: 3:02
Attendance: 12,310

6 Things to Know about Rico Brogna – #13

A left-handed hitting first baseman, Rico Brogna was, like Travis Fryman and Steve Searcy and Rich Rowland, a highly anticipated Tigers prospect in the early 1990s.

Here are a few things to know about him:

He was the Tigers’ first-round pick in the 1988 draft.

Brogna made his Tigers debut against the Blue Jays, doubling in his first at bat, off Dave Stieb.

He finished the night one for four. On Aug. 11, he hit his first major-league homer, off Melido Perez, at Tiger Stadium.

He appeared in just nine games before being sent back to Toledo, where he’d spend the rest of the ’92 season and all of 1993.

On March 31, 1994, the Tigers dealt him to the Mets for catcher Alan Zinter.

Brogna went on to have a nice career with the Mets and even more so with the Phillies.

Birthday

Jake Rogers, Miguel Cabrera, Rico Brogna, Doug Flynn and the late Brian Dubois and Wahoo Sam Crawford

See you tomorrow.

April 13, 1984: Tigers 13 – Red Sox 9

Tigers 13 – Red Sox 9

W: Doug Bair (0-1) L: Bruce Hurst (1-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

Talk about the tale of two games. The Tigers ambushed Bruce Hurst for seven runs in an eight-run first. Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell walked, Barbaro Garbey reached on an error.

Lance Parrish struck out and then the next eight batters reached:

Larry Herndon: walk (1-0)

Chet Lemon: single (3-0)

Rod Allen: single (4-0)

Rusty Kuntz: single (5-0), and that was it for Hurst.

Mike Brown took over and was greeted by a Tom Brookens double. (6-0)

Whitaker reached on an error by Jerry Remy, scoring Kuntz and Brookens. (8-0)

Trammell doubled.

Dave Bergman, pinch-hit for Garbey — how often does that happen in the first inning? — and walks.

Parrish grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Milt Wilcox takes the mound with an 8-0 lead … and allows the first seven hitters to reach. He gets one more out than Hurst, but after yielding five runs, gives way to Doug Bair.

Boston scores again in the second, to make it 8-6, and the Tigers in the fourth, on a Parrish solo shot.

The Tigers tack on four more in the eighth off Bob Stanley and give Willie Hernandez a 13-6 lead to protect.

Instead, the Red Sox tag him with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Mercifully, the ninth is scoreless, but not exactly clean, and Tigers hold on.

Record: 8-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
Time of Game: 3:11
Attendance: 35,179

Birthdays

Doug Strange, Mark Leiter and the late Ike Brown, Jake Mooty, Roxie Lawson, Ken Jones, Rufe Clarke, Al Platte, Red Killefer, Kid Elberfeld, Herman Long

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.

April 12, 1984: Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

W: Jack Morris (3-0) – L: Frank Tanana (0-1) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Tigers knock around Frank Tanana for 10 hits and seven runs, including homers by Alan Trammell and Chet Lemon, over six innings.

Lou Whitaker also went deep, a solo shot off Odell Jones in the seventh.

Tram, Lance Parrish, Barbaro Garbey and Rod Allen each with two hits.

Morris goes seven, scattering seven hits and two runs. Aurelio Lopez (two innings) and Willie Hernandez (one) bring it home.

Record: 7-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Tim McClelland, 3B – Marty Springstead
Time of Game: 2:48
Attendance: 19,154

Birthdays

Brennan Boesch and the late Woodie Fryman, Charley Lau, Bill Wight, Jack Wilson, Eric McNair and Lew Post

See you tomorrow.

April 11, 1984: Off Day in Detroit

Note: I had mistakenly posted today a game recap for April 12 — forgetting that the Tigers had an off day on April 11 for the usual Opening Day rainout makeup date. Check back tomorrow for that recap.

5 Things to Know About Sid Monge #42

The Tigers purchased his contract from the Padres on June 10, 1984.

He debuted with the Tigers on June 11 against the Blue Jays. He faced one batter, Willie Upshaw, who singled to center.

Monge’s longest outing with the Tigers came on Aug. 7 against the Red Sox, in the first game of a doubleheader. Boston chased Jack Morris after an inning and a third, surrendering nine runs. Sid came in for four and two thirds, allowing six hits and three earned runs.

His final appearance with the Tigers came on the last day of the season: a one-inning stint against the Yankees: one inning, two hits, two earned runs.

Sid wasn’t on the Tigers postseason roster. His final line: 19 appearances, 1-0 and a 4.25 ERA.

Birthdays

Pete Kozma, Charlie Furbush, Sean Bergman, John Martin, Sid Monge and Mike Kilkenny and the late Barney McCosky

See you tomorrow.

April 10, 1984: Tigers 5 – Rangers 1

Tigers 5 – Rangers 1

W: Dan Petry (2-0) L: Dave Stewart (0-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Rangers got off to a fast start in the first, greeting Petry with a couple of singles — one by Buddy Bell and, after a groundout, another by Larry Parrish — and jumping out to a 1-0 lead.

It didn’t last.

In the bottom half, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell walked, leading to Darrell Evans‘ first Tiger Stadium at bat. Evans blasted Dave Stewart‘s 1-0 pitch deep into the upper deck in right and, I think I can speak for most of us, we could hardly contain ourselves.

Lance Parrish popped out, Kirk Gibson singled, and walks to Larry Herndon and Chet Lemon loaded the bases for Howard Johnson* — and he walked, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead and ending Stewart’s day at two-thirds of an inning.

Petry threw a four-hit complete game, walking three and striking out seven.

With one out in the third, Herndon doubled and the next man up, Dave Bergman, drove him in for the Tigers’ final run.

Record: 6-0

*Somehow, Howard Johnson did not make it on my Top-5 Tigers list Honorable Mentions. I’m correcting that now. I was not happy when he was traded to the Mets after the ’84 season.

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Marty Springstead, 1B – Jim McKean, 2B – Durwood Merrill, 3B – Tim McClelland
Time of Game: 2:32
Attendance: 51,238
Start Time Weather: 62° F, Sunny, No Precipitation

Birthdays

Eric King and the late Frank Lary, Cliff Bolton and Rudy Kneisch

See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo – April 5

Game 2 – April 5, 1984

Tigers 7 – Twins 3

W: Dan Petry (1-0) – L: Frank Viola (0-1) | Boxscore

Alan Trammell: 4 for 5, triple, homer.

Kirk Gibson, batting eighth, with a two-out, three-run homer off Viola in fourth.

Petry: 7 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 4 walks, 1 strikeout.

Willie Hernandez: Two 1-2-3 innings, two strikeouts.

Rod Allen: 1 for 3, 2 runs scored.

Larry Pashnick with two-and-a -third against his former team.

Record: 2-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Larry McCoy, 1B – Nick Bremigan, 2B – Vic Voltaggio, 3B – Joe Brinkman
Time of Game: 2:33
Attendance: 8,373

3 Things to Know About Larry Pashnick #22

The Lincoln Park native and Michigan State alum made his Tigers debut on April 10, 1982 against the Royals: 1 scoreless inning, 0 hits, 0 K, 1 walk.

He appeared in 40 games for the Tigers across the 1982 and ‘83 seasons, 19 of them starts, finishing with a 5-7 record and a 4.17 ERA.

On Dec. 8, 1983, the Tigers traded him to the Twins for Rusty Kuntz.

Birthdays

Beau Brieske

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 369 8/9 – Rarity: 131

I was thwarted by thinking former Tiger Mike Moore had won 20 games while pitching for the A’s. Alas, he topped out at 19 wins for 1989 World Series champs.

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo – April 3

Reliving 1984, 1 Game at a Time

Game 1 – April 3, 1984: Tigers 8 – Twins 1

W: Jack Morris (1-0) – L: Albert Williams (0-1) | Boxscore
Morris: 7 IP, 5 hits, 8 strikeouts.
Darrell Evans hit a two-three-run homer in the seventh off Keith Comstock.
Howard Johnson, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell with two hits apiece.
Willie Hernandez makes his Tigers debut with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Record: 1-0

WDIV Channel 4 – Tigers Pregame

Birthdays

Victor Alcantara, Doug Baker, Gary Pettis and the late Dick Conger

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 367 9/9 – Rarity: 39

See you tomorrow

The Tuesday Fungo: April 2

5 Things to Know About Jerry Turner – #20

The late* left-handed hitting outfielder John Webber “Jerry” Turner played seven-ish seasons with the Padres and part of one with the White Sox before signing with the Tigers on Feb. 12, 1982.

Here are five things to know about his one year in Detroit:

1. He made his Tigers debut on April 12, 1982 against the Blue Jays, as the DH and batting sixth. He went one for four with a run scored.

2. He hit his first Tigers homer on April 24 against the Yankees’ Doyle Alexander.

3. Turner’s most productive day came on June 9 against the Indians: three for four with a homer.

4. His final Tigers game came on Sept. 26, also against the Indians. He went hitless in three at bats but with a walk.

5. Turner’s totals in Detroit: 85 games, .248 average, eight home runs, 27 RBI and a .687 OPS.

*Turner died Aug. 20, 2023

Today’s Random Game: July 24, 1982

Tigers 3 – Rangers 1

W: Larry Pashnick (3-3) – L: Doc Medich (7-8) | Boxscore

Highlights

Jerry Turner homered as part of two for three night — plus a walk.

Pashnick went the distance, scattering nine hits, walking two and striking out one.

Tom Brookens and Alan Trammell each drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Miscellany

Location: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Bill Haller, 1B – Jerry Neudecker, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Ken Kaiser
Time of Game: 2:26
Attendance: 35,470

Birthdays

Pete Incaviglia and the late Billy Pierce, Earl Johnson, Cotton Pippen, Harry Moran, Ed Siever and Hughie Jennings

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 366 7/9 — Rarity: 244

Swings and misses: Jerry Mumphrey bottom left, José Lima bottom middle. Can you identify the one former Tiger? (Answer below)

Him.

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo

Larry Sheets – #9

After the misery of the 1989 season, Bill Lajoie got to work in the offseason adding hitters to a lousy roster.

Cecil Fielder, Tony Phillips and Lloyd Moseby were the headliners, but an under-the-radar guy was lefthanded-hitting outfielder Larry Sheets.

After six years in Baltimore, Sheets was dealt to Detroit for infielder Mike Brumley.

Here are five things to know about Sheets’ time with the Tigers:

He made his Tigers debut on April 10, 1990 against the Red Sox. Starting in left, he batted seventh and went three for four with a double and a run scored.

On May 1, he hit his first homer as a Tiger, a solo shot off the Twins’ Kevin Tapani.

Final line: 131 games, .261 average, 10 HR, 52 RBI, .710 OPS

All of his home runs came off right handers, and all but one of his RBI came of righties.

His final game with the Tigers was Oct. 3, 1990 against the Yankees. This was the game Cecil Fielder hit his 50th and 51st home runs. Sheets went hitless in two at bats, replacing Gary Ward in left.

Bonus item: He’s the father of White Sox outfielder/first baseman Gavin Sheets.

Birthdays

Jack Lazorko and the late Ed Gremminger

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 363 9/9 — Rarity: 7

An all-Tiger, lowest-rarity Grid today!

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo

Tigers’ Opening Day Record, 1977-1994

The wheelhouse of The Daily Fungo is the Ralph Houk, Les Moss and Sparky Anderson years. So, through that narrow lens in the Tigers’ much broader history, let’s look at how the teams from 1977 through 1994 opened their respective seasons.

* Indicates I was at the game.

Year	Opening Day	Score	Pitchers
1977	April 7 Home Boxscore	Royals 7 Tigers 4	W: Paul Splittorff L: Dave Roberts Save: Mark Littell
1978	April 7 Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Blue Jays 2	W: Mark Fidrych L: Dave Lemanczyk
1979	April 7* Home Boxscore	Rangers 8 Tigers 2	W: Ferguson Jenkins L: Dave Rozema
1980	April 10 Away Boxscore	Tigers 5 Royals 1	W: Jack Morris L: Dennis Leonard
1981	April 9* Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Blue Jays 2	W: Jack Morris L: Joey McLaughlin
1982	April 9* Away Boxscore	Royals 4 Tigers 2	W: Larry Gura L: Jack Morris
1983	April 5 Away Boxscore	Tigers 11 Twins 3	W: Jack Morris L: Brad Havens
1984	April 3 Away Boxscore	Tigers 8 Twins 1	W: Jack Morris L: Albert Williams
1985	April 8 Home Boxscore	Tigers 5 Indians 4	W: Jack Morris L: Ernie Camacho Save: Willie Hernandez
1986	April 7* Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Red Sox 5	W: Jack Morris L: Sammy Stewart Save: Willie Hernandez
1987	April 6* Home Boxscore	Yankees 2 Tigers 1 10 innings	W: Dave Righetti L: Jack Morris
1988	April 4 Away Boxscore	Tigers 5 Red Sox 3 10 innings	W: Jack Morris L: Lee Smith Save: Mike Henneman
1989	April 4 Away	Rangers 4 Tigers 0	W: Charlie Hough L: Jack Morris
1990	April 9 Away Boxscore	Red Sox 5 Tigers 2	W: Roger Clemens L: Jack Morris Save: Lee Smith
1991	April 8 Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Yankees 4	W: Paul Gibson L: Greg Cadaret Save: Mike Henneman
1992	April 6 Home Boxscore	Blue Jays 4 Tigers 2	W: Jack Morris L: Bill Gullickson
1993	April 5 Away Boxscore	A’s 9 Tigers 4	W: Bob Welch L: Mike Moore Save: Dennis Eckersley
1994	April 4 Away Boxscore	Red Sox 9 Tigers 8	W: Scott Bankhead L: Storm Davis Save: Jeff Russell

The result? An even 9 and 9, with Jack Morris notching a 6-4 record — not counting his win against the Tigers on Opening Day 1992 as a member of the Blue Jays.

Birthdays

Craig Paquette and the late Jimmy Barrett

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 361 9/9 – Rarity: 69

See you tomorrow.