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Tigers offense running on all cylinders

Eleven-run sixth inning highlights big night at the plate

DETROIT -- If this is what the Tigers can do with Curtis Granderson in the lineup, look out.
They can't expect to do this every day, of course. Once every election year, though, seems to be their current rate.

Four years ago on this night, the Tigers put up an 11-run sixth inning at Comerica Park on their way to a runaway victory. The opponent was different on Wednesday, but the setup was the same. Carlos Guillen's two-run double, Miguel Cabrera's three-run homer and Curtis Granderson's two-run single fueled another 11-run sixth, sending the Tigers to a 19-6 rout of the Rangers. This is their highest run total since a 19-6 win at Texas on Aug. 8, 2001.
Up until that point, the Tigers had been nicking and cutting Rangers pitching with smaller hits. Though Detroit put up five runs in the second inning and single runs in the two innings after that, Jacque Jones' third-inning solo homer was the Tigers' only extra-base hit through the first five innings.
Given the struggles of starting pitcher Kenny Rogers, they needed all those runs. Once the Tigers finally put up some cushion in their lead, they made it a runaway.

Guillen had driven in three runs coming into the sixth, and he doubled that by the time the inning was over. His double down the right-field line plated two. After Rangers reliever Jamey Wright walked Magglio Ordonez, he fell behind on Cabrera, who got enough of a 3-1 pitch to send it carrying to the opposite field and just into the right-field seats for his second home run in as many nights and fifth on the season.


Nine consecutive Tigers reached base safely, including two hit-by-pitches by Wes Littleton, before Guillen came back up to hit a sacrifice fly. Ramon Santiago took a pitch off of his right leg with the bases loaded to plate another run, then Granderson turned in his second single of the inning with a ground ball through the right side.
Granderson, making his first start of the season after missing more than three weeks with a fractured bone in his right middle finger, scored three runs in his 2-for-4 performance. He was one of four more walks in the seventh inning to bring in another run.

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