Happy 10th Birthday, Comerica Park

Ten years ago today the Tigers opened Comerica Park with a 5-2 win over the Mariners. Anyone who was there might still be thawing out.

Here, courtesy of the Tigers Media Guide, are some Comerica Park firsts — some from that day, others a bit later:

• First Pitch: April 11, 2000 — 1:18 p.m. (Brian Moehler, strike to Seattle’s Mark McLemore with umpire Rick Reed behind the plate)

• First Hit: April 11, 2000 — Seattle’s John Olerud, double, top of first off of Brian Moehler

• First Single: April 11, 2000 — Gregg Jefferies, bottom of first off of Seattle’s Freddy Garcia

• First Double: April 11, 2000 — Seattle’s John Olerud, top of first off of Brian Moehler

• First Triple: April 11, 2000 — Luis Polonia, bottom of first off of Seattle’s Freddy Garcia

• First Home Run: April 14, 2000 — Juan Gonzalez, bottom of third off Tampa Bay’s Ryan Rupe. With Gonzalez’s three-run shot, it marked the longest stretch without a home run of any new ballpark opened since 1989.

• First RBI: April 11, 2000 — Gregg Jefferies, bottom of first

• First Stolen Base: April 12, 2000 — Seattle’s Mark McLemore off Dave Mlicki/Brad Ausmus, 2nd base.

• First Shutout: April 12, 2000 — Seattle’s Aaron Sele, 4-0.

• First Grand Slam: April 19, 2000 Boston’s Trot Nixon, top of the 6th off Jim Poole.

• First Tigers Grand Slam: June 27, 2000 — Dean Palmer, bottom of fifth off New York’s David Cone.

• First Inside-the-Park Home Run: September 2, 2000 — Juan Gonzalez, bottom of the first off Texas’ Kenny Rogers.

Author: Mike McClary

Upbeat guy. View all posts by Mike McClary