Month: April 2016

1901 – At Bennett Park, the Detroit Tigers make an incredible comeback in their American League debut. Trailing 13 – 4 in the bottom of the 9th inning, the Tigers score 10 runs in their last at-bat to defeat the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, 14 – 13. Frank Dillon drives in the game-winning run with a double, his fourth of the game. Dillon’s four doubles is an opening day record that will be matched by Jim Greengrass in 1954.

No boxscore is available for this game, but here’s something for you: the 14-run game begins a four-game stretch in which the Tigers score 45 runs … and give up 38.

— Baseball-Reference.com

From Baseball-Reference.com:

1960 – A record opening day crowd of 53,563 at Briggs Stadium sees the Detroit Tigers chalk up their third straight win, 6 – 5, against the Chicago White Sox. Recently-acquired Rocky Colavito blasts a home run in his first at-bat with Detroit, and Eddie Yost adds a home run in the 5th inning.

Jim Bunning got the Opening Day start, Tom Morgan notched the win.

Here’s the boxscore.

From Baseball Reference:

1984 — The Detroit Tigers suffer their first loss of the season after nine consecutive wins. The Tigers fall to the Kansas City Royals and rookie Bret Saberhagen, who earns his first major league victory.

Final score: Royals 5 – Tigers 2. Interesting that Dan Petry gave up five runs and Sparky still let him pitch eight innings.

Gibby hit a solo shot off Dan Quisenberry in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough. With the win, the Royals pushed their record to 6-6. Quisenberry earned saves in five of the wins.

Check out the boxscore.