Berenguer pitched well in this one but, except for a Kirk Gibson homer, got no run support. Juan pitched seven innings, gave up five hits and two runs, and he walked four.
Flanagan pitched his fourth complete game against the Tigers in 1984 — and allowed two earned runs total. He gave up five hits and struck out five.
The score was 2-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth and Eddie Murray added an insurance run with his 27th homer of the year, off Aurelio López.
Miscellany
Venue: Memorial Stadium
Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Rich Garcia, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Tim McClelland
Umpires: HP – Dale Ford, 1B – Ken Kaiser, 2B – Rocky Roe, 3B – Larry Barnett
Time of Game: 2:20
Attendance: 24,853
Bruce Robbins #48 and #44
The Tigers drafted Bruce Robbins in the 14th round of the 1977 amateur draft, and it was a rapid rise for the lefty out of Blackford High School in Hartford City, Ind.
Robbins spent 1978 in the low minors, Lakeland and Bristol. In 1979, he started in Lakeland, and then after going 7-1 with a 2.97 ERA with Double-A Montgomery, he got the call to Detroit.
He made his major-league debut, at age 19, on July 28, 1979 against the Blue Jays. He took the loss, but what a terrific debut: six innings, two runs, four hits, no walks, three strikeouts.
In between, he finished his career with a 7-5 record and a 5.34 ERA in 25 games.
I remember hearing that Robbins had decided to retire at age 21-ish and trying, at my own young age, to comprehend why someone so new to the big leagues would retire. I don’t know that we ever found out.
The Tigers seemed to have so much young pitching on the farm — Robbins, Mike Chris, Pat Underwood, Kip Young — that it bummed out this young Tigers fan that one was calling it quits.
Fifteen days after making his major-league debut, the 20-year-old Saberhagen handed the Tigers their first loss of the year. He went six innings, allowing just one run on six hits, two walks and four strikeouts.
Petry gave up eight hits in as many innings, five runs (four earned), two walks and four strikeouts.
Frank White hit a two-out, two-run homer off Petry in the eighth that turned a 3-1 game into a 5-1 game.
Kirk Gibson homered off Quisenberry (who pitched three innings of relief!) with one out in the bottom of the ninth to draw the Tigers to 5-2.
Umpires: HP – Vic Voltaggio, 1B – Joe Brinkman, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Nick Bremigan
Time of Game: 2:27
Attendance: 12,100
Kip Young – #37 and #44
Right-handed pitcher Kip Young was drafted by the Tigers in the 23rd round of the 1976 amateur draft from Bowling Green State University — a proud MAC school!
He made his Tigers debut on July 21, 1978 against the Angels at Tiger Stadium. Young took the loss in the 11-inning, 4-2 game, pitching the 10th and 11th.
Young pitched in 14 games in ’78, finishing 6-7 with 2.81 ERA over 105.2 innings.
As I remember it, after a few appearances there was some excitement around Young joining Jack Morris, Dan Petry and Milt Wilcox in the rotation — and don’t get me started on Bruce Robbins and Mike Chris.
It appears he made the 1979 club out of Spring Training, making starts in mid-April and early May. In fact, he pitched for the Tigers in every month except August. He spent time in Evansville, too, presumably late July and August.
His final appearance came on Sept. 26, 1979 against the Orioles. Young entered in the bottom of third, relieving starter Mike Chris with two on and nobody out.
On Nov. 21, 1979 his contract was purchased by the Mariners. Young spent time at Triple A with the Mariners, Reds and Twins, but he didn’t appear in the majors again.
Kip Young’s final major-league line: 8-9, 3.86 ERA, seven complete games, all with the Tigers.
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