The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, sending nine batters came to the plate in the first. Alan Trammell‘s two-run homer off The Count of Montefusco was the Tigers highlight.
Wilcox pitched 51/3 innings, allowing five hits, five walks and five runs.
Willie Randolph had three hits for New York. Righetti threw two scoreless innings for the save.
Miscellany
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Don Denkinger
The Tigers likely savored the off day after all the doubleheaders. Let’s look ahead 10 years to a markedly different brand of Tigers baseball played in 1994. 😬
Easter Sunday’s cold and rainy weather in Detroit persisted and the Tigers and Twins face a doubleheader on April 24.
Record: 12-1
Eric Davis – #33
The 1993 season was a weird one. From April 23 to June 25, the Tigers were either in first place or tied for the division lead.
Then, beginning June 23, they lost 10 in a row and 13 of 14. The next thing you know, they were 4.5 games back by July 1.
On Aug. 31, sitting in third place and six games back of the Blue Jays, the Tigers made a curious and intriguing deal with the Dodgers, acquiring former All-Star outfielder Eric Davis for a player to be named later.
Davis was a superstar with the Reds and was traded to Los Angeles in December 1991 and re-signed with his hometown team in November 1992. He didn’t match the dual-threat production he had in his first eight seasons* in Cincinnati — 177 homers, 247 stolen bases — so at the Aug. 31 traded deadline, the former Gold Glover was sent to Detroit.
He debuted with the Tigers on Sept. 3 at Tiger Stadium against the White Sox. Sparky slotted him in the seven spot, in centerfield. He doubled in his second at bat and homered in the bottom of the eighth — a three-run shot to draw the Tigers to within two, 8-6. That was the final score.
Davis’s 1993 Detroit totals: 23 games, six homers, .253 average and a .904 OPS. He also stole two bases, bringing his L.A./Detroit combo to 35.
As for the Tigers, they finished tied for third, 10 games back of Toronto.
The Tigers brought Davis back in 1994, but injuries limited him to just 37 games. He batted .183 with three home runs.
All told, his 60-game Tigers career wrapped with a .210 average, nine home runs, seven stolen bases and a .706 OPS.
*After sitting out 1995, he returned to the Reds for one more season in 1996, and then had a post-cancer resurgence with the Orioles, Cardinals and Giants.
Who didn’t like Mickey Tettleton? He was built like a tank, stood ramrod straight at the plate and could crush the ball from either side. And, he was solid defensively.
Tettleton came to Detroit from the Orioles in a steal of a trade for the once-promising righty, the late Jeff Robinson.
Why would the Orioles, who weren’t exactly brimming with offensive talent, want to part ways with Tettleton?
According to this story, they “did not want to pay him more than $1 million to be backup to Bob Melvin.” Bob Melvin! And shortly thereafter his ticket to Detroit was punched.
“He has good defensive skills and is adept at working with pitchers,” acting Tigers General Manager Joe McDonald said. “In addition, he brings even more punch to our lineup.”
He averaged 32 homers in his first three years with the Tigers … and 136 strikeouts. But, he also averaged 110 walks over those three seasons including a league-leading 122 in 1992.
Sparky penciled him in primarily at catcher in 1991 and ’92, with a few dozen starts at designated hitter. In 1993 and ’94, Tettleton began to see more time at first base and the outfield.
Tettleton and Tiger Stadium were a perfect fit: More than half his homers as a Tiger came at home.
After the strike-shortened 1994 season, he was granted free agency by the Tigers. He signed with the Rangers just before the 1995 season began and played parts of three seasons in Arlington before retiring in July 1997, with 245 career home runs.
From 1983 to ‘84, he appeared in 47 games for the Reds. On April 26, 1985 the Reds sent him to the Expos for Max Venable. He appeared in 19 games for the ‘85 Expos.
Barnes saw no major-league action in 1986, and on July 24 he was traded, with former Tiger Dan Schatzeder, to the Phillies for Tom Foley and Lary Sorensen.
In 1987, he signed with the Cardinals but only appeared in four games. After spending 1988 in Triple A, he appeared in five games for the Reds.
Then, on Jan. 21, 1991, he signed with the Tigers. After starting the year in Toledo, Barnes made his Detroit debut with gusto on June 14, in a 5-1 win in Seattle. He hit a solo homer in his first Tigers at bat, off Brian Holman, with two out in the first inning.
Sparky used him just about everywhere: 1B, 2B, 3B, Shortstop, all outfield spots.
From ’91 to ’94, he appeared in 278 games for the Tigers batting .281 with 11 homers, 73 RBI and a .739 OPS.
Jack Morris starting an Opening Day at Tiger Stadium for the visiting team was certainly different. As usual, he went the distance, giving up ninth-inning homers to Cecil Fielder and Rob Deer.
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