July 31, 1984: Doubleheader versus Cleveland

Game 1: Tigers 5 – Indians 1

W: Juan Berenguer (5-7) – L: Roy Smith (4-3) | Boxscore

Record: 71-32

Highlights

  • This was a makeup game from the previous week’s rainout in Cleveland.
  • Berenguer was solid: 61/3 innings, four hits, two walks and four strikeouts — and just one run.
  • The Tigers jumped all over Indians’ starter Smith with five runs in the second inning. Doug Baker hit a bases-loaded triple and Ruppert Jones hit a solo shot which sent Smith to the showers.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 2:30

Game 2: Indians 6 – Tigers 4

W: Neal Heaton (8-10) – L: Dave Rozema (7-3) – S: Tom Waddell (5) | Boxscore

Record: 71-33 — 12 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Cleveland chased Rozey with six runs on seven hits in 21/3 innings.
  • At the time, I wish I had better appreciated the freak of nature that was Aurelio López. Sparky used him in every situation except for spot starter — and he probably would have excelled in the role. In this one, he pitched 62/3 of shutout relief, allowing just four hits, one walk and striking out five.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim Evans, 1B – Greg Kosc, 2B – Ted Hendry, 3B – Drew Coble
  • Time of Game: 2:50
  • Attendance: 32,158

Birthdays

Reese Olson, Andy Van Hekken, Gabe Kapler, Howard Bailey, Dave Dombrowski, Terry Fox and the late Al Aber, Harry Malmberg and Billy Hitchcock

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 486 9/9 — Rarity: 37

See you tomorrow.

July 25, 1984: Indians 4 – Tigers 1

W: Roy Smith (4-2) – L: Dave Rozema (7-2) – S: Ernie Camacho (12) | Boxscore

Record: 68-30 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Rozema allowed four runs on seven hits in his 61/3 innings of work
  • Darrell Evans homered to drive in the Tigers’ only run, and doubled.
  • The loss broke Detroit’s six-game winning streak.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Cleveland Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 2:48
  • Attendance: 15,516

Birthdays

Alex Presley, Torey Lovullo, Denny Bautista, Mick Kelleher and the late Larry Sherry 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 480 9/9 — Rarity: 8

See you tomorrow.

July 20, 1984: Tigers 3 – Rangers 1

W: Dave Rozema (7-1) – L: Frank Tanana (9-9) – S: Willie Hernández (18) | Boxscore

Record: 64-29

Highlights

  • Another pitchers duel in this series, with Rozema and Tanana nearly matching each other.
  • Both starters went eight innings, Rozema allowed six hits to Tanana’s eight. Rozey fanned four; Tanana, five.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Ken Kaiser, 1B – Dale Ford, 2B – Larry Barnett, 3B – Rocky Roe
  • Time of Game: 2:16
  • Attendance: 39,484

Birthdays

Mickey Stanley, Heinie Manush, Mutt Wilson and Red McKee

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 475 8/9: Rarity: 122

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: July 15

July 15, 1984: Tigers 6 – Twins 2

W: Dave Rozema (6-1) – L: Ken Schrom (2-4) – S: Aurelio López (11) | Boxscore

Record: 60-28 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers had 15 hits on the night, 10 off Twins starter Schrom in 42/3 innings.
  • Rozema turned in a solid start: 51/3, eight hits, two runs and five strikeouts.

Miscellany

  • Venue: The Metrodome
  • Umpires: HP – Joe Brinkman, 1B – Larry McCoy, 2B – Nick Bremigan, 3B – Vic Voltaggio
  • Time of Game: 3:00
  • Attendance: 27,965

Birthdays

Scott Livingstone and the late Bob Miller, Joe Rogalski and Red Oldham

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 470 9/9: Rarity: 172

Pete Rose is likely the least-rare guess of my Grid-playing career.

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: July 7

July 7, 1984: Tigers 5 – Rangers 2

W: Dave Rozema (5-1) – L: Danny Darwin (5-5) – S: Willie Hernández (16) | Boxscore

Record: 57-26 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • A solid start for Rozema: six innings, nine hits and one earned run.
  • Hernández with another multi-inning save — three! — albeit a bit wild. Three walks and a hit.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Arlington Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Mark Johnson, 1B – Joe Brinkman, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Nick Bremigan
  • Time of Game: 2:41
  • Attendance: 29,262

Birthdays

Alfredo Figaro, Dan Gladden and the late Mel Clark and the Georges: Smith, Spencer, Moriarty and Suggs.

See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo: June 28

June 28, 1984: Off Day at Home

The Tigers have an off day after losing the series to the Yankees in New York. Up next: a doubleheader against the Twins in Detroit. Let’s look back on a game played on June 28 in another year.

June 28, 1980: Tigers 8 – Blue Jays 3

W: Dave Rozema (4-4) – L: Jack Kucek (1-1) | Boxscore

Record: 37-30 — 3rd place, 6.5 games behind the Yankees

Highlights

  • Rozema pitched seven innings, scattered seven hits and allowed just two earned runs. Dan Schatzeder and Aurelio López covered the final two innings.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Exhibition Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Ted Hendry, 1B – Larry Barnett, 2B – Fred Spenn, 3B – Jim Evans
  • Time of Game: 2:53
  • Attendance: 20,059

Birthdays

Chris Spurling, Greg Keagle, Tom Fletcher, Orlando McFarlane, Frank Scheibeck and the late Fred Gladding

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 453 9/9 — Rarity: 26

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo: June 27

June 27, 1984: Yankees 5 – Tigers 4

W: Jay Howell (3-4) – L: Carl Willis (0-1) – Save: | Boxscore

Record: 53-20 — 10 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers had a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. Willis relieved starter Dave Rozema and gave up two hits and three runs.
  • Bárbaro Garbey drove in a pair, and the Tigers eked out just five hits.
  • The Yankees take two out of three in the series but the Tigers remain 10 games ahead of second-place Toronto.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Yankee Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Tim McClelland, 2B – Larry Young, 3B – Marty Springstead
  • Time of Game: 2:36
  • Attendance: 30,428

Birthdays

Jim Johnson, Oscar Salazar, Nelson Simmons, Dick Marlowe, Gus Zernial, Lou Kretlow and Charlie Wheatley

See you tomorrow.