The Brewers tagged Berenguer for four runs on seven hits over 51/3.
Sid Monge pitched 22/3 scoreless, one-hit innings to keep the Tigers in it.
Detroit scored three in the seventh, two on Larry Herndon‘s pinch-hit home run, and got the tying run on base in the ninth but Fingers doused that flame.
Miscellany
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Marty Springstead, 2B – Jim McKean, 3B – Durwood Merrill
Time of Game: 2:30
Attendance: 32,291
Gene Pentz RHP #39
I’m again stretching the boundaries of this site to feature Gene Pentz on his birthday. Here are five things to know about the Johnstown, Pa. native:
On a cold and wet Easter Sunday, Juan Berenguer delivered one of his best Tigers starts, at least that I can remember. He gave up just two hits — and didn’t allow one until the fifth — with one walk. He struck out seven.
Michigan native and fellow WMU alum first baseman Mike Squires was pressed into pitching duty, with two gone in the five-run eighth, for the final out.
Miscellany
Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
He appeared in parts of three seasons, 1976-78, as a reliever and spot starter.
Crawford made his Tigers debut on April 20, 1976 against the A’s in Oakland. He came into the game in the ninth, relieving starter Joe Coleman, with the Tigers clinging to a 5-3 lead. Crawford got Bill North to line out but the next batter, Joe Rudi, singled to tie the game. Crawford was lifted for rookie Mark Fidrych who gave up a single to Don Baylor and the A’s won, 6-5.
His final game came on July 27, 1978 against the Orioles. Starter Jim Slaton gave up five runs on nine hits in three innings and Crawford came in to pitch the fourth — and gave up two runs of his own on three hits. Jack Morris relieved him with four scoreless.
Crawford’s final line in Detroit: 10-19, 4.62 ERA and 3 saves.
Righty Fernando Arroyo began the 1975 season in Triple-A Evansville, and made his major-league debut on June 28, 1975 against the Orioles, and in relief of Joe Coleman. He appeared in 14 games for the ’75 Tigers, finishing with a 2-1 record and 4.56 ERA.
Evansville was his home for the 1976 season, but he came to Detroit in ’77 and, considering his workload, he appeared to be there to stay.
38 appearances
28 starts
209.1 innings pitched
8-18 record
4.17 ERA
2 complete games
But … Arroyo was back in Evansville for most of 1978, appearing in just two games (4.1 IP) for the Tigers — yet he still appeared in the 1978 Tigers Yearbook. Here’s part of his profile:
Maybe there isn’t such a thing as luck in baseball — but don’t try to tell Fernando Arroyo that.
A veteran of seven minor league seasons, the good-looking right-hander got his first real chance with the Tigers in 1977, when he became a regular starter in mid-May. At the close, Fernando had lost 18 games — but six were by one run and 12 came when the Tigers failed to score, scored once or scored twice. That is not the kind of support to enhance a pitcher’s record.
In Arroyo’s case, it meant one losing streak of six straight, and another period of one victory in 11 decisions.
On Dec. 5, 1979, the Tigers traded him to the Twins for lefty Jeff Holly. (Holly never appeared in a game for Detroit.)
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