Larry Herndon – Page 2

Aug. 21, 1984: Tigers 12 – A’s 6

W: Milt Wilcox (14-7) – L: Lary Sorensen (5-12) | Boxscore

Record: 83-44 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

Alan Trammell (3 for 4) and Darrell Evans (4 for 5 and a three-run homer) accounted for half the Tigers’ hits and Lance Parrish drove in four with a first-inning grand slam. Larry Herndon also homered.

Another hometown kid, Macomb County’s Lary Sorensen, was ambushed in two innings of work: six hits, seven runs and five walks.

Wilcox worked six innings, allowed two runs on four hits and struck out seven.

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Tim Welke, 2B – Marty Springstead, 3B – Durwood Merrill
Time of Game: 3:04
Attendance: 34,065

Birthdays

Dustin Molleken, J.D. Martinez, Dean Crow, and the late Andujar Cedeño and Gerry Staley

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 507 9/9 — Rarity: 4

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 20, 1984: Tigers 14 – A’s 1

W: Jack Morris (16-8) – L: Curt Young (6-2) | Boxscore

Record: 82-44 — 10.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

The Tigers blasted Oakland starter, Saginaw native and Central Michigan product, Young in his two innings: eight hits, six earned runs and two homers. He was replaced by Chuck Rainey who fared worse: 4^1/3 innings, 10 hits and eight runs.

All told, the Tigers amassed 20 hits. Larry Herndon, Darrell Evans and Doug Baker each had three hits, and Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson and Chet Lemon contributed two each. Lemon, Gibby and Lance Parrish had homers.

The most-notable part of this game? Former Tigers infielder Mark Wagner pitched the final inning and two-thirds, allowing just two hits, a walk and striking out one (Johnny Grubb.)

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Durwood Merrill, 1B – Dan Morrison, 2B – Tim Welke, 3B – Marty Springstead
Time of Game: 2:45
Attendance: 38,431

Birthdays

Gene Kingsale, Jose Paniagua and the late George Zuverink, Beau Bell and Ross Reynolds

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 506 8/9 — Rarity: 123

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 11, 1984: Tigers 9 – Royals 5

W: Jack Morris (15-8) – L: Charlie Leibrandt (6-5) – S: Aurelio López (12) | Boxscore

Record: 76-41 — 8 games up on Toronto

Highlights

The Cat was this close to a complete game win, but he allowed three ninth-inning runs and Sparky pulled him with two outs. Lopez came in and struck out Willie Wilson to end the game.

Larry Herndon, Kirk Gibson and Lance Parrish homered. Alan Trammell had four hits and an RBI.

Former Tiger Lynn Jones had three hits off Morris.

Miscellany

Venue: Royals Stadium
Umpires: HP – Ken Kaiser, 1B – Dale Ford, 2B – Larry Barnett, 3B – Rocky Roe
Time of Game: 2:42
Attendance: 40,501

Birthdays

Al Pedrique, and the late Bill Monbouquette and Bobo Newsom

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 497 8/9 — Rarity: 184

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 5, 1984: Swept by the Royals

Game 1: Royals 5 – Tigers 4

W: Bret Saberhagen (6-8) – LP: Willie Hernández (6-1) – S: Dan Quisenberry (29) | Boxscore

Record: 72-37 — 8 games up on Toronto

Highlights

The Royals hand Willie his first loss of the year and Saberhagen gets his second win of the series.

Birthday boy Dave Rozema started and gave up three runs on 10 hits in six innings. Hernández pitched three innings and allowed six hits and two runs.

Larry Herndon had a pair of doubles and on the Royals’ side, Jorge Orta, Dane Iorg and Onix Concepción each had three hits.

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Derryl Cousins, 1B – Richard Shulock, 2B – Bill Kunkel, 3B – Terry Cooney
Time of Game: 2:57

Game 2: Royals 4 – Tigers 0

W: Charlie Leibrandt (6-4) – L: Juan Berenguer (5-8) | Boxscore

Record: 72-38 — 8 games up on Toronto

Highlights

K.C. scored four in the first off Berenguer and made it hold up thanks to a dazzling start by Liebrandt.

Berenguer settled down to pitch a complete game, giving up eight hits, a pair of walks and striking out eight.

Alan Trammell had two hits and that was about it for the offense.

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Richard Shulock, 1B – Bill Kunkel, 2B – Terry Cooney, 3B – Derryl Cousins
Time of Game: 2:37
Attendance: 42,761

Birthdays

Dave Rozema and the late Vic Frazier and Sam Gibson

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 491: 9/9 — Rarity 23

See you tomorrow.

July 28, 1984: Red Sox 3 – Tigers 2

W: Bob Stanley (7-6) – L: Jack Morris (13-7) – S: Mark Clear (3) | Boxscore

Record: 69-32 — 12 games up on Toronto

Highlights

Lou Whitaker led off the scoring with a solo homer in the first, and Darrell Evans doubled in the second to score Larry Herndon.

Morris had one of his better starts of late, seven innings pitched, three runs, eight hits and seven strikeouts, but the Boston trio of John Henry Johnson, Bob Stanley and Mark Clear held the Tigers’s offense in check.

The Tigers had bases loaded with two out in the ninth, but Ruppert Jones grounded out.

Miscellany

Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Tim McClelland
Time of Game: 2:58
Attendance: 49,372

Birthdays

Brendon Davis the late Ted Lepcio, Ben Steiner, John Glaiser, Hank Perry and Bob Wood

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 483 — Rarity:25

See you tomorrow.

July 24, 1984: Tigers 9 – Indians 5

W: Milt Wilcox (10-6) – L: Steve Farr (1-7) | Boxscore

Record: 68-29 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

Doug Baker had a career day, going 4 for 5 with two runs scored, and Milt allowed six hits across 6^2/3 innings — plus four unearned runs.

The Tigers, who had an 8-1 lead in the seventh, had 15 hits, three by Lou Whitaker, and two apiece by Larry Herndon and Kirk Gibson.

Lou, Gibby and Dave Bergman all homered.

Detroit won their sixth straight and 11^th of their last 12.

Miscellany

Venue: Cleveland Stadium
Umpires: HP – Ted Hendry, 1B – Drew Coble, 2B – Jim Evans, 3B – Greg Kosc
Time of Game: 3:21
Attendance: 15,578

Birthdays

Jason Smith, Joe Oliver and Jeff Kaiser

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 479 9/9 — Rarity: 23

See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo: June 21

June 21, 1984: Brewers 4 – Tigers 3

W: Don Sutton (4-7) – L: Juan Berenguer (4-5) – S: Rollie Fingers (12) | Boxscore

Record: 49-18 – 6.5 up on Toronto

Highlights

The Brewers tagged Berenguer for four runs on seven hits over 5^1/3.

Sid Monge pitched 2^2/3 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:

His Tigers debut came on July 29, 1975 against the Yankees — at Shea Stadium! — pitching three innings of scoreless relief for starter Joe Coleman.

Pentz made his final appearance on Sept. 26 against the Brewers; another scoreless relieve stint.

The 1975 Tigers were awful, so don’t read too much into the fact that they were 0-13 in games that Pentz appeared.

His final line: 0-4, 3.50 ERA, 25^1/3 innings pitched.

On Dec. 6, 1975, the Tigers sent him, Terry Humphrey, Mark Lemongello and Leon Roberts to the Astros for Jim Crawford, Milt May and Dave Roberts.

Birthdays

Jefry Marté, Jeff Baker, Sean Runyan and Gene Pentz

See you tomorrow.