Just another dominant performance against the Tigers for rookie Mark Langston. In two starts in 1984, the lefty pitched 171/3 innings, allowed two runs on six hits and struck out 23. In this one, he tossed 81/3, scattering four hits and striking out 11.
Petry went the distance, giving up 10 hits and four earned, and he struck out 11 as well.
The Tigers’ run came on a bases-loaded walk by Marty Castillo in the fourth.
Miscellany
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Dave Phillips, 1B – Steve Palermo, 2B – Rick Reed, 3B – John Hirschbeck
Juan Berenguer dominated: 81/3 innings, three hits, 12 strikeouts.
The Tigers had just five hits and Kirk Gibson had the big one: a three-run homer in the sixth off Mariners’ starter Geisel. Marty Castillo and Lance Parrish both doubled.
“Juan Berenguer pitched the game of his career. It certainly was the best game we’ve pitched in the last two months.” — Sparky, “Bless You Boys”
Miscellany
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – John Hirschbeck, 1B – Dave Phillips, 2B – Steve Palermo, 3B – Rick Reed
Milt tossed a beaut: Eight innings, four hits, one run.
The Tigers raced out to a 5-0 lead by the third inning, fueled by homers from Kirk Gibson, a solo shot in the first, and Howard Johnson a three-run job in the second.
Lance Parrish had a pair a doubles and Gibby went three for four.
Miscellany
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Marty Springstead
Time of Game: 2:33
Attendance: 44,680
Bill Nahorodny – C #18
He didn’t play very long for his hometown Tigers, but catcher Bill Nahorodny can, at the very least, say he appeared in a game, for the home team, at Tiger Stadium. Here are a few things to know about him:
The Hamtramck native was drafted by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1972 MLB June Amateur Draft from St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron.
After several seasons with the White Sox and Braves and one each with the Phillies and Indians, he signed with the Tigers on March 1, 1983.
At Evansville, he ran roughshod over International League pitching in 1983 — 127 games, a .335 average, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and a .945 OPS — and it earned him a September call up.
Petry pitched a seven-inning gem in his hometown, allowing five hits and striking out five, surrendering only a Doug DeCinces two-run homer in the fourth.
When Brookens started the game at third, chances are he didn’t expect to finish it as part of the Tigers’ battery.
A routine Saturday evening game at Tiger Stadium, with Jack Morris pitching a typical eight and two thirds, and Willie Hernandez entering in relief of a 3-3 tie in the ninth got interesting in the top of the 11th when, given limited bench flexibility, to say the least, Sparky was forced to move Tom Brookens from third base to catcher … where he stayed for five innings.
Here’s how it happened:
In the bottom of the eighth, and the Tigers down 2-1, Alejandro Sánchez pinch hit for Bob Melvin with one out and pinch runner Dave Bergman on first — and homers! A two-run shot to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.
Then, in the top of the ninth, Marty Castillo replaced Sánchez in the lineup at catcher.
Morris allowed the tying run in the top of the ninth and the Tigers failed to score in the bottom half.
Bottom of the 10th: Johnny Grubb pinch hits for Castillo.
Bottom of the 11th: Aurelio López replaces Hernández pitching, and Brookens moves from third to catcher, and Doug Flynn replaces Grubb playing third batting ninth.
So, Brookens caught three innings for Señor Smoke and two for lefty Bill Scherrer — talk about two different type of pitchers — and was flawless. No passed balls and no errors.
The teams traded runs in 10th and 13th, and the Tigers scored in the bottom of the 15th to win it.
Alan Trammell singled and went to second on an error by Rangers left fielder (and future Tiger) Gary Ward. The next hitter, Barbaro Garbey, singled Tram home.
A great win, but the story of the game was Brookens. His 1 for 6 night is a mere footnote in what was undoubtedly one of the most memorable games of his career.
Miscellany
Umpires: HP – Ken Kaiser, 1B – Rocky Roe, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Larry Barnett.
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