Dan Dickerson was quick to point out that Justin Verlander’s shutout on Thursday was the first by a Tigers pitcher at Fenway Park since Doyle Alexander blanked the Red Sox in 1987. (Thanks to a tip from Fungo contributor Doug Hill, we went scrambling for the details.)
The Tigers were a half-game out of first place on Sept. 23, 1987, for the finale of a three-game series against Boston.
Alexander, who blanked the Red Sox a week earlier, 3-0 at Tiger Stadium, faced off with lefty Bruce Hurst and was untouchable.
He allowed singles to the first two batters he faced, Ellis Burks and Marty Barrett, and a two-out walk to Spike Owen in the second and that was it.
Alexander got two runs in the second and one each in the fifth and sixth. Tom Brookens drove in a pair and Alan Trammell knocked home one in the win. (The fourth run was scored on an error.) The Tigers moved on to Toronto for a grueling four-game series for ages against the Blue Jays.
You’ve got to love Baseball-Reference.com; I know I sure do.
In case you were wondering, here’s how the Tigers have fared against the Mariners since Seattle joined the American League in 1977:
dailyfungo.com 