Tigers

Big time pitching, monster bats, slick gloves, sharp minds, the 2005 AAA Tigers have it all. With great determination and a huge desire to win and be the best, the 2005 Tigers plan on dominating from the start of the season right to the end...and having fun doing it, too! Fun is the name of the game, and win or lose, the Tigers are going to have a blast this year. So root hard for the mighty Tigers, the next stop on this train is the playoffs!

The Tigers had a rough outing against the Cardinals on a cold and rainy Friday evening, as they lost 13-6. Playing with only 9 players, the Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead. However, that's about as good as it got as the Tigers played sluggish and uninspired ball the rest of the way. There were bright spots such as Sebastian Velasquez, Michael Moler, and Nicholas Liu combining for 11 walks, but overall it was a lackluster performance, which coupled with some questionable calls behind the plate, spelled doom for the Tigers. The Tigers will try to end their two game slide against the Padres on Wednesday.

The Tigers ended their two game losing streak in a big way by defeating a very tough Padres team 13-14. The Tigers scored 6 runs in the first inning, and after Erik VanWinkle displayed a strong presence once again on the mound, the Tigers were ahead 13-3 after 3 innings. Among the game's top players were Evan Park, who had a tremendous rip up the middle for a base hit, Rory D'Alleva-Keane, who continues to hit at a .524 clip, and Grant Kopps, who was a home run away from the cycle and had 3 RBI's. Dexter Taylor did a solid job behind the plate and laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit, and Michael Plaisance stepped up big by getting on base three times and even catching an inning behind the plate. Other bright spots were Michael Moler, who did a good job catching and scored a run, Daniel Walters, who got a base knock to bring his average to an even .300, Kenneth Hou, who drove in 3 runs, Sebastian Velasquez, who leads the team with 10 RBI's, and Nick Liu, who got on base twice to bring his on base percentage to an outstanding .577. The Tigers of course had to make things interesting and let the Padres get within 1 run before Rory shut down the Padres offense to preserve the 14-13 win. The Tigers will try to stay on the winning track against the Angels on Saturday.

The Tigers played well below their level in a tough 9-5 loss to a very game Diamondbacks squad. Erik VanWinkle was phenomal on the mound tossing three scoreless innings and striking out 8 of the 9 batters he faced. Four other pitchers also saw time on the hill, but they issued a combined 10 walks. The offense continued to impress by pounding out 10 hits, and Rory D'Alleva-Keane led the way with a 3 for 3 effort with 2 runs, an RBI, and a double. Faulty base running was a major factor in the loss, but there were definite bright spots sprinkled throughout the game. The Tigers will try to get back in the win column against the Cardinals on Friday.

The Tigers continued to play well as they defeated a good White Sox squad 11-5. Four pitchers combined for the win including Kenneth Hou who looked strong in his debut on the mound. The offense continues to roll as well by pounding out 11 runs and gaining a reputation as one of the leading run-scoring teams in AAA. The Tigers now set their sights on an impressive Diamondbacks squad that they will face on Saturday.