April 7, 1973
My Detroit Tigers opened the 1973 MLB season on the road in Cleveland. Veterans Gaylord Perry and Mickey Lolich were on the mound for their teams. Lolich gave up a 2-run homer to Buddy Bell and a solo shot by Rusty Torres in the 2nd inning to give the Indians a quick 3-0 lead.
Cleveland added a run in the 4th inning and Detroit couldn't get anything going against Perry until the 5th. Mickey Stanley put the Tigers on the board with a 2-run home run. Detroit added an unearned run in the 6th and the score was now 4-3. In the top of the 7th inning, with 2 outs, Jim Northrup reached base on Indian 2nd baseman Jack Brohamer's 2nd error of the game. Norm Cash came up next and he smashed a 2-run bomb to put Detroit in the lead for the first time in the game 5-4.
Neither team scored in the 8th and the game went into the bottom of the 9th with Detroit still in the lead. Lolich got the first out of the inning before giving up a single to pinch hitter Walt Williams. The next batter, pinch hitter Oscar Gamble, hit what looked like a game ending double play ball. But the usually sure handed Tiger shortstop Eddie Brinkman made a rare error. So with 2 men on and 1 out, Lolich's day was over and he was relieved by John Hiller. Hiller got a slow ground ball for the 2nd out that advanced both baserunners into scoring position. Then he got another groundball out to end the game and give the Tigers a season opening game victory 5-4. Exciting way to open the season!
BOXSCORE: 1973 Detroit Tigers At 1973 Cleveland Indians 4/7/1973
Tigers AB R H RBI AVG Indians AB R H RBI AVG
D.McAuliffe 2B 4 0 0 0 .000 R.Torres RF 4 1 1 1 .250
M.Stanley CF 5 1 2 2 .400 G.Hendrick CF 4 0 0 0 .000
J.Northrup LF 5 1 1 0 .200 C.Chambliss 1B 4 0 2 0 .500
N.Cash 1B 4 2 2 2 .500 J.Ellis DH 4 0 0 0 .000
G.Brown DH 4 0 0 0 .000 C.Spikes LF 3 0 0 0 .000
A.Kaline RF 3 0 1 0 .333 D.Duncan C 4 1 1 0 .250
D.Sims C 3 0 0 0 .000 B.Bell 3B 3 2 2 2 .667
A.Rodriguez 3B 4 0 1 1 .250 J.Brohamer 2B 3 0 1 0 .333
E.Brinkman SS 3 1 2 0 .667 A-W.Williams PH 1 0 1 01.000
L.Cardenas SS 3 0 1 1 .333
B-O.Gamble PH 1 0 0 0 .000
-- -- -- --- -- -- -- ---
Totals 35 5 9 5 Totals 34 4 9 4
A-Pinch Hit For Brohamer In 9th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Cardenas In 9th Inning
Tigers.......... 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 - 5 9 2
Indians......... 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 4 9 2
Tigers (1-0) IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
M.Lolich WIN(1-0) 8 1/3 9 4 4 3 5 2 4.32
J.Hiller SAVE(1st) 0 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Totals 9 9 4 4 3 5 2
Indians (0-1) IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
G.Perry LOSS(0-1) 9 9 5 2 2 3 2 2.00
Totals 9 9 5 2 2 3 2
ATTENDANCE- 16,264 DATE- Saturday, April 7th 1973 TIME- Day WEATHER- Good
T- 2:24
LEFT ON BASE- Tigers: 7 Indians: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Tigers: 1 Indians: 2
ERRORS- A.Rodriguez, E.Brinkman, J.Brohamer-2
DOUBLES- D.Duncan(1st), J.Brohamer(1st)
HOME RUNS- M.Stanley(1st), N.Cash(1st), R.Torres(1st), B.Bell(1st)
RBIs- M.Stanley-2(2nd), N.Cash-2(2nd), A.Rodriguez(1st), R.Torres(1st),
B.Bell-2(2nd), L.Cardenas(1st)
CAUGHT STEALING- R.Torres
SACRIFICE HITS- D.McAuliffe
WALKS- A.Kaline, E.Brinkman, R.Torres, C.Spikes, B.Bell
HIT BY PITCH- D.Sims
STRIKE OUTS- D.McAuliffe, N.Cash, A.Rodriguez, R.Torres, J.Ellis-2, C.Spikes,
L.Cardenas
GIDP- A.Kaline, D.Sims, R.Torres
2-out RBI- R.Torres, M.Stanley-2, A.Rodriguez, N.Cash-2
RLISP 2-out- C.Spikes-2, J.Northrup-2, E.Brinkman, R.Torres-2
TEAM RISP- Tigers: 1 for 6 Indians: 2 for 7
Norm Cash slammed a homerun and had 2 RBI at Cleveland Stadium where the
Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians 5 to 4.
Detroit came up with 2 runs in the top of the 7th inning. The critical plate
appearance was by Cash who quieted the crowd when he bombed a two-run dinger.
Cleveland made it exciting in the 9th, but they were unable to push the
needed runs across.
The victory was credited to Mickey Lolich(1-0) who went 8 and 1/3 innings,
allowing 4 runs. John Hiller earned his 1st save. Gaylord Perry(0-1) was hit
with the loss.
Billy Martin was beaming after the game, 'Not only were we making good
contact, but a lot of balls we hit seemed to have 'eyes'! I just love winning
these tight ones! It was just our day - no doubt about it!'
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