Tue 10/3/72: Bos 5, DET 3 (10 inn)

Detroit, MI- Rico Petrocelli hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed their furious comeback to win the AL East with a 5-3 win over the Tigers at Tiger Stadium.

The Red Sox (89-65) have clinched the division after trailing by as many as 9.5 games as recently as in mid-August.

The Tigers (87-68) have lost five straight, all at home, and eight of their past 10. The loss means the Tigers are 13-21 in their past 34 games, a stretch where the Red Sox went 22-11 to steal the divisional flag.

Carl Yastrzemski hit a solo homer in the seventh to put Boston up, 1-0. It was just the second Red Sox hit off Tigers starter Woodie Fryman.

In the eighth inning, the Tigers scored three runs, capped by a pinch-hit, solo home run by Ike Brown. They were three outs away from making the season finale the division-deciding game.

But Boston tied the game in the ninth on a pinch-hit, two-run homer by Rick Miller off Chris Zachary, whose season had been brilliant up to that point.

The Tigers had runners on second and third with one out in the ninth. After an intentional walk to Willie Horton, the bases were loaded. But Boston reliever Bill Lee coaxed two outs without a runner scoring.

In the tenth, Petrocelli connected for a two-run blast off loser Zachary following a walk to open the inning.

After Wednesday's season ending game, the Red Sox will travel to Oakland to face the A's in the ALCS.

BOS  89-65  --
DET  87-68 2.5

Mon 10/2/72: Bos 5, DET 4

Detroit, MI- Doug Griffin hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, erasing a 3-2 deficit, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers, 5-4, to edge one step closer to clinching the AL East title.

With the victory, the Red Sox need to win just one of the final two games of the series (and season) to clinch the division. Meanwhile, the Tigers have no more margin for error; they need to sweep the next two games to claim the East.

The Tigers had moved ahead. 3-2, in the seventh inning on an Eddie Brinkman squeeze bunt that plated Aurelio Rodriguez. But Griffin, not a power hitter, drilled a Mickey Lolich fastball over the wall in left center field with two men on base for a 5-3 Red Sox lead.

Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the ninth, but it was too little, too late.

BOS  88-65  --
DET  87-67  1.5

Update: Down to the Wire!

Well, just as in real life, my race between the Tigers and the Red Sox is going down to the wire. In real life, the Tigers and the Red Sox entered the final series of the season in Detroit with this scenario: whichever team won at least two of the three games would win the division.

With five games to play, my Tigers lead the Red Sox by a half game (87-64 to 86-64). The Red Sox have two games in Baltimore, and the Tigers host the Milwaukee Brewers twice. Then, it's those final three games in Detroit---Red Sox vs. Tigers!

No matter what happens in Baltimore and Detroit, the last three games at Tiger Stadium will determine the AL East winner---some how, some way.

How cool for my replay to come down to the final series, just as in real life!

Note: You'll notice that in my replay, the Red Sox are 86-64, whereas in real life they were 83-67. That's because I kept track of head-to-head play in my replay and adjusted the Red Sox record accordingly. In my replay, the Red Sox have beaten the Tigers three more times than they did in real life, up to this point.

Sun 9-24-72: Bos 3, DET 2

Boston, MA- Carlton Fisk led off the ninth inning with a solo homer, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers, 3-2 at Fenway Park.

The Tigers and Red Sox split the four-game weekend series, and Boston moved back to two games behind the Tigers for first place in the AL East.

The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning with a rally that started with two outs and nobody on base. Reggie Smith doubled home Luis Aparicio.

But the Tigers (86-62) tied the game in the ninth inning on a Jim Northrup single, which plated Willie Horton, who smacked a pinch-hit double. The Tigers then loaded the bases, but couldn't score another run.

Fisk blasted the first pitch he saw from reliever Chuck Seelbach (3-5) over the Green Monster in left for the game winner for Boston (83-63).

The Tigers' magic number to clinch the division remained at seven.

******************************************************
DET 000 100 001 2-6-0
BOS 010 000 011* 3-9-0

*One out when winning run scored.

WP: Newhauser
LP: Seelbach (3-5)
HR: Fisk (BOS)

Tigers overall: 86-62
Home: 39-31
Away: 47-31
Last 10: 6-4

Sat 9-23-72: DET 5, Bos 2

Boston, MA- The Tigers scored four runs in the sixth inning, erasing a 1-0 deficit, and went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox, 5-2, at Fenway Park.

The victory pushed the Tigers' lead in the AL East back up to three games over Boston.

Mickey Lolich (23-12) pitched his 22nd complete game, scattering nine hits, walking three and striking out four. Sonny Siebert started and took the loss for Boston.

Aurelio Rodriguez's two-run single was the key hit in Detroit's four-run sixth.

Al Kaline added a solo homer (9) in the seventh inning.

The Tigers (86-61) reduced their magic number to seven over Boston (82-63).

************************************************
DET 000 004 100 5-6-0
BOS 100 000 100 2-9-1

WP: Lolich (23-12)
LP: Siebert
HR: Kaline (DET; 9)

Tigers overall: 86-61
Home: 39-31
Away: 47-30

Fri 9-22-72: Bos 4, DET 3 (10 inn)

Boston, MA- Reggie Smith's double to deep left-center field scored Carl Yastrzemski from first base in the tenth inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers, 4-3, to square this big four-game weekend series.

The win drew the Red Sox (82-62) back to within two games of the Tigers (85-61).

The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the fourth inning, but the Red Sox scored single runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings to tie the game.

Tom Timmermann took the loss for the Tigers in relief. Bobby Bolin got the win for Boston.

********************************
Tigers overall: 85-61
Home: 39-31
Away: 46-30
Last 10: 6-4

Thu 9-21-72: DET 7, Bos 6

Boston, MA- In the first of a huge four-game series at Fenway Park with first place in the AL East on the line, the Tigers held on to beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-6, and in the process increased their lead over second place Boston to three games.

The Tigers scored four runs in the first inning and kept the Red Sox at bay, despite three Boston homers.

Carlton Fisk's two-run shot in the fourth inning made the score 4-2, but the Tigers answered with a Bill Freehan solo homer in the fifth. Luis Aparicio hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, and the score was 5-3, Detroit.

An unearned run in the eighth by Detroit made the score 6-3, but in the bottom of the frame, Carl Yastrzemski slugged a two-run homer to bring the Red Sox within one run.

The Tigers (85-60) tacked on a run in the ninth, which was a good thing, because Boston scored a run in the bottom of the ninth as well.

Joe Coleman (20-11) picked up his 20th victory, relieved by Chris Zachary after eight innings.

Ray Culp took the loss for Boston (81-62), which committed three errors.

*************************************************************
DET 400 010 011 7-7-0
BOS 000 210 021 6-6-3

WP: Coleman (20-11)
SV: Zachary (7)
LP: Culp
HR: Freehan (DET; 19); Fisk (BOS); Aparicio (BOS); Yastrzemski (BOS)

Tigers overall: 85-60
Home: 39-31
Away: 46-29
Last 10: 6-4

UPDATE

Been kinda slacking on the write-ups, but not the games! The Tigers are 82-59 after taking two of three from the Brewers in Milwaukee. After losing Saturday, the Tigers' lead in the AL East was down to one game (81-59; Boston was 79-59 after going on an 18-6 streak while the Tigers were going 9-12), But Detroit won Sunday, 9-0, and the Red Sox lost. The Tigers were off Monday, September 18 while the Red Sox lost to Baltimore. So the lead going into tonight's (Tuesday's) action is 2.5 games. The Tigers are in Cleveland for a twi-night DH tonight. 

Sun 9-10-72: NY 2, DET 0

Detroit, MI- Mel Stottlemyre pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout, and the New York Yankees beat the reeling Tigers for a second consecutive time, 2-0, at Tiger Stadium.

Mickey Lolich (21-11) pitched eight innings and both runs he gave up in the fourth inning were unearned, thanks to an Aurelio Rodriguez throwing error.

The loss, combined with Boston sweeping a doubleheader from Cleveland, means the Tigers' lead in the East Division is down to a mere two games, when it had been as much as nine games less than two weeks ago.

The Tigers have lost six of their past eight games.

Ed Brinkman had two of the Tigers' three singles. Norm Cash had the other.

******************************
NY 000 200 000 2-4-0
DET 000 000 000 0-3-1

WP: Stottlemyre
LP: Lolich (21-11)

Tigers overall: 79-56
Home: 38-29
Away: 41-27
Last 10: 3-7

Sat 9-9-72: NY 5, DET 4

Detroit, MI- The New York Yankees stunned the Tigers with three runs in the ninth inning, capped by a two-run homer by light-hitting Gene Michael, in winning 5-4 at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (79-55) scored all four of their runs, two unearned, in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead.

Michael delivered a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make the score 4-2.

In the ninth, Johnny Callison led off with a home run to make it 4-3, Detroit. One out later, Bernie Allen singled, knocking Tigers starter Joe Coleman out of the game in favor of John Hiller. But Hiller promptly surrendered Michael's opposite field homer to right field, just over the wall.

Sparky Lyle pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save. Reliever Jim Roland got the victory. Roland took over for Rob Gardner, who pitched six innings for the Yanks, who won the game despite committing five errors.

Mickey Stanley had three hits and two RBI for Detroit.

*********************************

NY 100 000 103 5-12-5

DET 000 004 000 4-9-0

WP: Roland

SV: Lyle

LP: Hiller (5-7)

HR: Callison (NY); Michael (NY)

Tigers overall: 79-55

Home: 38-28

Away: 41-27

Lat 10: 4-6

Fri 9-8-72: Bal 6, DET 2

Baltimore, MD- The Baltimore Orioles exploded for four runs in the eighth inning, snapping a 2-2 tie, and went on to beat the Tigers, 6-2, at Memorial Stadium.

The Orioles strung together five hits, a walk, a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt to cobble together four runs after the Tigers scored twice in the seventh inning to tie the game, 2-2.

Chris Zachary (6-2) took the loss in relief.

Dick McAuliffe and Aurelio Rodriguez each had two hits for Detroit (79-54), which saw its lead in the AL East shaved to 3.5 games over surging Boston.

****************************************
DET 000 000 200 2-10-1
BAL 000 002 04x 6-9-0

WP: Watt
LP: Zachary (6-2)

Tigers overall: 79-54
Home: 38-27
Away: 41-27
Last 10: 4-6

Thu 9-7-72: DET 2, Bal 1

Baltimore, MD- Fred Scherman pitched seven strong innings in a spot start, and Frank Howard hit his first home run as a Tiger as Detroit beat the Baltimore Orioles, 2-1, at Memorial Stadium.

Boog Powell hit a solo homer for the Orioles in the ninth inning off reliever Chris Zachary, but John Hiller came on to get the game's final out.

Howard's shot in the fourth inning opened the scoring. Detroit (79-53) added a run in the seventh on an RBI single from Tony Taylor.

Scherman (4-1) walked three, struck out six and scattered five hits.

**************************************
DET 000 100 100 2-8-1
BAL 000 000 001 1-7-1

WP: Scherman (4-1)
SV: Hiller (6)
HR: Howard (DET; 1); Powell (BAL)

Tigers overall: 79-53
Home: 38-27
Away: 41-26
Last 10: 5-5

Wed 9-6-72: Bal 2, DET 1

Baltimore, MD- Jim Palmer pitched a complete game, scattering eight hits, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tigers, 2-1, at Memorial Stadium.

The loss, combined with another win by the Boston Red Sox, shaved the Tigers' lead to 4.5 games in the AL East. The lead had been as high as nine games as recently as 10 days ago.

Jim Northrup had two hits for Detroit (78-53).

Mickey Lolich (21-10) took the loss for the Tigers. He pitched six innings.

Don Baylor's RBI single in the fifth inning made the score 2-0 and was the eventual game-winner. Dick McAuliffe's triple in the seventh provided the Tigers' lone run.

Palmer walked two and struck out nine.

*****************************************
DET 000 000 100 1-8-0
BAL 010 010 00x 2-5-0

WP: Palmer
LP: Lolich (21-10)

Tigers overall: 78-53
Home: 38-27
Away: 40-26
Last 10: 4-6

Tue 9-5-72: DET 6, Cle 5

Detroit,  MI- The Tigers scored six runs by the second inning and withstood a Cleveland rally the rest of the game to beat the Indians, 6-5, at Tiger Stadium.

Bill Freehan hit a three-run home run in the first inning. The Tigers (78-52) had six runs and eight hits after two innings but were shut down on four hits the rest of the way by the Indians bullpen.

Ray Fosse's two-run home run in the eighth inning made the score 6-5. The Indians got a lead-off walk in the ninth but couldn't score.

Joe Coleman pitched 7.1 innings for the win. Chris Zachary got the save.

********************************************
CLE 000 102 020 5-7-1
DET 420 000 00x 6-12-2

WP: Coleman (18-10)
SV: Zachary (9)
HR: Freehan (DET; 18); Lowenstein (CLE); Fosse (CLE)

Tigers overall: 78-52
Home: 38-27
Away: 40-25
Last 10: 5-5

Mon 9-4-72: Cle 2, DET 0

Detroit, MI- Gaylord Perry carried a perfect game into the eighth inning, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Tigers, 2-0, at Tiger Stadium.

Perry retired the first 23 Tigers batters before Willie Horton's sharp single to right field spoiled the gem with two outs in the eighth inning. Mickey Stanley followed with another single, but Perry surrendered nothing else after that.

The Indians scored both their runs in the first inning, one unearned.

Leo Foster had two hits and an RBI for Cleveland.

Woodie Fryman pitched a complete game, but took the tough loss.

*************************************************
CLE 200 000 000 2-7-0
DET 000 000 000 0-2-1

WP: Perry
LP: Fryman (2-3)

Tigers overall: 77-52
Home: 37-27
Away: 40-25
Last 10: 5-5

Sun 9-3-72: Oak 7, DET 1

Oakland, CA- Mike Epstein hit a three-run homer and the Oakland A's scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning in a 7-1 win over the Tigers at the Coliseum. The A's took two out of three games in the weekend series.

Dal Maxvill's two-run single in the sixth was the big blow as the A's took advantage of a Mickey Stanley error with two outs.

Catfish Hunter pitched a complete game for the A's. Bill Slayback started for the Tigers (77-51) and took the loss.

*********************************
DET 001 000 000 1-5-1
OAK 000 304 00x 7-7-0

WP: Hunter
LP: Slayback (4-7)
HR: Epstein (OAK)

Tigers overall: 77-51
Home: 37-26
Away: 40-25
Last 10: 6-4

Sat 9-2-72: DET 16, Oak 7

note: I fell behind with recaps so the past week's games won't have recaps. Picking it back up here, and going forward the recaps will be briefer.

Oakland, CA- Tony Taylor had four hits, including two triples, and Al Kaline had four hits and six RBI as the Tigers destroyed the Oakland A's, 16-7, at the Coliseum.

Mickey Lolich (21-9) gave up seven runs in 7.2 innings, but still got the win. Vida Blue was roughed up for nine runs in 2.1 innings for Oakland.

Kaline and Willie Horton hit home runs for the Tigers (77-50). Newly-acquired Frank Howard had two singles and two walks.

******************************************
DET 423 421 000 16-19-0
OAK 020 120 020 7-11-2

WP: Lolich (21-9)
LP: Blue
HR: Kaline (DET; 7); Horton (DET; 15); Tenace (OAK)

Tigers overall: 77-50
Home: 37-26
Away: 40-24
Last 10: 7-3

Sat 8-26-72: DET 2, Min 0

Bloomington, MN- Mickey Lolich and Chris Zachary combined for a seven-hit shutout, and the Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins, 2-0, at Metropolitan Stadium.

Lolich (20-9) earned his 20th victory for the second straight season, limiting the Twins to seven hits, striking out seven and walking none. Zachary saved the win after the Twins put runners on second and third with one out in the ninth. The rookie right-hander induced a popup from pinch-hitter Harmon Killebrew, intentionally walked pinch-hitter Jim Nettles and got pinch-hitter Charlie Manuel to fly out harmlessly.

The Tigers (73-47) stayed eight games ahead of second place Boston, as the Red Sox rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth to upend Texas.

The Tigers scored single runs in the fourth and eighth innings. In the fourth, Jim Northrup's double plated Aurelio Rodriguez, who singled. In the eighth, Norm Cash singled, scoring Northrup after the latter doubled with two outs.

Bert Blyleven took the loss for Minnesota, pitching eight innings.

*********************************************
DET 000 100 010 2-9-0
MIN 000 000 000 0-7-0

WP: Lolich (20-9)
SV: Zachary (8)
LP: Blyleven

Tigers overall: 73-47
Home: 37-26
Away: 36-21
Last 10: 6-4

Wed 8-23-72: DET 6, Oak 3

Detroit, MI- Willie Horton slammed a three-run home run in the first inning, and the Tigers went on to beat the Oakland A's, 6-3 at Tiger Stadium to win the rubber match of their three-game series.

Horton's 14th home run sparked the Tigers and helped Joe Coleman earn his 17th win. Coleman pitched seven innings (two runs, five hits, four walks, four strikeouts) before giving way to Joe Niekro.

Aurelio Rodriguez added a two-run homer in the third, and the Tigers had a 5-0 lead and never looked back. Ken Holtzman was victimized for five of the six runs.

Bill Freehan, Horton, Tony Taylor, Al Kaline and Ike Brown (three hits) all had two hits for the Tigers, who unleashed a 13-hit attack on the A's.

The A's did draw to within 5-2 in the seventh inning on an RBI single from Bert Campaneris, but the Tigers (72-47) answered with a run in their half of the seventh when Kaline doubled home Rodriguez.

*******************************************************
OAK 000 010 110 3-9-1
DET 302 000 10x  6-13-1

WP: Coleman (17-8)
LP: Holtzman
HR: Horton (DET; 14); Rodriguez (DET; 13)

Tigers overall: 72-47
Home: 37-26
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 5-5

Tue 8-22-72: DET 6, Oak 4

Detroit, MI- Mickey Stanley homered twice,  Mickey Lolich pitched his 19th complete game to get his 19th victory, and the Tigers beat the Oakland A's, 6-4 at Tiger Stadium.

Stanley's second home run, a two-run shot in the eighth, proved to be big. It gave the Tigers a 6-2 lead, and provided insurance that they would need, as the A's scored twice in the ninth on a two-run homer from Bert Campaneris.

Lolich (19-9) went all the way despite giving up four runs and nine hits, two of them home runs.

Jim Northrup added a solo homer for Detroit (71-47), which evened the three-game series.

Stanley's first home run, a solo blow in the second inning, broke a 1-1 tie and the Tigers never trailed after that.

Campaneris had three hits for Oakland. Dave Duncan hit a solo homer, his second of the series. Blue Moon Odom pitched all eight innings for the A's.

*************************************************
OAK 010 010 002 4-9-2
DET  111 001 02x 6-9-0

WP: Lolich (19-9)
LP: Odom
HR: Duncan (OAK); Campaneris (OAK); Stanley (DET; [2] 13); Northrup (DET; 10)

Tigers overall: 71-47
Home: 36-26
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 5-5

Mon 8-21-72: Oak 4, DET 2

Detroit, MI- Woodie Fryman had a no-hitter through six innings, but it all came apart in the seventh inning as the Oakland A's scored three runs on their way to a 4-2 win over the Tigers at Tiger Stadium.

Joe Rudi led off the seventh with a double, spoiling the no-hitter. Sal Bando followed with a two-run homer. One out later, Dave Duncan added a solo home run to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Oakland lead.

Norm Cash (22) hit a solo homer in the sixth to stake Fryman (1-2) to a 1-0 lead.

Mike Epstein hit a solo home run in the ninth off reliever Chuck Seelbach for a 4-1 A's advantage. The Tigers scored a run in the ninth and had the winning run at the plate with one out, but fireman Rollie Fingers retired Gates Brown and Bill Freehan to preserve the victory for Jim Hunter.

Fryman went seven innings in the loss, giving up three runs and five hits. Hunter pitched eight solid innings for Oakland, the leaders in the AL West. The Tigers (70-47) lead the AL East by 7.5 games over Boston, who was idle.

***************************************
OAK 000 000 301 4-6-1
DET  000 001 001 2-9-2

WP: Hunter
SV: Fingers
LP: Fryman (1-2)
HR: Cash (DET; 22); Bando (OAK); Duncan (OAK); Epstein (OAK)

Tigers overall: 70-47
Home: 35-26
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 4-6

Sun 8-20-72: DET 3, Cal 2

Detroit, MI- The Tigers took an early 3-0 lead and held on to beat the California Angels, 3-2, to take the weekend series at Tiger Stadium.

Chris Colletta's two-run homer in the sixth inning drew the Angels close, but John Hiller pitched two perfect innings to earn the save (4) for Bill Slayback (4-6).

Aurelio Rodriguez got the Tigers (70-46) going in the first inning with a two-run homer (12) off Angels starter Clyde Wright.

The Tigers added a run in the third when second baseman Sandy Alomar threw wildly to first base after snaring a Willie Horton smash, enabling Rodriguez to score from third base.

**************************************
CAL 000 002 000 2-7-1
DET 201 000 00x 3-6-0

WP: Slayback (4-6)
SV: Hiller (4)
LP: Wright
HR: Colletta (CAL); Rodriguez (DET; 12)

Tigers overall: 70-46
Home: 35-25
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 5-5

Sat 8-19-72: DET 6, Cal 3

Detroit, MI- Willie Horton drove in four runs with a three-run homer and a triple, and the Tigers beat the California Angels, 6-3 at Tiger Stadium.

Horton's bomb into the left field upper deck gave the Tigers (69-46) a 5-1 lead. Mickey Stanley had hit a two-run homer in the second inning to erase a 1-0 deficit.

Tom Timmermann (10-10) started and pitched a complete game four-hitter for Detroit, which broke a three-game losing streak.

Horton tripled in a run in the seventh inning, two frames after the Angels closed to within 5-3.

Ike Brown had two hits for the Tigers, and Al Kaline singled, walked three times and scored two runs.

Vada Pinson staked the Angels to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a home run into the upper deck in right field.

Angels starter Rudy May pitched six innings before giving way to Eddie Fisher.

****************************************
CAL 100 020 000 3-4-0
DET 023 000 10x 6-8-1

WP: Timmermann (10-10)
LP: May
HR: Pinson (CAL); Stanley (DET; 11); Horton (DET; 13)

Fri 8-18-72: Cal 4, DET 3

Detroit, MI- Pinch-hitter Vada Pinson's two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth inning provided the go-ahead run, and the California Angels beat the Tigers, 4-3 at Tiger Stadium.

The Angels were behind 3-2 and tied the game in the seventh on another two-out RBI single, this one from Jeff Torborg.

In the ninth, after the first two Angels were retired by reliever Joe Niekro (3-2), Leroy Stanton singled. A wild pitch moved him to second base. Pinson, batting for Billy Parker, drove a Niekro fastball into right field, scoring Stanton.

Angels starter Nolan Ryan pitched a complete game. He allowed five hits, walked two and struck out 11.

The Tigers (68-46) scored all three of their runs in the fifth inning. Two bases-loaded walks drove in a pair of runs, and a third was scored on a single by Aurelio Rodriguez.

Mickey Lolich started and went seven innings for the Tigers, who have now lost three straight games for just the second time this season.

********************************
CAL 200 000 101 4-8-0
DET 000 030 000 3-5-1

WP: Ryan
LP: Niekro (3-2)

Tigers overall: 68-46
Home: 33-25
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 5-5

Thu 8-17-72: Min 4-3, DET 3-2 (10 inn)

Detroit, MI- Harmon Killebrew hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to put the Minnesota Twins ahead to stay in Game 1, and the Tigers ended up losing both games of a twin bill, 4-3 and 3-2. The second game took 10 innings to complete.

Killebrew connected off Tigers starter Woodie Fryman (1-1) with Rod Carew on first base. Wayne Granger saved the game for winner Jim Perry in the ninth inning. The Tigers (68-45) had taken a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning on RBI singles by Ed Brinkman and Fryman.

The Tigers got the tying run to third base with one out in the ninth, but Brinkman was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a ground ball.

In Game 2, Danny Thompson's double scored Steve Braun from second base in the 10th inning to break a 2-2 tie. The victim was relief pitcher Chris Zachary (5-1), who allowed just his second run of the season. Bill Slayback started the second game for Detroit and went seven strong innings.

The Tigers had 12 hits in the nightcap but only managed an RBI double from Jim Northrup and a single by Bill Freehan to score another run.  Game 2's winning pitcher was reliever Dave LaRoche.

Carew had four hits for the Twins in Game 1.

The DH loss, combined with Boston's win in Texas, shaved the Tigers' lead in the AL East to 7.5 games.

*********************************
GAME 1
MIN 100 000 120 4-9-2
DET 000 012 000 3-7-2

WP: Perry
SV: Granger
LP: Fryman (1-1)
HR: Killebrew (MIN)

GAME 2
MIN 002 000 000 1 3-10-0
DET 100 000 100 0 2-12-0

WP: LaRoche
LP: Zachary (5-1)

Tigers overall: 68-45
Home: 33-24
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 6-4

Tue 8-15-72: DET 1, Min 0

Detroit, MI- Willie Horton's solo home run in the fourth inning was the only offense, as Joe Coleman pitched a complete game shutout in the Tigers 1-0 win over the Minnesota Twins at Tiger Stadium.

Coleman (16-8) limited Minnesota to two singles, and no hits after the third inning.

Ray Corbin was almost as good for the Twins. He went eight innings and allowed just three hits, but one of them was the homer to Horton (12) over the left field wall. Jim Northrup had the other two hits for Detroit, both singles.

Coleman walked one and struck out three. He retired 19 of the last 20 Twins hitters. The game ended with a double play, as pinch-hitter Dan Monzon (who walked), was off and running on a hit and run play, but Jim Nettles' soft fly ball was caught by Northrup, who threw to Norm Cash at first base to complete the "Twin" killing.

********************************************
MIN 000 000 000 0-2-1
DET 000 100 00x 0-3-0

WP: Coleman (16-8)
LP: Corbin
HR: Horton (DET; 12)

Tigers overall: 68-43
Home: 33-22
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 8-2

Sun 8-13-72: DET 4-1, Cle 3-7 (DH)

Detroit, MI- Norm Cash hit two home runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the 10th, and the Tigers used an unorthodox batting lineup in winning the first game of a Sunday doubleheader over the Cleveland Indians, 4-3. The Tribe bounced back by capturing the nightcap, 7-1.

Tigers manager Billy Martin, responding to Saturday's loss to Cleveland, which was the Indians' fourth win in their last six games against Detroit, decided to literally pull his batting order from a hat in Sunday's first game. The strange configuration had Cash leading off and light-hitting Ed Brinkman batting cleanup. Second baseman Tony Taylor hit fifth.

The idea must have set well with Cash, who had three hits, including home runs (21) in the sixth and 10th innings. The latter came with two outs to win the game.

The Tigers (67-43) bowed to the Indians meekly in Game 2, as lefty Tom Hilgendorf baffled Detroit on three hits in twirling a complete game. Martin used a conventional batting order in the second game.

In the opener, the Tigers fell behind 3-0 after five innings. Cash slammed a home run in the sixth off Indians starter and loser Gaylord Perry. Cash added an RBI single in the eighth to make it 3-2, and the Tigers tied the game in the ninth when Taylor's double plated Willie Horton, who had been hit by a pitch and moved to second on Brinkman's ground out.

Woodie Fryman started Game 1 and went eight innings. Chris Zachary (5-0) got the win in relief, lowering his ERA to 0.22. Tom Timmermann (9-10), who had been removed from the rotation after the Tigers acquired Fryman on August 2, started the second game but lasted just three innings, giving up six runs (three unearned). Cleveland stroked 14 hits in the second game, led by Chris Chambliss' four safeties and two RBI. Del Unser hit a two-run homer in the third inning to give the Indians a 6-0 lead.

*********************************
GAME 1
CLE 002 100 000 0 3-8-0
DET 000 001 011 1 4-5-3

WP: Zachary (5-0)
LP: Perry
HR: Cash (DET; [2] 21)

GAME 2
CLE 132 100 000 7-14-1
DET 000 010 000 1-3-1

WP: Hilgendorf
LP: Timmermann (9-10)
HR: Unser (CLE)

Tigers overall: 67-43
Home: 32-22
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 7-3

Sat 8-12-72: Cle 5, DET 0

Detroit, MI- The Cleveland Indians scored four runs in the fourth inning and it was more than enough to support starter Dick Tidrow in a 5-0 win over the Tigers at Tiger Stadium.

Catcher Gerry Moses had a two-run homer in the big inning and Buddy Bell added a two-run single.

Tidrow limited the Tigers (66-42) to five hits, all singles. He walked two and struck out five.

Tigers starter Mickey Lolich (18-9) pitched well outside of the fourth inning, surrendering just a run and three hits otherwise.

The game didn't start well for Tidrow, as he gave up a single and a hit batsman right away, but then he settled down.

**********************************
CLE 000 400 010 5-7-1
DET 000 000 000 0-5-0

WP: Tidrow
LP: Lolich (18-9)
HR: Moses (CLE)

Tigers overall: 66-42
Home: 31-21
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 6-4

Fri 8-11-72: DET 3, Cle 2

Detroit, MI- Spot starter John Hiller threw seven shutout innings, and the Tigers survived a ninth inning scare in defeating the Cleveland Indians, 3-2, at Tiger Stadium.

Hiller (5-6) was making his first start in over a month, and he was brilliant. The Indians managed just two hits off him in seven innings. Manager Billy Martin decided to lift Hiller rather than extending him too far.

Chuck Seelbach earned the save with two innings of relief, though he did give up a two-run homer to Tigers nemesis Graig Nettles in the ninth inning to make the score dicey. Frank Duffy then walked with two outs and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, but Seelbach struck out pinch-hitter Tom McCraw as the crowd roared.

The Tigers (66-41) got their sixth straight victory, built on two solo homers (Mickey Stanley and pinch-hitter Jim Northrup) and a Bill Freehan single. The Tigers scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh inning.

With Boston's loss Friday, the Tigers moved 8.5 games ahead of the second place Red Sox.

******************************************
CLE 000 000 002 2-5-0
DET 000 011 10x 3-7-0

WP: Hiller (5-6)
SV: Seelbach (5)
LP: Dunning
HR: Stanley (DET; 10); Northrup (DET; 9)

Tigers overall: 66-41
Home: 31-20
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 7-3

Thu 8-10-72: DET 4, NY 3

Bronx, NY-  Newly-acquired Duke Sims blasted a three-run homer in the ninth inning, stunning the Yankee Stadium crowd, and the Tigers beat the Yankees 4-3 to complete a four-game sweep.

The Yankees were one out away from a 2-1 victory, with nobody on base in the ninth, when Gates Brown laced a Steve Kline offering into the right field corner for a double. Yankees manager Ralph Houk elected to intentionally walk Norm Cash, even though Cash represented the go-ahead run.

That brought up Sims, who was acquired from the Dodgers less than a week ago. He drilled a Kline fastball deep into the right field seats, his second homer as a Tiger. The blast gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead as the crowd howled in stunned disapproval.

The Yankees started their half of the ninth with back-to-back doubles off reliever Fred Scherman, so manager Billy Martin summoned Joe Niekro with the Tigers clinging to a 4-3 lead. Niekro set down the next three Yankees hitters in order to preserve the improbable win.

The Tigers (65-41) won their fifth straight game and increased their lead in the AL East to 7.5 games over idle Boston.

Scherman (3-1) got the win in relief of starter Joe Coleman, who went seven innings. Niekro picked up his first save of the year. Kline went all the way for New York in suffering the loss.

The Yankees went ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning, when Celerino Sanchez singled home Johnny Callison.

Cash got the Tigers on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a solo homer (19). Sims singled after that, but from that point until the ninth, Kline kept the Tigers hitless.

************************
DET 000 100 003 4-8-2
NY  001 100 001 3-10-0

WP: Scherman (3-1)
SV: Niekro (1)
LP: Kline
HR: Cash (DET; 19); Sims (DET; 2)

Tigers overall: 65-41
Home: 30-20
Away: 35-21
Last 10: 7-3

Wed 8-9-72: DET 6-8, NY 4-6 (DH)

Bronx, NY- The Tigers battled back from a 5-0 deficit, outlasting the New York Yankees, 8-6 in 13 innings in the nightcap of a doubleheader, gaining a sweep of the twinbill at Yankee Stadium. Detroit won Game 1, 6-4.

The home run-happy Tigers (64-41) slugged five round trippers in the two games, running their winning streak to four games.

In Game 1, Dick McAuliffe (8) and Aurelio Rodriguez (11) hit back-to-back solo homers in the seventh inning to broaden the Tigers' lead to 6-2. The Yankees rallied in the ninth inning on a two-run homer off the bat of Horace Clarke to account for the final score.

Woodie Fryman (1-0) got the win in the first game, in his first start as a Tiger since being claimed off waivers from Philadelphia last week. Fryman won despite issuing seven walks in 8.1 innings. Chris Zachary (7) got the save. Catcher Duke Sims, acquired from the Dodgers two days after the Tigers picked up Fryman, started the scoring with his first home run as a Tiger, a two-run shot in the second inning.

In Game 2, the Yankees scored five runs in the third inning off starter Tom Timmermann, but the Tigers chipped away, finally tying the game, 6-6, in the eighth inning. They won it in the 13th on a pair of bases-loaded walks, both issued by Jim Roland to the only two Tigers batters he faced.

Red-hot Willie Horton slugged a two-run homer (11) in the fourth inning of the second game to start the Tigers' rally. In the 13th with one out, Jim Northrup and Bill Freehan singled. Horton walked, which brought Roland in the game to relieve Ron Klimkowski. But the lefty walked both batters he faced, forcing in two runs. John Hiller (4-6) pitched four innings of shutout relief to earn the victory.

*******************************************
GAME 1
DET 020 002 200 6-14-0
NY  000 200 002 4-7-0

WP: Fryman (1-0)
SV: Zachary (7)
LP: Stottlemyre
HR: Sims (DET; 1); McAuliffe (DET; 8); Rodriguez (DET; 11); Clarke (NY)

GAME 2
DET 000 201 210 000 2 8-16-3
NY  005 001 000 000 0 6-12-2

WP: Hiller (4-6)
LP: Klimkowski
HR: Horton (DET; 11); Freehan (DET; 17)

Tigers overall: 64-41
Home: 30-20
Away: 34-21

Tue 8-8-72: DET 5, NY 2

Bronx, NY- The Tigers scored three runs in the seventh inning, breaking a 2-2 tie, and Detroit went on to beat the New York Yankees, 5-2 at Yankee Stadium in a rare Tuesday matinee.

Willie Horton's two-run double was the key hit in the seventh, and the Tigers were aided by a Yankees error. The Yankees scored two runs in the first inning but were shut down the rest of the way by Mickey Lolich (18-8), who tossed his 18th complete game.

Tony Taylor had four hits for the first place Tigers (62-41).

Lolich scattered five hits, striking out six and walking two.

Horton also had a solo home run (10) and has nine hits in his last 14 at-bats.

Fritz Peterson took the loss for New York as the Tigers ripped him for 11 hits in 6.2 innings.

******************************************
DET 011 000 300 5-11-0
NY  200 000 000 2-5-1

WP: Lolich (18-8)
LP: Peterson
HR: Horton (DET; 10)

Tigers overall: 62-41
Home: 30-20
Away: 32-21
Last 10: 5-5

Sun 8-6-72: DET 5-10, Cle 7-1 (DH)

Cleveland, OH- Willie Horton went 5-for-5, including a three-run homer, and the Tigers trounced the Cleveland Indians 10-1 to salvage a split of  a Sunday doubleheader and avoid a four-game weekend sweep.

In Game 1, Del Unser's second inning grand slam powered Cleveland to a 7-5 win.

Joe Niekro (3-1) picked up the win in the nightcap with eight strong innings (five hits, one run, two walks, two strikeouts). Joe Coleman (15-8) took the loss in the first game.

The Tigers (61-41) put on their hitting shoes in the second game, roughing up three Indians pitchers for 10 runs and 15 hits. Aurelio Rodriguez (two-run shot), Jim Northrup (solo) and Mickey Stanley (two-run) joined Horton in the home run parade.

The victim in Game 2 was former Tiger Mike Kilkenny, who lasted five turbulent innings.

In Game 1, Unser blasted the Tribe to a 4-0 lead with his grand slam and the Indians kept the Tigers at arm's reach the rest of the game. Norm Cash and Tom Haller (pinch-hit) each slammed two-run homers for Detroit in a losing cause. The Tigers scored a run and put two runners on base in the ninth inning, but Phil Hennigan came on and retired Ed Brinkman and Dick McAuliffe to save the win for Steve Dunning, who himself hit a solo home run.

The Tigers picked up half a game on Boston, who lost on Sunday. The Tigers lead the Red Sox by six games in the AL East.

********************************************
GAME 1
DET 000 200 201 5-10-1
CLE 040 120 00x 7-7-0

WP: Dunning
SV: Hennigan
LP: Coleman (15-8)
HR: Unser (CLE); Dunning (CLE); Cash (DET; 18); Haller (DET; 3)

GAME 2
DET 020 224 000 10-15-1
CLE 001 000 000 1-6-1

WP: Niekro (3-1)
LP: Kilkenny
HR: Horton (DET; 9); Rodriguez (DET; 10); Northrup (DET; 8); Stanley (DET; 9)

Tigers overall: 61-41
Home: 30-20
Away: 31-21
Last 10: 4-6

Sat 8-5-72: Cle 4, DET 1

Cleveland, OH- Graig Nettles hit an eventual game-winning home run for the second straight night, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Tigers, 4-1 at Municipal Stadium.

Nettles, who hit a solo home run Friday night for that game's only run, drilled a three-run shot over the right field wall in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie.

The homer made a loser out of Tigers starter Bill Slayback (3-6).

The loss, combined with Boston's win over Baltimore, shaved the Tigers' (60-40) lead in the AL East to 5.5 games, the smallest in over two weeks.

The Tribe's winner was Gaylord Perry, who hurled a seven-hit complete game.

Detroit's only run came on a Norm Cash homer (17) in the second inning.

The Tigers' new catcher, Duke Sims, made his Tigers debut in the same city where he started his big league career. Sims, claimed off waivers from the Dodgers Friday, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

************************************
DET 010 000 000 1-7-1
CLE 103 000 00x 4-7-0

WP: Perry
LP: Slayback (3-6)
HR: Cash (DET; 17); Nettles (CLE)

Tigers overall: 60-40
Home: 30-20
Away: 30-20
Last 10: 5-5

Fri 8-4-72: Cle 1, DET 0

Cleveland, OH- Dick Tidrow outdueled Mickey Lolich through eight innings and the Cleveland Indians beat the Tigers, 1-0, at Municipal Stadium.

Tidrow gave up four hits, walked one and struck out five through eight frames. Lolich (17-8) only gave up three hits, but one of them was a solo homer to Graig Nettles in the fifth inning.

The loss, combined with the Boston Red Sox 2-0 victory over Baltimore, sliced the Tigers' lead to 6.5 games in the AL East.

Bill Freehan had two hits in a losing cause for the Tigers (60-39).

The Indians got a leadoff triple from Jack Brohamer in the seventh inning but couldn't score.

Denny Riddleberger pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save for the Tribe. The Tigers got the tying run to second base in the ninth, but Riddleberger set down pinch-hitter Tony Taylor and Jim Northrup to end the game.

**********************************
DET 000 000 000 0-5-0
CLE 000 010 00x 1-3-1

WP: Tidrow
LP: Lolich (17-8)
HR: Nettles (CLE)

Tigers overall: 60-39
Home: 30-20
Away: 30-19
Last 10: 6-4

Thu 8-3-72: DET 5, Mil 1

Detroit, MI- Fred Holdsworth pitched seven shutout innings in his second career big league start, new Tiger Woodie Fryman followed with two effective frames, and Detroit beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 Thursday night.

The Tigers (60-38) took two of three with yet more outstanding pitching, limiting the Brewers to six hits one night after giving up just three.

And the power returned as the Tigers slammed four home runs, one night after hitting five round trippers.

Dick McAuliffe (7) hit yet another homer, his seventh in 15 games, to start the first inning for Detroit. Norm Cash (16), Bill Freehan (16) and Mickey Stanley (8) all hit solo homers as well. McAuliffe picked up a second RBI with a seventh inning single. Cash and Stanley both connected in the fourth inning to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

Holdsworth (2-0) has fit right in with the Tigers' excellent pitching staff. He has given up two runs in 14 innings in his two starts. On Thursday, Holdsworth walked four, struck out one, and gave up three hits.

Fryman, a veteran lefty claimed on waivers from the Phillies on Wednesday, pitched two sometimes rocky innings, yielding a run, three hits and a walk.

The Tigers maintain a 7.5-game lead over the second place Boston Red Sox.

Brewers starter Jim Colborn took the loss, giving up three of the four home runs.

****************************************
MIL 000 000 010 1-6-0
DET 100 200 11x 5-8-1

WP: Holdsworth (2-0)
LP: Colborn
HR: McAuliffe (DET; 7); Cash (DET; 16); Freehan (DET; 16); Stanley (DET; 8)

Tigers overall: 60-38
Home: 30-20
Away: 30-18
Last 10: 7-3

Wed 8-2-72: DET 7, Mil 1

Detroit, MI- The Tigers slammed five home runs off starter Jim Lonborg, and went on to a 7-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Tiger Stadium.

Dick McAuliffe hit two homers (6) and was joined by Mickey Stanley (two-run shot); Aurelio Rodriguez (solo); and Jim Northrup (solo).

It was all more than enough to support Tigers starter Joe Coleman (15-7), who pitched his 13th complete game, surrendering just three hits.

The Tigers (59-38) snapped a two-game losing streak.

Coleman retired the first 13 Brewers, and by the time Milwaukee got a base runner, the Tigers led 3-0 and were never seriously threatened.

McAuliffe had no home runs less than three weeks ago, but now has six in his past 13 games.

After the game, the Tigers announced they had claimed lefty Woodie Fryman off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies. Fryman, mainly a starter, posted a 4-10 record with a 4.46 ERA in 23 games (119.2 IP) for the Phillies.

Wayne Comer was sent to Toledo to make room on the roster for the 32 year-old Fryman.

*******************************
MIL 000 000 010 1-3-1
DET 020 110 30x 7-11-0

WP: Coleman (15-7)
LP: Lonborg
HR: Stanley (DET; 7); Northrup (DET; 7); McAuliffe (DET; [2] 6); Rodriguez (DET; 9)

Tigers overall: 59-38
Home: 29-20
Away: 30-18
Last 10: 6-4

Tue 8-1-72: Mil 7, DET 2

Detroit, MI- Bill Slayback needed seven batters to get the third out in the fourth inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers took advantage by scoring a 7-2 win over the Tigers.

Slayback (3-5) cruised through the first 11 batters, setting them down in order. But with two outs and nobody on in the fourth, the tall right-hander fell apart. He allowed, in order, two singles, three walks and another single, and by the time the dust settled, the Brewers had scored four runs.

Reliever John Hiller suffered through a second consecutive rocky outing, giving up three runs in the eighth inning. The Tigers (58-38) had crept to within 4-2 on Gates Brown's two-run homer in the sixth inning.

The Brewers enjoyed some payback after the Tigers swept them in Milwaukee in four games in the first series after the All-Star break.

The Brewers' 6-9 hitters, including starting pitcher and winner Skip Lockwood, combined for the seven team RBI.

The Tigers managed just four hits off Lockwood, who pitched a complete game.

***************************************************
MIL 000 400 030 7-9-0
DET 000 002 000 2-4-0

WP: Lockwood
LP: Slayback (3-5)
HR: G. Brown (DET; 7)

Tigers overall: 58-38
Home: 28-20
Away: 30-18
Last 10: 6-4

Mon 7-31-72: Bos 7, DET 5

Detroit, MI- Carl Yastrzemski had four RBI, including a three-run homer, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers 7-5 to take two of three at Tiger Stadium.

The series win moved the Red Sox to within seven games of the first place Tigers (58-37).

Yastrzemski connected on his homer in the fourth inning off Mickey Lolich (17-7), who muddled through a second consecutive rough start. Lolich went 5.2 innings, giving up 11 hits and seven runs.

Yastrzemski's home run gave the Red Sox a 5-2 lead and they held off the Tigers from there. Lolich gave up three homers in all. Carlton Fisk and Danny Cater hit back-to-back solo homers in the second inning.

Detroit went ahead 2-0 in the first inning on an RBI single from Gates Brown and a run-scoring double by Jim Northrup.

Marty Pattin went seven innings to earn the victory for Boston.

Bill Freehan's 15th home run, a solo shot in the sixth inning, got the Tigers to within 7-4 after the Red Sox had scored twice in their half of the inning. Detroit scored a run in the ninth off reliever Bill Lee, but Don Newhauser came in and got the final out of the game, albeit with the bases loaded, thanks to two Newhauser walks.

***************************
BOS 020 302 000 7-12-2
DET 200 101 001 5-11-0

WP: Pattin
LP: Lolich (17-7)
HR: Fisk (BOS); Cater (BOS); Yastrzemski (BOS); Freehan (DET; 15)

Tigers overall: 58-37
Home: 28-19
Away: 30-18
Last 10: 7-3

Sun 7-30-72: DET 1-3, Bos 7-0 (DH)

Detroit, MI- Joe Niekro, making a rare start, threw 7.2 innings of shutout baseball, leading the Tigers to a 3-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader, earning Detroit a split with the Boston Red Sox.

In Game 1, the Red Sox used a six-run eighth inning to win, 7-1.

Niekro (2-1) even chipped in with a single and a run scored. Chris Zachary finished the game to earn his sixth save. Jim Northrup and Aurelio Rodriguez each had an RBI single in a two-run third inning.

Chuck Seelbach started Game 1 and pitched six innings, allowing just four hits and one run, a home run by Carl Yastrzemski. John Hiller (3-6) was roughed up in the eighth inning, giving up four hits and six runs (three unearned). The big blow was a three-run homer off the bat of Reggie Smith. The Tigers chipped in with two errors.

The split of the twin bill kept the second place Red Sox eight games behind the first place Tigers (58-36).

*******************************
GAME 1
BOS 000 100 060 7-9-3
DET 000 000 100 1-9-3

WP: McGlothen
LP: Hiller (3-6)
HR: Yastrzemski (BOS); Smith (BOS)

GAME 2
BOS 000 000 000 0-5-3
DET 012 000 00x 3-10-0

WP: Niekro (2-1)
SV: Zachary (6)
LP: Tiant

Tigers overall: 58-36
Home: 28-18
Away: 30-18
Last 10: 9-1

Sat 7-29-72: DET 9, Mil 3

Milwaukee, WI- The Tigers scored in six separate innings and completed a four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 9-3 win at County Stadium.

Bill Freehan went 4-for-4, scored three runs and had three RBI. He also slammed his 14th home run of the season.

The Tigers (57-35) banged out 14 hits off three Brewers pitchers in winning their ninth game of their past 10, and 24th of their past 35.

The score was tied 1-1 before the Tigers started piling on. They scored once in the third inning, twice in the fourth and added another run in the fifth inning for a commanding 5-1 lead. A three-run seventh made the score 8-1.

Bill Slayback (3-4) went seven innings for the victory, giving up just three hits. Tom Timmermann, making his first relief appearance of the season, pitched two scoreless, hitless innings.

Brewers starter Jim Colborn took most of the abuse, surrendering eight runs (seven earned) and 13 hits in 6.1 innings of work.

The Tigers obviously have not been cooled off by the All-Star break, as they moved to 4-0 after the 3-day hiatus. They stretched their lead in the AL East to eight games over the Boston Red Sox, who invade Detroit for a three-game series that starts with a Sunday doubleheader.

*************************************
DET 101 210 310 9-14-1
MIL 010 000 200 3-3-2

WP: Slayback (3-4)
LP: Colborn
HR: Freehan (DET; 14); LaHoud (MIL)

Tigers overall: 57-35
Home: 27-17
Away: 30-18
Last 10: 9-1

Fri 7-28-72: DET 7, Mil 2

Milwaukee, WI- Joe Coleman won his 14th game, pitching 8.2 innings of 3-hit ball, and the Tigers won for the 14th time in 17 games with a 7-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium.

Coleman (14-7) was lifted in the ninth inning, despite having a 7-0 lead, when he walked three Brewers in the inning, loading the bases. John Hiller entered the game, surrendered a bloop single to pinch-hitter Billy Conigliaro which scored two runs, but then retired Rick Auerbach to end the game.

The Tigers (56-35) hit three home runs off Milwaukee starter Jim Lonborg. Willie Horton (8) and Mickey Stanley (6) connected back-to-back in the second inning for a 2-0 lead. Norm Cash (15) added another solo shot in the seventh inning.

Ed Brinkman's bases loaded double cleared the bases and highlighted a four-run ninth inning for Detroit.

Dick McAuliffe had two hits to continue his hot streak, which has lifted his average to a season-high .261.

**************************
DET 020 000 104 7-10-1
MIL 000 000 002 2-4-0

WP: Coleman (14-7)
LP: Lonborg
HR: Horton (DET; 8); Stanley (DET; 6); Cash (DET; 15)

Tigers overall: 56-35
Home: 27-17
Away: 29-18
Last 10: 9-1

Thu 7-27-72: DET 6-3, Mil 4-2 (DH)

Milwaukee, WI- Catcher John Felske's error allowed the eventual game-winning run to score in the seventh inning, giving the Tigers a doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers by scores of 6-4 and 3-2 at County Stadium.

Felske dropped the baseball trying to apply a tag on Tony Taylor, who got caught in a rundown off third base. The blunder gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead in the nightcap that they never relinquished. They rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the seventh inning. Taylor drove in Ed Brinkman with the tying run with a triple. Aurelio Rodriguez hit a ground ball to second baseman Bob Heise, and Taylor got trapped off third base. In the ensuing rundown, Felske dropped the baseball as he swung around trying to tag Taylor.

In Game 1, Mickey Lolich survived a rough outing and the Tigers used a three-run first inning to set the pace in a 6-4 win.

Willie Horton (7, three-run), Rodriguez (8, solo) and Dick McAuliffe (4, two-run) homered for Detroit in the first game, accounting for all six runs. All the homers came off Brewers starter Bill Parsons. Lolich (17-6) won despite giving up four runs and nine hits in seven innings.

In Game 2, rookie right-hander Fred Holdsworth (1-0) made his big league debut on the mound for the Tigers and went six innings, giving up seven hits and two runs. Willie Horton was 3-for-3 and scored a run in the nightcap.

Chris Zachary (5) saved both games.

The Tigers (55-35) are 22-11 in their last 33 games and maintained their firm hold on first place.

The Tigers debuted their new road uniforms. Gone are the grey flannels with the block "DETROIT" on the front. In their place are new double-knit uniforms. The base color is still grey, but the sleeves, sides of the pants and the socks all feature orange, white and blue piping/stripes. The word "DETROIT" is in a serif-style font and is blue outlined in orange. The caps have a thicker Old English D that is orange outlined in white.


Jim Northrup models the new road uniforms in spring training. The Tigers debuted them in Milwaukee Thursday night.

*******************************
Game 1
DET 301 200 000 6-10-0
MIL 021 000 100 4-11-2

WP: Lolich (17-6)
SV: Zachary (4)
LP: Parsons
HR: Horton (DET; 7); Rodriguez (DET; 8); McAuliffe (DET; 4); Scott (MIL)

Game 2
DET 010 000 200 3-11-1
MIL 001 001 000 2-7-1

WP: Holdsworth (1-0)
SV: Zachary (5)
LP: Ryerson

Tigers overall: 55-35
Home: 27-17
Away: 28-18
Last 10: 8-2

Sun 7-23-72: Tex 4, DET 3 (10 inn)

Arlington, TX- Pinch-hitter Lenny Randle smashed a single past Aurelio Rodriguez at third base with the bases loaded, and the Texas Rangers beat the Tigers, 4-3 in 10 innings at Arlington Stadium.

The hit, with two outs, enabled the Rangers to beat the Tigers for just the second time in 12 games this season.

Victimized was Tigers reliever John Hiller (3-5), who loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk in the 10th inning. Hiller then struck out Elliott Maddox and it looked like he might wriggle off the hook. But Randle laced a curve ball through Rodriguez's legs and Dick Billings jogged home with the winning run. The play was ruled a hit, as not even the slick fielding Rodriguez could handle the smash.

Dick McAuliffe (3) hit two solo homers and scored all three runs for the Tigers (53-35), who will head into the All-Star break in first place for the first time since 1968, despite seeing their six-game winning streak halted. McAuliffe added a single to complete a three-hit night.

The Rangers jumped on Tigers starter Tom Timmermann with three runs in the first inning as the first four batters got base hits. The big blow was Dick Billings' two-run single.

The Tigers tied the game, 3-3, in the eighth inning when Jim Northrup doubled home McAuliffe, who singled and was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez.

Casey Cox picked up the win in relief by tossing a perfect 10th inning. Rich Hand started and went nine innings to register a complete game that wasn't yet complete.

The All-Star break comes at a good time for both teams, who battled each other for 28 innings over the past two nights. The Tigers survived an 18-inning affair, 5-4, on Saturday.

*****************************************
DET 101 000 010 0 3-7-0
TEX 300 000 000 1 4-12-1

WP: Cox
LP: Hiller (3-5)
HR: McAuliffe (DET [2]; 3)

Tigers overall: 53-35
Home: 27-17
Away: 26-18
Last 10: 7-3

Sat 7-22-72: DET 5, Tex 4 (18 inn)

Arlington, TX- Willie Horton blasted a home run to lead off the 18th inning---his only hit in eight at-bats, and the Tigers came from behind to beat the Texas Rangers, 5-4, at Arlington Stadium.

It was the Tigers' 10th win in 11 tries against the Rangers.

The Tigers (53-34) trailed, 4-1, going into the ninth inning. With one out, Tony Taylor doubled. Horton flied out to center and the Rangers looked like they were going to break the Tigers' five-game winning streak. But Mickey Stanley singled, scoring Taylor. Ed Brinkman doubled, sending Stanley to third base.

Texas manager Ted Williams summoned right-handed reliever Horacio Pina to take over for lefty Paul Lindblad, but Pina surrendered a game-tying two-run single by pinch-hitter Tom Haller as the sparse crowd groaned.

The game remained tied, 4-4, for eight innings before Horton delivered against lefty Mike Paul.

Both Paul and Tigers winner Chris Zachary (4-0) pitched five innings of relief and batted for themselves twice each as both teams ran out of relievers and position players.

Taylor ended up making a rare appearance at first base, and played 10 innings there.

The Tigers continue to play without Al Kaline, who is still nursing a sore shoulder.

The Tigers, with the improbable victory, have won six straight and 11 of 13.

The Rangers scored three runs in the first inning off Joe Coleman, who went six innings in a rare mediocre performance, ending his personal six-game winning streak.

*******************************
DET 000 100 003 000 000 001 5-14-3
TEX 300 001 000 000 000 000 4-14-1

WP: Zachary (4-0)
LP: Paul
HR: Horton (DET; 6)

Tigers overall: 53-34
Home: 27-17
Away: 26-17
Last 10: 8-2

Fri 7-21-72: DET 5, Tex 0

Arlington, TX- Mickey Lolich fired a five-hit shutout and the Tigers used a four-run fourth inning to easily defeat the Texas Rangers, 5-0, at Arlington Stadium.

The first four Tigers hitters reached base in the fourth inning, including Norm Cash, who walked to force in the first run. Two strikeouts later, Ed Brinkman singled and the ensuing error by third baseman Dave Nelson allowed two more runs to score. A wild pitch by Rangers starter Pete Broberg scored the fourth run of the inning.

The Tigers (52-34) have won five straight and 10 of their past 12 games. Lolich (16-6) lowered his ERA to 2.49 with his 17th complete game. He walked one and struck out nine.

Willie Horton had three singles for Detroit.

*******************************
DET 000 410 000 5-7-1
TEX 000 000 000 0-5-1

WP: Lolich (16-6)
LP: Broberg

Tigers overall: 52-34
Home: 27-17
Away: 25-17
Last 10: 8-2

Thu 7-20-72: DET 3, Tex 1

Arlington, TX- The Tigers scored all three of their runs in the second inning, and despite getting no hits afterward, beat the woeful Texas Rangers, 3-1 at Arlington Stadium.

Bill Slayback (2-4) pitched 8.2 innings before Chris Zachary came on to put out a ninth inning fire to earn his fourth save and second in two nights. Slayback also had two RBI.

The Rangers scored their only run in the ninth and put runners on second and third with two outs. Tigers manager Billy Martin summoned Zachary, who struck out Lenny Randle to end the game.

In the second inning, Bill Freehan launched his 13th home run (solo) to start the scoring. A walk, a single and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with two outs. Slayback then delivered a two-out single to make the score 3-0. It was just the 18th hit by Tigers pitchers this season.

The Tigers (51-34) won their fourth straight game and are a season high 17 games over .500 and have won 12 of their last 17 contests.

Frank Howard and Joe Lovitto each had two hits for Texas.

*************************************
DET 030 000 000 3-4-1
TEX 000 000 001 1-6-0

WP: Slayback (2-4)
SV: Zachary (4)
LP: Stanhouse
HR: Freehan (DET; 13)

Tigers overall: 51-34
Home: 27-17
Away: 24-17
Last 10: 8-2

Wed 7-19-72: DET 4, Chi 1

Detroit, MI- Tom Timmermann allowed a first inning solo home run and nothing else in eight innings, and the Tigers finished a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 4-1 victory at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (50-34) went a season-high 16 games over .500 by victimizing Chicago starter Wilbur Wood for four runs and seven hits in six innings of work.

Ike Brown (.385) continued his torrid hitting in spot duty with two singles, a run and an RBI. Tony Taylor had two hits and scored twice.

Dick Allen nicked Timmermann for an opposite field homer to right field in the opening frame. The next two batters walked and singled, but Timmermann (9-9) settled down and scattered four hits the rest of the way before giving way to Chris Zachary for the ninth inning. Zachary pitched a perfect inning to get his third save, lowering his ERA to 0.32.

The Tigers scored in their half of the first when Brown singled home Taylor. Detroit added a run in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth---on a Bill Freehan sacrifice fly and a Willie Horton single.

Detroit has won eight of its last 10 games, all at home. The Tigers go back on the road for a four-game weekend series with the Texas Rangers preceding the All-Star break.

****************************
CHI 100 000 000 1-7-2
DET 100 120 00x 4-7-0

WP: Timmermann (9-9)
SV: Zachary (3)
LP: Wood

Tigers overall: 50-34
Home: 27-17
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 8-2

Tue 7-18-72: DET 1, Chi 0

Detroit, MI- Joe Coleman's amazing streak of lights out pitching continued as he won his sixth straight start with a 1-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Tiger Stadium.

Coleman (13-7) scattered four hits as only two base runners reached second base or beyond. In the seventh inning, the White Sox put runners on first and third with two outs, but Coleman struck out Luis Alvarado to end the threat. Ed Herrmann doubled in the fifth inning.

Bill Freehan's solo home run (13) in the second inning accounted for the game's only run.

Coleman walked four and struck out nine, lowering his ERA to 2.50. His winning streak started with a no-hitter and he's been brilliant since then.

The Tigers (49-34) improved to 4-7 against Chicago this year, and maintained their solid hold on first place in the AL East.

Stan Bahnsen started for Chicago and took the loss, despite allowing just five hits and no walks in seven innings of work.

*****************************************
CHI 000 000 000 0-4-1
DET 010 000 00x 1-5-0

WP: Coleman (13-7)
LP: Bahnsen
HR: Freehan (DET; 13)

Tigers overall: 49-34
Home: 26-17
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 7-3

Mon 7-17-72: DET 6, Chi 4

Detroit, MI- Gates Brown cracked a two-run, pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the first place Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-4, at Tiger Stadium.

Brown connected with one out off reliever Cy Acosta, giving the Tigers (48-34) just their third victory over the Chisox in ten games this season.

Mickey Stanley led off the Tigers ninth with a single. After Ed Brinkman struck out by bunting foul on a third strike, Brown was inserted to hit for pitcher and winner Mickey Lolich (15-6). Brown clobbered an Acosta fastball into the second row of the lower deck in left field, triggering a celebration by the 41,000-plus in attendance.

The Tigers were down 4-1 in the sixth, but used two home runs in the frame to tie the game. Norm Cash (13) hit a solo shot, and Stanley delivered a two-run blow three batters later (5) to tie the score, 4-4.

The White Sox built their lead on the strength of a wild pitch in the second inning and a three-run home run by Dick Allen in the third.

Tom Haller (2) also hit a solo homer for Detroit.

Tom Bradley started for Chicago and pitched eight innings. Acosta took the loss.

*******************************************
CHI 013 000 000 4-9-1
DET 010 003 002 6-8-0

WP: Lolich (15-6)
LP: Acosta
HR: Allen (CHI); Haller (DET; 2); Cash (DET; 13); Stanley (DET; 5)

Tigers overall: 48-34
Home: 25-17
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 7-3

Sun 7-16-72: KC 2, DET 0

Detroit, MI- Roger Nelson once again vexed the Tigers with his pitching, and the Kansas City Royals managed a split of their four-game series with a 2-0 win at Tiger Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Nelson pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout, just 12 days after stymieing the Tigers in Kansas City on July 4.

The Tigers (47-34) took the first two games of the series, but the Royals bounced back to win Saturday and Sunday.

Nelson took a one-hitter into the ninth. Ed Brinkman led off the frame with a single, and with two outs, Aurelio Rodriguez singled Brinkman to second base. Royals manager Bob Lemon elected to leave Nelson in, despite the winning run coming to the plate in the form of Jim Northrup. Nelson responded by striking out Northrup to end the game.

Nelson walked none and struck out six Tigers. Only one base runner reached second base, and that was in the ninth inning. At one point, Nelson retired 16 straight hitters.

Bill Slayback (1-4) took the loss for Detroit, despite pitching 6.2 strong innings.

Prior to the ninth inning, the only hit Nelson allowed was a third inning single by Slayback, ironically.

The Royals scored single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, both on wild pitches by Slayback.

***********************************
KC 000 010 100 2-7-0
DET 000 000 000 0-3-1

WP: Nelson
LP: Slayback (1-4)

Tigers overall: 47-34
Home: 24-17
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 6-4

Sat 7-15-72: KC 3, DET 2

Detroit, MI- Dick Drago pitched eight strong innings, inducing a huge double play in the process, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers, 3-2 at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (47-33) saw their five-game winning streak snapped.

Drago was in big trouble in the eighth inning, with the Tigers putting runners on first and third with one out and the Royals clinging to a 3-2 lead. But despite the infield playing halfway in, Bill Freehan managed to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the frame.

Tom Burgmeier and Al Fitzmorris pitched the ninth, with the latter registering the save. The Tigers got a leadoff single in the ninth from pinch-hitter Ike Brown, but Fitzmorris relieved Burgmeier and set down the next three Tigers hitters in order.

Freehan's 12th home run of the year in the first inning, a two-run shot, staked the Tigers to an early 2-0 lead.

The Royals answered with an unearned run in the second off Tigers starter and loser Tom Timmermann (8-9), and added two more runs in the third inning on an RBI single from Lou Piniella and a run-scoring double from Detroit native John Mayberry.

Drago took over from there, pitching through the eighth inning while allowing just two more hits.

*******************************************
KC 012 000 000 3-8-0
DET 200 000 000 2-9-1

WP: Drago
SV: Fitzmorris
LP: Timmermann (8-9)
HR: Freehan (DET; 12)

Tigers overall: 47-33
Home: 24-16
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 6-4

Fri 7-14-12: DET 4, KC 0

Detroit, MI- Joe Coleman won his fifth straight decision, pitching yet another masterpiece, and the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-0, at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (47-32) as a team also won their fifth straight game.

Coleman's streak started with a no-hitter on June 28 and has continued unabated. In this game, Coleman (12-7) pitched his 11th complete game, surrendering just four hits and one walk. He struck out six Royals hitters.

The Tigers smashed three solo home runs (Tom Haller, Dick McAuliffe and Ed Brinkman) off Royals starter Bruce Dal Canton.

McAuliffe had three hits, including his first homer of the season, which he slugged leading off the first inning for the Tigers. Haller's homer was also his first of the year.

The five-game winning streak marks the third time this season the Tigers have won at least five straight games. They also have winning streaks of six games and seven games.

**************************
KC 000 000 000 0-4-0
DET 100 110 01x 4-12-0

WP: Coleman (12-7)
LP: Dal Canton
HR: McAuliffe (DET; 1); Haller (DET; 1); Brinkman (DET; 5)

Tigers overall: 47-32
Home: 24-15
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 7-3

Thu 7-13-72: DET 10, KC 3

Detroit, MI- The Tigers scored six runs in the eighth inning, breaking open a close game, and routed the Kansas City Royals, 10-3, at Tiger Stadium.

Willie Horton's bases loaded triple proved to be the big blow for the Tigers (46-32), winners of four straight, and seven of their last ten games.

The Tigers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead by the third inning, only to see the Royals battle back in the later innings. Amos Otis' two-run homer in the sixth inning made the score 4-3.

But the Tigers pounced on reliever Ted Abernathy in the eighth, raking him for six runs in 2/3 of an inning.

Horton had four RBI on the night as the Tigers rapped out 12 hits.

Mickey Lolich (14-6) pitched his 15th complete game to get the victory. Lolich walked two and struck out nine.

****************************************
KC 000 012 000 3-4-0
DET 211 000 06x 10-12-0

WP: Lolich (14-6)
LP: Splittorff
HR: Piniella (KC); Otis (KC)

Tigers overall: 46-32
Home: 23-15
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 7-3

Wed 7-12-72: DET 3, Tex 1

Detroit, MI- The Tigers scored three times in the first inning and didn't score again, but it was enough to beat the Texas Rangers, 3-1, at Tiger Stadium.

The win gave the Tigers (45-32) a three-game sweep of the series and a 7-1 record vs. Texas.

The Rangers scored one run in each of the three games.

Bill Slayback (1-3) picked up his first big league victory, pitching seven innings and surrendering four hits.

The Rangers scored their lone run in the third inning on a Don Mincher sacrifice fly.

In the first inning, Dick McAuliffe walked, Aurelio Rodriguez doubled him home, and Jim Northrup walked to start the Tigers offense. A Norm Cash sacrifice fly scored the second run, and a Dave Nelson error on a Tom Haller infield single to third base plated the third run.

In the ninth, the Rangers put runners on first and second with one out. But Chris Zachary came on and retired the next two batters for his second save.

The Tigers won despite committing three errors---two by SS Ed Brinkman.

*************************************
TEX 001 000 000 1-6-2
DET 300 000 00x 3-7-3

WP: Slayback (1-3)
SV: Zachary (2)
LP: Cox

Tigers overall: 45-32
Home: 22-15
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 6-4

Tue 7-11-72: DET 6, Tex 1

Detroit, MI- Tom Timmermann pitched eight innings of four-hit ball and the Tigers supported him with more than enough offense in an easy 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers at Tiger Stadium.

Timmermann (8-8) surrendered a Toby Harrah home run in the sixth inning, but by then the Tigers had scored their six runs.

Norm Cash hit a solo homer (12) for the Tigers (44-32), who improved to 6-1 vs. Texas this season.

Jim Northrup got the Tigers on the scoreboard early with a double in the first inning that plated Dick McAuliffe, who walked. Detroit added three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.

McAuliffe and Aurelio Rodriguez, the nos. 1 and 2 hitters, each had two singles.

Timmermann aided his own cause with a tapper to the pitcher that scored a run in the fifth.

John Hiller pitched a perfect ninth inning.

********************************
TEX 000 001 000 1-4-1
DET 100 320 00x 6-9-0

WP: Timmermann (8-8)
LP: Broberg
HR: Cash (DET; 12); Harrah (TEX)

Tigers overall: 44-32
Home: 21-15
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 5-5

Mon 7-10-72: DET 5, Tex 1

Detroit, MI- Joe Coleman continued his recent mastery, firing a complete game, three-hitter, and the Tigers beat the Texas Rangers, 5-1 at Tiger Stadium.

Coleman (11-7) won his fourth straight by striking out 14 batters and walking three.

The Tigers (43-32) hit three home runs off Texas starter Don Stanhouse. Jim Northrup (solo), Mickey Stanley (solo) and Aurelio Rodriguez (three-run) all reached the seats.

Northrup added a single and a double for a three-hit night.

The Tigers improved to 3-0 against Texas this season, outscoring the Rangers 20-1.

*********************************
TEX 000 001 000 1-3-1
DET 110 003 00x 5-6-2

WP: Coleman (11-7)
LP: Stanhouse
HR: Northrup (DET; 6); Stanley (DET; 4); Rodriguez (DET; 7)

Tigers overall: 43-32
Home: 20-15
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 5-5

Sun 7-9-72: DET 5-0, Chi 2-5 (DH)

Chicago, IL- The Tigers' quiet bats prevented them from gaining a doubleheader split, as Tom Bradley tossed a masterful three-hit shutout in the nightcap as the Chicago White Sox took three out of four this weekend with a 5-0 victory.

The Tigers won Game 1, 5-2 in 14 innings by scoring three runs, two unearned, in the 14th.

The Tigers (42-32) are in a hitting slump, and it almost cost them Game 1, as they fell behind 2-0 before scratching and clawing to tie the game, 2-2, in the seventh. It remained tied until the 14th, when Detroit used four singles, a wild pitch, an error and a sacrifice fly to push three runs across the plate off White Sox reliever Rich Gossage.

The Tigers were all out of position players so reliever and winner Joe Niekro (1-1) had to bat for himself in the 14th. He struck out but it didn't matter.

Al Kaline drove in two runs in the first game.

In the nightcap, Bradley stifled the Tigers, retiring 22 of the last 23 batters. He walked none.

The White Sox supported Bradley with two runs in the first inning and then tacked on three more in the eighth, two on a home run by Rich Reichardt.

Mickey Lolich (13-6) went all the way in Game 2, surrendering five runs on nine hits. He walked none.

Fred Scherman got the spot start in Game 1. He went five innings and only allowed three hits and two runs.

********************************************
GAME 1
DET 000 001 100 000 03 5-14-1
CHI 100 010 000 000 00 2-8-2

WP: Niekro (1-1)
LP: Gossage

GAME 2
DET 000 000 000 0-3-0
CHI 200 000 03x 5-9-0

WP: Bradley
LP: Lolich (13-6)
HR: Reichardt (CHI)

Tigers overall: 42-32
Home: 19-15
Away: 23-17
Last 10: 4-6

Sat 7-8-72: Chi 5, DET 4

Chicago, IL- Mike Andrews and Dick Allen each blasted two-run homers and the Chicago White Sox survived a ninth inning scare in defeating the Tigers, 5-4 at Comiskey Park.

The White Sox improved to 6-1 versus Detroit this season by jumping out to a 5-0 lead by the third inning. Andrews connected in the first inning and Allen did so in the third, victimizing loser Bill Slayback (0-3).

Trailing 5-1 in the ninth, the Tigers used a walk, two singles, a wild pitch and a pinch-hit, two-run double from Willie Horton to chase starter Stan Bahnsen with two outs, the score 5-4. But reliever Cy Acosta retired Dick McAuliffe on  a lazy fly ball to center field to end the game.

Slayback went six innings for the Tigers (41-31), losers of six of their past 10 games.

Aurelio Rodriguez and Ed Brinkman, the nos. 7 and 8 hitters, each had two hits and scored a run for Detroit.

***************************
DET 000 100 003 4-7-2
CHI 302 000 00x 5-5-0

WP: Bahnsen
SV: Acosta
LP: Slayback (0-3)
HR: Andrews (CHI); Allen (CHI)

Tigers overall: 41-31
Home: 19-15
Away: 22-16
Last 10: 4-6

Fri 7-7-72: Chi 10, DET 1

Chicago, IL- The Chicago White Sox cranked out 14 hits and starting pitcher Dave Lemonds drove in two runs with a bases loaded single in a 10-1 rout of the Tigers at Comiskey Park.

Dick Allen started the scoring for the Chisox with a solo home run in the first inning, tying the game, 1-1. Lemonds' single made the score 3-1 in the fourth, and the White Sox poured it on, including a four-run fifth inning that knocked out Tigers starter Tom Timmermann (7-8).

With one out in the fifth, six straight White Sox hitters reached base, signaling the end of a rare short outing for Timmermann.

Carlos May had four hits (two doubles) and scored three times for Chicago, which is now 5-1 against the Tigers this season. Mike Andrews also had four hits, all singles, and two RBI.

The Tigers' lone run came on a Tony Taylor first inning triple and a wild pitch by Lemonds, who pitched seven strong innings.

The Tigers (41-30) managed just five hits and didn't get a runner to second base after the first inning.

*********************************
DET 100 000 000 1-5-0
CHI 100 241 02x 10-14-0

WP: Lemonds
LP: Timmermann (7-8)
HR: Allen (CHI)

Tigers overall: 41-30
Home: 19-15
Away: 22-15
Last 10: 5-5

Thu 7-6-72: DET 4, KC 1

Kansas City, MO- Joe Coleman continued his hot pitching and the Tigers scored early as Detroit beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-1 at Municipal Stadium.

The Tigers (41-29) took two out of three from the Royals by scoring three runs in the first inning on Bill Freehan's 11th homer of the season, tallying another run in the second, and cruising behind Coleman's (10-7) pitching.

In his last three starts---one of which was a no-hitter---Coleman has allowed just two runs and six hits combined.

Coleman only had two stressful innings. In the fifth, the Royals had runners on second and third with one out. After Coleman struck out Cookie Rojas, Bobby Floyd walked, loading the bases. But Coleman retired pitcher Jim Rooker on a ground ball. In the sixth, the Royals put three runners on base in scoring their lone run.

The Tigers only managed one hit after the third inning, but Coleman's pitching covered for that lack of offense.

KC's Rooker went seven innings in taking the loss.

Willie Horton, getting a rare start at the lead-off spot, had two hits and one RBI for the Tigers, who are 22-14 on the road.

Freehan and Norm Cash are now tied for the team's home run lead.

*********************************
DET 310 000 000 4-6-0
KC  000 001 000  1-3-0

WP: Coleman (10-7)
LP: Rooker
HR: Freehan (DET; 11)

Tigers overall: 41-29
Home: 19-15
Away: 22-14
Last 10: 6-4

Wed 7-5-72: DET 8, KC 3

Kansas City, MO- The Tigers exploded for five runs in the third inning, Mickey Lolich hurled his 14th complete game, and Detroit beat the Kansas City Royals, 8-3 at Municipal Stadium.

Bill Freehan's two-run double and Mickey Stanley's two-run homer (3) did most of the damage in the third frame off Royals starter Paul Splittorff. The Tigers (40-29) sent nine men to the plate in the inning.

The Tigers used a 13-hit attack to quell the Royals and square this midweek series at a victory apiece.

Tony Taylor had three hits, including a two-run triple for the Tigers, who snapped a mini two-game losing streak. Freehan had two doubles and three RBI. Stanley, Aurelio Rodriguez and Willie Horton all had two hits each.

Lolich had a no-hitter through five innings before Richie Scheinblum doubled with two outs in the sixth.

Lolich (13-5) walked a season-high six batters, but struck out six and only allowed five hits.

*************************************
DET 005 000 120 8-13-0
KC  000 001 200 3-5-1

WP: Lolich (13-5)
LP: Splittorff
HR: Stanley (DET; 3)

Tigers overall: 40-29
Home: 19-15
Away: 21-14
Last 10: 5-5

Tue 7-4-72: KC 5, DET 2

Kansas City, MO- Roger Nelson carried a shutout into the eighth inning and ended up with a complete game, seven-hitter, as the Kansas City Royals squashed the Tigers, 5-2 at Municipal Stadium.

Nelson walked one and struck out one, and added a single with the bat as he and the Royals jumped out to a 5-0 lead by the fourth inning and cruised.

Lou Piniella (solo) and Ed Kirkpatrick (two-run) each had homers for the Royals.

The Tigers (39-29) committed three errors in dropping their second straight game.

Ed Brinkman (4) hit a solo homer for Detroit in the eighth inning, spoiling Nelson's shutout bid. Norm Cash singled home Jim Northrup in the ninth for the Tigers' other run. Detroit got the tying run to the plate in the ninth with two outs in the form of Brinkman, but Royals manager Bob Lemon chose to stick with Nelson, who induced a ground ball.

Bill Slayback (0-2) took the loss for the Tigers, pitching 6.1 innings and surrendering all five runs, though only two were earned. Two of the three Royals batters who reached base via error eventually scored.

**********************************
DET 000 000 011 2-7-3
KC  011 300 00x  5-8-0

WP: Nelson
LP: Slayback (0-2)
HR: Brinkman (DET; 4); Piniella (KC); Kirkpatrick (KC)

Tigers overall: 39-29
Home: 19-15
Away: 20-14
Last 10: 5-5

Mon 7-3-72: Bal 4, DET 2

Detroit, MI- Terry Crowley blasted a three-run home run in the eighth inning, erasing a 2-1 deficit and leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-2 victory at Tiger Stadium.

The Orioles earned a split of the four-game series with a four-run eighth inning that stunned the Tigers.

The Tigers (39-28) had gone ahead, 2-0 on a pair of solo homers by Bill Freehan (10) and Gates Brown (5).

The lead held until the eighth, when the Orioles exploded thanks in part to a Dick McAuliffe error.

With one out and runners on first and third, Boog Powell hit a slow roller to McAuliffe, who fumbled the baseball, enabling pinch-hitter Tom Shopay to score, making it 2-1 Detroit. One out later, Crowley took reliever Chris Zachary several roles into the upper deck in right field for a three-run homer. The four-bagger marked the first run surrendered by Zachary all year.

Tigers starter Tom Timmermann (7-7) took the loss, despite none of the three runs charged to him being earned.

Jim Palmer got the win for Baltimore, with Roric Harrison pitching the final two innings for the save.

*******************************
BAL 000 000 040 4-4-0
DET 000 010 100 2-4-1

WP: Palmer
SV: Harrison
LP: Timmermann (7-7)
HR: Freehan (DET; 10); G. Brown (DET; 5); Crowley (BAL)

Tigers overall: 39-28
Home: 19-15
Away: 20-13
Last 10: 6-4

Sun 7-2-72: DET 5, Bal 1

Detroit, MI- Joe Coleman pitched a complete game, three-hitter in his first start since his no-hitter on Wednesday, and the Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles, 5-1, at Tiger Stadium.

Coleman (9-7) walked one and struck out six, surrendering a solo homer to Bobby Grich, who slugged his third four-bagger of the series.

Aurelio Rodriguez had two triples and smashed his sixth home run (and second of the series). Al Kaline had two RBI and Ike Brown went 4-for-4.

The game was tied 1-1 in the Tigers third, when Kaline and Bill Freehan each drove in a run to give Detroit a 3-1 lead. That held until the seventh, when Rodriguez cleared the left field wall with a two-run shot. The hot-hitting Freehan had a triple and a double.

Orioles starter and loser Mike Cuellar went seven innings, surrendering 10 hits but walking none.

The Tigers have a chance at winning three of four in this series on Monday.

************************************
BAL 010 000 000 1-3-1
DET 102 000 20x 5-11-0

WP: Coleman (9-7)
LP: Cuellar
HR: Rodriguez (DET; 6); Grich (BAL)

Tigers overall: 39-27
Home: 19-14
Away: 20-13
Last 10: 6-4

Sat 7-1-72: Bal 4, DET 3 (10 inn)

Detroit, MI- The Baltimore Orioles scored twice in the 10th inning, completing a comeback 4-3 victory over the Tigers at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (38-27) had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Orioles bided their time and scored once in the sixth and once in the eighth---both on solo homers by Bobby Grich---and then rallied for a pair of runs in the 10th inning. Grich got his third RBI in the 10th when his slow rolling ground ball plated Mark Belanger from third base. Paul Blair added an RBI single for a 4-2 Orioles lead.

The Tigers managed to score an unearned run off Orioles reliever Doyle Alexander in their half of the 10th, but could not push the tying run across.

Mickey Lolich (12-5) pitched all ten innings for the Tigers. He struck out 12, including Grich the first two times up for the Orioles first baseman before Grich turned his day around with his pair of homers.

Bill Freehan got the Tigers going early with a two-run home run (9) off Baltimore starter Dave McNally in the first inning.

*********************
BAL 000 001 010 2 4-9-1
DET 200 000 000 1 3-7-0

WP: Jackson
SV: Alexander
LP: Lolich (12-5)

HR: Freehan (DET; 9); Grich 2 (BAL)

Tigers overall: 38-27
Home: 18-14
Away: 20-13
Last 10: 5-5

Fri 6-30-72: DET 4, Bal 2

Detroit, MI- Light-hitting Eddie Brinkman lofted a bloop hit into shallow left field to score Bill Freehan with the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, and the Tigers went on to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 4-2 at Tiger Stadium.

Brinkman, who recently ended an 0-for-63 drought and who is hitting just .146 this season, delivered his key hit off Orioles reliever Roric Harrison with the bases loaded in the seventh.

The Tigers (38-26) had fallen behind 2-1 in the Orioles seventh on a two-run single from Don Buford. But the Tigers quickly loaded the bases in their half of the seventh on two singles, a double and an intentional walk. Norm Cash's double drove in Jim Northrup to tie the game, 2-2.

Up came Brinkman, who thrilled the crowd of 25,671 with his bloop single.

Aurelio Rodriguez added a solo homer in the eighth (5) for a 4-2 lead. Cash socked his 11th home run in the second inning to open the scoring.

Fred Scherman (2-1) pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory. Bill Slayback made his second career start and pitched 6.2 innings of three-hit ball.

************************
BAL 000 000 200 2-3-0
DET 010 000 21x 4-7-1

WP: Scherman (2-1)
LP: Harrison
HR: Cash (DET; 11); Rodriguez (DET; 5)

Tigers overall: 38-26
Home: 18-13
Away: 20-13
Last 10: 6-4

Thu 6-29-72: Bos 7, DET 5

Boston, MA- Carl Yastrzemski hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers, 7-5, at Fenway Park.

Yastrzemski connected off reliever John Hiller (3-4), who only got one out in trying to protect a 5-4 lead.

The Red Sox tied the game on a leadoff double by pinch-hitter Tommy Harper and, one out later, a single by Danny Cater, also pinch-hitting.

That brought up Yastrzemski, and the lefty-lefty match-up didn't matter as Yaz drove a Hiller curve ball deep into the right field seats, sending the Fenway faithful home happy.

The Tigers (37-26) had taken a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning of the see-saw affair, on a pair of doubles from Aurelio Rodriguez and Bill Freehan, the latter of which drove in the run.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a two-run homer by Al Kaline (6), and after the Red Sox tied the game, Norm Cash blasted a two-run shot in the sixth (10) for a 4-2 Tigers lead.

But again the Red Sox answered, scoring twice in their half of the sixth. Juan Beniquez's Texas League single with the bases loaded provided the runs.

Red Sox starter Lynn McGlothen struck out 11 in eight innings of work. Gary Peters got the win in relief. Yastrzemski scored three runs and had two hits and a walk.

****************************
DET 000 202 010 5-8-1
BOS 000 202 003 7-9-1

WP: Peters
LP: Hiller (3-4)
HR: Kaline (DET; 6); Cash (DET; 10); Yastrzemski (BOS)

Tigers overall: 37-26
Home: 17-13
Away 20-13
Last 10: 5-5

Wed 6-28-72: DET 7, Bos 0

Boston, MA- Joe Coleman pitched the first no-hitter of his career as the Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-0 at Fenway Park.

Coleman (8-7) walked six and struck out four and survived two drives near the right field wall in twirling the first no-hitter at Fenway Park since Dave Morehead did it in 1965.

Rico Petrocelli in the seventh inning and Carlton Fisk in the eighth each sent fly balls deep to right field, but both were tracked down by Al Kaline to preserve the no-hitter.

With two outs in the ninth, Carl Yastrzemski walked. As the Boston fans screamed and cheered, Coleman uncorked two wild pitches with Reggie Smith at the plate. Finally, Coleman induced a ground ball by Smith to 2B Dick McAuliffe to complete the hitless gem.

Meanwhile, the Tigers (37-25) racked up seven runs and 12 hits. Bill Freehan went 4-for-4 with four RBI. Ten of the Tigers' hits were singles. Red Sox starter Sonny Siebert went 6.2 innings and gave up all seven runs and 10 hits.

The no-hitter by Coleman was the first by a Tigers pitcher since Jim Bunning did it in 1958, also at Fenway Park.

************************
DET 200 003 200 7-12-1
BOS 000 000 000 0-0-1

WP: Coleman (8-7)
LP: Siebert

Tigers overall: 37-25
Home: 17-13
Away: 20-12
Last 10: 5-5

Tue 6-27-72: DET 4, NY 2

Detroit, MI- Mickey Lolich fired a complete game, seven-hitter on two days' rest, and Willie Horton's two-run double triggered a three-run sixth inning as the Tigers beat the New York Yankees, 4-2 at Tiger Stadium.

Horton's gapper plated Lolich and Al Kaline and tied the game, 2-2. Two batters later, Ike Brown singled home Horton to give the Tigers (36-25) the lead.

Mickey Stanley's RBI single in the eighth added an insurance run.

Lolich (12-4) walked three and struck out nine. He has pitched a major league high 156 innings this season.

The Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth when Celerino Sanchez singled home Bobby Murcer, who had singled. An unearned run in the first inning accounted for New York's other tally.

Lolich also walked and scored a run in the victory.

The Yankees losing pitcher was lefty starter Rob Gardner.

************************************
NY 100 001 000 2-7-0
DET 000 003 01x 4-7-1

WP: Lolich (12-4)
LP: Gardner

Tigers overall: 36-25
Home: 17-13
Away: 19-12
Last 10: 5-5

Mon 6-26-72: NY 4, DET 3

Detroit, MI- Bobby Murcer slugged a three-run home run in the fifth inning, and the New York Yankees held on to beat the Tigers, 4-3, at Tiger Stadium.

Murcer connected off Tigers spot starter Bill Slayback (0-1), giving the Yanks a 4-0 lead.

The right-handed Slayback was making his first big league start after four relief appearances. He went six innings, surrendering four runs on six hits. He walked four and registered five strikeouts.

The Tigers (35-25) fought back, getting a run in the fifth inning and two in the sixth off Yankees southpaw starter Mike Kekich. But the New York bullpen, led by righty Fred Beene (two innings) and lefty Sparky Lyle (1.2 innings) shut the Tigers down on no hits the rest of the way.

Chuck Seelbach tossed three innings of shutout relief for first place Detroit, losers of five of their last eight games.

Willie Horton had two of the Tigers' six hits. Eddie Brinkman singled, ending a franchise-record 0-for-63 slump.

****************************
NY 001 030 000 4-7-0
DET 000 012 000 3-6-0

WP: Kekich
SV: Lyle
LP: Slayback (0-1)
HR: Murcer (NY)

Tigers overall: 35-25
Home: 16-13
Away: 19-12
Last 10: 5-5

Sun 6-25-72: DET 2, Bal 0

Baltimore, MD- Norm Cash's solo home run turned out to be the only run the Tigers needed as Tom Timmermann pitched a four-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Memorial Stadium.

Cash (9) connected off Orioles starter Jim Palmer in the second inning---a drive over the left field wall.

The Tigers (35-24) added another run in the third, unearned.

Meanwhile, Timmermann (7-6) cruised, walking one and striking out six, lowering his ERA to 1.78.

The first-place Tigers took two of three from the Orioles and return home to host the New York Yankees on Monday and Tuesday.

Timmermann allowed only three Orioles runners to reach second base.

*******************
DET 011 000 000 2-5-1
BAL 000 000 000 0-4-2

WP: Timmermann (7-6)
LP: Palmer
HR: Cash (DET; 9)

Tigers overall: 35-24
Home: 16-12
Away: 19-12
Last 10: 5-5

Sat 6-24-72: DET 2-3, Bal 3-1 (DH)

Baltimore, MD- Mickey Lolich's wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning enabled Merv Rettenmund to score the winning run in the first game of a doubleheader, but Joe Coleman fired eight innings of six-hit ball in the nightcap as the Tigers and Orioles split a twinbill. Baltimore took Game 1, 3-2, while the Tigers won Game 2, 3-1.

Mickey Stanley (2) hit a solo home run in each game for the Tigers (34-24).

In Game 1, Rettenmund slugged a two-run homer in the third inning to give the O's a 2-0 lead. Stanley's homer in the fifth tied the game, and it remained 2-2 until the ninth. Rettenmund led off with a single, was bunted to second by Mark Belanger, and advanced to third base on a fly out to deep center by Don Baylor. Lolich (11-4) then uncorked a wild pitch, ending the game.

Roric Harrison got the win in relief for the Orioles.

In Game 2, Coleman (7-7) struck out nine and walked three in eight innings of work. John Hiller earned his third save with a scoreless ninth. Mike Cuellar was the starter and loser for Baltimore. He went eight innings.

Tony Taylor and Al Kaline were both hit by pitches in the nightcap, and both scored.

**********************************
Game 1
DET 000 110 000 2-5-0
BAL 002 000 001 3-4-0

WP: Harrison
LP: Lolich (11-4)
HR: Stanley (DET; 1); Rettenmund (BAL)

Game 2
DET 001 100 010 3-5-1
BAL 000 000 010 1-6-0

WP: Coleman (7-7)
SV: Hiller (3)
LP: Cuellar
HR: Stanley (DET; 2)

Tigers overall: 34-24
Home: 16-12
Away: 18-12
Last 10: 4-6

Next game: Sun 6-25-72 at Bal