Clearly unimpressed with their underwhelming 18-20 record and collective skid as a team recently from the plate, Detroit Tigers hitters have staked starter Justin Verlander an early 2-0 advantage after just one inning on Friday with a pair of RBI doubles.
A Miguel Cabrera double to center off Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton brought home Tigers' run scoring machine Andy Dirks to open the scoring, and cleanup hitter Prince Fielder lived up to his title by promptly knocking Cabrera in on a double of his own soon thereafter.
Detroit forced Morton to waste 24 pitches in the first inning, as Verlander opened the frame by throwing 16 pitches with one walk and one strikeout. The Tigers' ace did not appear to be bothered by the broken callous on his right thumb that had him listed as day-to-day earlier in the week.
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