It appeared that the Tigers' lineup suffered a huge blow when leadoff hitter Austin Jackson was placed on the disabled list last week. But that was long before Detroit fans were given an extended look at Jackson's part-time fill-in, 27-year-old outfielder Quintin Berry.
↵In five games with the Tigers Berry has been everything the organization could have ever asked for and more, and is hitting .381 with eight hits and six runs. Sunday's 3-for-4 performance from the plate, though, put Berry firmly in the Detroit baseball record book:
↵↵↵Berry is 1st Tigers player since at least 1918 to hit safely in each of his first five ML games. #tigers
↵— Brian Britten (@BBritten_Tigers) May 27, 2012
In addition to his reliable contact from the dish, Berry made a phenomenal backwards diving catch to save a run in the eighth inning of Sunday's win. While it's unclear whether he'll stick with the big club when Jackson finally returns to action, there's no denying how impressive his brief debut has been for a team that desperately craves speed atop the lineup.