‘84 Tigers take 3 of 4 from ‘70 O’s to clinch a post season slot.

Sunday September 21 at Tiger Stadium

The Tigers got off to a fast start when Alan Trammell hit his sixth homer of the season in the first inning. They added another run in the 4th on Larry Herndon's leadoff homer (2). Then they broke it open in the 6th. Barbaro Garbey doubled with one out and Rusty Kuntz followed with a single. Mike Cuellar intentionally walked Chet Lemon to face Kirk Gibson, mired in a season long slump. But Gibby worked the left hander for a walk and a 3-0 lead. Tom Brookens followed with a single to notch another run. Lou Whitaker followed with a sacrifice fly and Trammell singled home two more to give Jack Morris a 7-0 lead. But Morris is nothing if not generous and in the top of the 7th, he gave up a two run homer to Boog Powell (8) and a three run homer to Elrod Hendricks (5). Once the game was close again, Morris (6-1, 3.47) settled down. He need relief help from Willie Hernandez (7 saves, 0.00) in the 9th. Cuellar took the loss (1-5, 5.88) Tigers 7 Orioles 5

Monday September 22 at Tiger Stadium.

Dan Petry started poorly, issuing 1st inning walks to Don Buford and Powell. Merv Rettenmund then singled home Hendricks. The Tigers tied it in the second when Lance Parrish doubled and was singled home by Lemon. Dave Johnson homered in the 3rd to give the Orioles the lead 2-1. But the Tigers came back. Howard Johnson singled and stole second. Whitaker walked and Trammell was safe on Mark Belanger's error. Gibson then hit a sacrifice fly. Then Petry and Jim Palmer both settled in and the game remained 2-2 until the 8th. With two out and Johnson on 1st, courtesy of a single, Petry ran out of gas and was replaced by Aurelio Lopez. Lopez has struggled all year and today was not the beginning of any reversal of fortune. He gave up a single to Frank Robinson and then walked Rettenmund. That was it for Senor Smoke. Hernandez came on, but he could not stem the tide. He walked pinchhitter Curt Motton to force in a run and then gave up a two run single to Brooks Robinson. The Orioles carried their 5-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth. After getting one out, Palmer gave up a single to HoJo. That was it for Palmer as Pete Richert came in to face Whitaker. Richert threw two wild pitches and then walked Sweet Lou. Pete struck out Trammell. Rusty Kuntz came on to pinchhit for Gibson and doubled home one run. Parrish was intentionally walked, but the Richert could not find the strike zone against Darrell Evans who walked for the 28th time this season, forcing in a run. That was it for Richert and Dick Hall came on to face Dave Bergman. Bergie quickly singled to right, two runs scored and the Tigers had an improbably come from behind victory. Hernandez was the winner (4-0, 0.00), Richer took the loss (3-2, 2.45) Tigers 6 Orioles 5

Tuesday September 23 at Memorial Stadium.

Dave McNally came into the game 1-5 with an era on the wrong side of 5. His past hardly mattered as he shut out the Tigers through 8 innings, his only error being a 2 run homer to Parrish (5) in the 9th. By then it didn't make any difference. Milt Wilcox (2-3, 3.04) gave up 4 runs in the first which was all McNally needed. Paul Blair was safe on first basemen Garbey's two base error. Powell followed with a single, Frank Robby doubled, Johnson singled and Brooks drove in the final two with a double. The O's added runs in the 7th on a Powell homer (9) and in the 8th on a Buford single. McNally earned the win with a complete game. (2-5, 5.16) Orioles 6 Tigers 2

Wednesday September 24

Tiger manager Tom Davis, wanting to save Juan Bereguer for the final series against the Yankees, had a choice among three starters. Glenn Abbott had pitched 2.1 innings al season, Roger Mason had not pitched at all and Dave Rozema had been shelled his last time out. Crash Davis chose Abbott. As his brother in law would say, "Wrong-o, dragon breath." Back to back doubles by Whitaker and Trammell started the game off right for the Tigers off Tom Phoebus. But the O's came back with two in the bottom of the first off Abbott. Boog Powell hit his third homer of the series (10). A walk to Frank Robby and singles by Johnson and Brooks and the Orioles held a 2-1 lead. They got two more in the second. Belanger singled and was bunted to second by Phoebus. Buford was hit by a pitch and Paul Blair singled to load the bases. Abbott managed to get Powell for the second out but Frank Robby singled home two runs. That would be all for Abbott who was pinchhit for in he 3rd. The Tigers cut the lead to 4-2 on a Bergman homer (2) in the 4th. Roger Mason came on for Abbott and pitched two good innings but then got into trouble in the 5th. Johnson walked and Brooks was hit by a pitch. With two out, Belanger walked. Oriole manager Mike Hopcroft knew a good situation when he saw it and sent Rettenmund up to pinchhit for Phoebus. Rettenmund answered the call by doubling home two runs for a 6-2 lead. The Tigers came back yet again. In the 6th, Lance Parrish hit a two run homer (7). After a single by Evans and a walk to Bergman, Lemon tripled them both home, then scored himself on a groundout by Herndon, giving the Tigers a 7-6 lead. The Tigers picked up a single run in the 7th on another Parrish homer (8), his third of the series. The O's got that run back on singles by Brooks and Hendricks and a groundout by Belanger to keep the contest at one run. In the 8th, the Tigers increased their margin when Lemon doubled and Herndon singled him to third. Dwight Lowry pinchhit and surprised everyone in the stadium by dropping the perfect suicide squeeze. Trammell singled home Herndon and the Tigers had a 10-7 lead. The Os got another one back in the 8th on a walk to Buford, a passed ball, a groundout and a sacrifice fly by Powell. Curt Motton had a one out pinchhit single in the 9th but pinchhitter Andy Etchebarren hit into a game ending double play. Mason was the winner (1-0, 6.00) with Hernandez getting the save (8 saves, 0.00). Dave Leonhard took the loss (0-1, 1 blown save, 27.00) Tigers 10 Orioles 8