The game is still going on -- as I write this the White Sox are leading the Tigers 5-4 in the eighth -- but a play that happened in the bottom of the fifth sums up the frustration of the Tigers season.
Bases loaded, one out and Dayan Viciedo at the plate. Doug Fister, a ground ball pitcher, needs a grounder to get out of the inning. He gets it! A grounder to short, the flip to Omar Infante at second to get one out, then .... oh no! The takeout slide. Watch. Two runs score, putting the White Sox up 5-4.
Except, for as great as that takeout slide by Alex Rios was -- and it was friggin’ textbook -- watch all the way through to the final slow motion replay. Even with Infante’s throw disrupted by the takeout slide, Prince Fielder could have and should have scooped that ball up. If he had, the runner is out, neither run scores and the Tigers head into the sixth up 4-3.
Bad infield defense and ground ball pitchers don’t go together very well. And it has killed the Tigers all year.
