Tigers Today: September 1, 2010

Tigers’ Record:

65-67, 3rd Place; 11 GB

Today’s Game

Tigers @ Twins | 8:10 p.m. ET – Target Field | On the air: FSD/AM 1270 and 97.1 FM

Pitching Matchup

Max Scherzer (10-9, 3.60 ERA) vs. Francisco Liriano (12-7, 3.41 ERA)

Yesterday’s Results

Twins 4 – Tigers 3

• W: Matt Guerrier (3-7)
• L: Phil Coke

Tigers History Lesson

Today’s Birthdays

• Dave Rucker, 53

• Gary Ignasiak, 61

On this Date in Tigers History

• 1980 — The Tigers’ Al Cowens and White Sox reliever Ed Farmer publicly end their long-running feud by shaking hands at home plate prior to Chicago’s 11-3 win at Tiger Stadium. The feud began in 1979 when Farmer broke Cowens’ jaw with a pitch‚ and flared again this June 20 when Cowens hit a ground ball off Farmer and attacked the pitcher instead of running to first base. Cowens was suspended for seven games and a warrant was issued for his arrest in Illinois‚ forcing him to skip the previous week’s Tigers-White Sox series in Chicago. Farmer agreed to drop the charges in exchange for a handshake‚ and the two players brought out the lineup cards before today’s game.

• 1974 — During a 5-3 win over the Tigers‚ the A’s first baseman Gene Tenace goes through the entire game without a fielding chance — only the fourth time this century that has occurred at that position. In the same game‚ Detroit’s Reggie Sanders homers in his first major-league at bat.

• 1970 — The Red Sox take an 8-1 lead at Fenway Park‚ but Detroit rallies to win 10-9. The Sox take the lead on a Mike Andrews homer and a grand slam by Tony Conigliaro. The Tigers then use the long ball as well‚ collecting four homers‚ including a grand slam by Jim Price‚ to win. Daryl Patterson is the winner over Sonny Siebert.

• 1968 — Denny McLain notches his 27th win of the season beating the Orioles 7-3. McLain helps the Tigers’ cause by starting a third-inning triple play.

• 1941 — Rudy York wallops 3 home runs and drives in five runs for the Tigers who beat the Browns‚ 9-5 in game one in Detroit. The Tigers rattle 20 hits in the nitecap to win‚ 16-8.

• 1936 — Detroit’s Schoolboy Rowe fires his second two-hit game in 8 days‚ beating the A’s‚ 4 – 1. Rowe beat the Red Sox on August 25, 5-0. Philadelphia is saved from a shutout when Bob Johnson blasts his 22nd home run in the ninth inning. All of Detroit’s runs come in a hitless fourth when they use five walks‚ a fielder’s choice and error.

• 1917 — In the bottom of the first inning at Cleveland‚ Tris Speaker tries to steal home with Joe Evans batting. Evans swings and lines the ball into Speaker’s face. Tiger manager Hughie Jennings allows a courtesy fielder, Elmer Smith, to play CF in the second frame while Speaker has his face stitched. Speaker then returns to centerfield in the third.

• 1885 — Charlie Bennett hits a grand slam in the first inning‚ leading Detroit to an 8-3 victory over the Giants. Only two other grand slams are hit this year‚ one by Dave Orr (New York) and one by Tom Brown (Pittsburgh).