I’ll admit it. As this game got started I feared the Tigers and Doug Fister were doomed for a 2-1 loss. From early on it was clear that Fister brought his A-game, but it wasn’t clear the offense showed up at all — evident by the ridiculous pitches Miguel Cabrera and poor Alex Avila and just about everyone else in the lineup were flailing at in their first at bats. But then Austin Jackson started getting on base, beginning with a single in the first — and then two more hits on the night to finish 3 for 5 with an RBI. And before you knew it, Victor Martinez went yard to tie it at one. And Cabrera untied it, Jhonny Peralta extended the lead ……

There’s nothing to be said about this game that you haven’t already thought to yourself since Nelson Cruz‘s moonshot off Ryan Perry. Here’s thing about the last couple of games (and a few in the ALDS): the Tigers’ abysmal hitting is turning what under normal circumstances would be solid, if not stellar, pitching performances by the starters. Justin Verlander wasn’t anything close to brilliant in Game 1, but the man only yielded three runs. Same for Max Scherzer who was dominant in chunks of Game 2. I want to be upbeat about the possibility of three straight home games and maybe by the morning I will be. It’s just that Doug Fister can deliver a superb outing in Game 3 and the Tigers could…