Date: 9/29/09

Opponent: Detroit Tigers

Home/Away: Away

Starting Pitcher: Blackburn

Final Score: W 3-2 (10 innings)

Record: 82-74

Best Moment: That was sure an intense game. Blackburn pitched one of his best games of the season, which was especially impressive since he was struggling early on. He was walking a tightrope the first 4 innings or so, with no 1-2-3 innings and multiple baserunners. He gave up a run in the 2nd, but eventually he settled down and finished 7 strong innings.

A lot of things went our way toward the end of the game. Span and Gomez made some great catches that wouldn't have happened if Gomez hadn't been inserted in the game to run for Kubel. Span led off the 10th with a single and advanced to 3rd on consecutive wild pitches. Delmon Young hit a big sac fly that ended up being the winning run. It was a great baseball game, even though I thought I was going to throw up during most of it.

Most Questionable Moment: Suicide squeeze! What the fuck? I know we had that great one against the White Sox earlier this year, but you need the element of surprise. And given that we had laid down 37 bunts in this game, I think it was safe to say our love of bunting wasn't exactly a secret. I thought we were completely fucked after that, mainly because the excitement from the Tiger fans was palpable. It just felt like everything was suddenly going their way.

Worst Moment: Besides Punto bunting into a double play you mean? Oh, well that would be Joe Nathan making things interesting. Again.

Quotations of the Day:

• "It was everything it was built up to be. One heck of a baseball game." - Ron Gardenhire
• "It was like somebody just punched you in the gut. The next inning on defense, the crowd got into it. It was one of those feelings like something bad is about to happen." - Denard Span, on the suicide squeeze double play.
• "We're right where we want to be. Obviously, we want to be in first place. But making a move on them right now, that gains a little bit of momentum for us and hopefully tonight we'll go out and do the same thing." - Nick Blackburn

Suck-Ass Performance of the Game: Joe Nathan (1.0 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 home run, 1 earned run)