Cards Take First Game Of World Series From Tigers
Posted October 21, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
For just this second time in the 2006 post-season, the Detroit Tigers lost a game.
In the opening tilt of the World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals were by far the better team, getting behind an impressive display of power en route to a 7-2 win Saturday night.
Scott Rolen and Albert Pujols homered for the visiting Cards, while rookie starter Anthony Reyes was dominant for eight innings.
Much of the talk this post-season has been about the stellar pitching of the Detroit Tigers, but the arms didn’t really show up in this one as rookie starter Justin Verlander disappointed the hometown faithful at Comerica Park who have been waiting since 1984 for the World Series to return to Motown.
Verlander, who posted a 17-9 record in the regular season, was knocked around for six runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out eight.
Meanwhile the vaunted Tigers lineup was all but non-existent, managing just five hits off Reyes and Braden Looper who finished things off in the ninth.
Reyes and Detroit starter Justin Verlander were the first pair of rookies to start the opening game of the World Series. But much to the surprise of many so-called “experts” it was Reyes who shone brightest, allowing just one run in his eight innings while walking one and striking out four.
Detroit’s only runs came in the form of an RBI single from Carlos Guillen in the first and a solo shot from Craig Monroe off Looper in the ninth.
The Tigers had steamrolled opponents since losing the opening game of the playoffs to the New York Yankees. They’d won seven straight since then, but won’t have time to dwell on Saturday’s loss as they host Game 2 Sunday night.
Looking to avoid heading to St. Louis in a 2-0 hole, they’ll look to veteran Kenny Rogers while the Cards will counter with Jeff Weaver.
