Detroit Tigers 2015 spring training - Feb. 26, 2015
Anthony Gose can run. He showed that Wednesday when he scampered home from third while Dixon Machado was caught in a rundown between first and second base.
(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Anthony Gose can run. He can make other teams pay. He did just that in the first Grapefruit League road game this season for the Detroit Tigers.
Gose scored the first run of the game thanks to some heads up baserunning Wednesday afternoon and Nick Castellanos hit a two-run home run for the Tigers in their 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Gose runs extremely well and is naturally aggressive on the basepaths. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has encouraged his players to look for opportunities to take extra bases since the first day of spring training last season. Gose got the message, even if he didn't really need it.
"I think I've always been that way," Gose said. "I think it's just in me to be aggressive. I'm not saying it doesn't apply to me, but it was just something, I guess it reassured me what I like to do is OK."
Gose went from first to third on a single by Dixon Machado with one out in the fifth inning. When Machado found himself caught in no-man's land between first and second, he wisely got into a rundown. Gose took advantage of the situation and bolted for home.
Machado was eventually out on a play that was scored 9-6-3-4-6, but Gose was safe at home to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Two batters after the Machado single, Castellanos hit a ball just over the fence in left field -- and just out of the reach of Orioles outfielder Alejandro De Aza -- for a two-run home run and a 3-0 lead for the Tigers.
Game notes
* Tigers first baseman Aaron Westlake and Orioles outfielder Adam Jones collided between home and first base on a pop-up by Jones in the first inning. Jones was called out on the play for interference. Both Jones and Westlake remained in the game.
* The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the second inning on an Orioles error and singles by Bryan Holaday and Daniel Fields. But Hernan Perez struck out and Andrew Romine hit a fly ball to center to end the threat and strand three.
* The lone hit for the Orioles against Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez was a single that just made it up the middle by J.J. Hardy in the first inning. Sanchez had one strikeout -- he caught former Tigers designated hitter Delmon Young looking at a called third strike in the second inning.
* Right-hander Drew VerHagen was sharp in two shutout innings. His line: 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 3SO.
* Ian Krol hit 97 mph on the radar gun and appeared to be pitching with a purpose. He was sharp.
* The first four pitchers combined for six shutout innings, but Blaine Hardy got roughed up a bit. The line for Hardy: 1.2IP, 5H 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 1SO. He also committed a throwing error on an errant pickoff throw.
* Steven Moya, who was unavailable Tuesday due to back spasms, singled home a run in the seventh inning to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead.
* Austin Green hit what appeared to be initially ruled a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Green made it all the way around the bases before finding out the ball was foul.
* The Tigers had two on and two out in the eighth when Josh Wilson was caught venturing too far off the bag and was picked off by the catcher.
* Wilson was charged with an error in the ninth inning on what would have been the final out of the game. Instead, it allowed the tying run to reach base. Dixon Machado then made a diving stop and a nice throw for the final out of the game.
* The lineup for the Tigers for Thursday: Rajai Davis, CF; Ian Kinsler, 2B; Yoenis Cespedes, LF; J.D. Martinez, DH; Tyler Collins, RF; Hernan Perez, SS; Aaron Westlake, 1B; McCann, C. Alfredo Simon will start on the mound for the Tigers.
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