DETROIT _ Spencer Turnbull was virtually inconsolable after his start against the White Sox last Thursday. Two innings, 60 pitches, four walks. But he was a different cat on Tuesday _ aggressive, imperturbable, and in command in the Tigers' 7-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park.
Protecting a 2-0 lead, his mettle was tested in three straight innings.
_ He faced Javier Baez with two on and two out in the third, the inning prolonged by a Jeimer Candelario error at first base. In a seven-pitch battle, in which Baez somehow fouled off a wicked 2-2 slider after taking a 95-mph fastball at the top of the zone, Turnbull went to the whip. Baez fouled off a 98-mph two-seamer and then flew out to right on a 97-mph two-seamer.
_ He struck out Victor Caratini with two outs in the fourth after Jason Heyward tripled.
_ He struck out Anthony Rizzo (95-mph four-seamer) and got Baez to line out after he walked two in the fifth.
Tigers' Jonathan Schoop and Cameron Maybin (4) react in front of Cubs catcher Willson Contreras after Schoop's grand slam in the sixth inning.
Then in the sixth, with his pitch-count climbing toward triple digits, he fell behind Heyward 3-0 with a runner at second. But he threw three straight strikes, a fastball and two sliders, the last inducing a weak foul pop-up to third baseman Isaac Paredes for the second out.
Heyward snapped the bat in half over his thigh in frustration.
At 97 pitches, Turnbull very reluctantly gave the ball to manager Ron Gardenhire. But he was the first to yell out 'Yes!' after reliever Bryan Garcia ended the inning by striking out Caratini.
Impressive, controlled performance by Turnbull, who in six starts has matched his win total (three) from last season when he made 30 starts.
Turnbull allowed just three hits in his 5? innings. He walked three and struck out five. He only got seven swings-and-misses, but he pitched to contact very effectively, using his four-seam (52 with a velocity range of 92-96 mph) and two-seam fastballs (23, 90-98 mph) up and down in the strike zone.
The Tigers missed a chance to deliver a knockout punch right out of the gate.
They scored two quick runs off oft-injured Cubs starter Tyler Chatwood in the first inning. Victor Reyes doubled and scored on a single by Miguel Cabrera. Candelario followed with a double and Niko Goodrum walked to load the bases.
JaCoby Jones, fighting out of an 0-2 hole, lined a sacrifice fly to right field.
Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull reacts after the top of the first inning.
But that was all the runs they would get out of that 37-pitch first inning. Chatwood retired Austin Romine, stranding three runners.
Chatwood then walked the bases loaded in the second with one out and his day was done. Right-hander Duane Underwood, Jr., came in throwing slow change-ups and slower loopy curve balls and struck out Candelario and Goodrum.
