Network: WDIV
Announcers: George Kell, Al Kaline
Format: DVD (3 disks)
Quality: 8.75
Notes: Includes pre-game and commercials... Two at-bats in the 6th are missed when NBC News cuts in.

Tigers celebrate home opener with a 4-1 win over the Rangers.

Frank Tanana and Mike Henneman combine to quiet Texas. Meanwhile, Detroit and home plate umpire Drew Cobel jump on Mike Witt early. With MLB responding to Whitey Herzog's whining, and places an edict on balks, Cobel nails Witt with 4 balks in the 1st 3 innings.

After a walk by Lou Whitaker in the 1st, a balk, and a groundout, Whitaker scores the 1st run on Cobel's 2nd balk call of the game. Matt Nokes singles home Alan Trammell for the 2nd run of the inning. A walk by Gary Pettis to start the 3rd, followed by 2 more balk calls, allow Pettis to make it 3-0 when scoring on a Sac Fly. Witt manages to go all 8 innings, allowing 5 hits.

Tanana goes 7 1/3, only scathed by an RBI double off the wall by Steve Buechele in the 5th. Tanana and Henneman both escape further damage with 2 timely double plays.


Starting pitchers: Rangers - Witt
Tigers - Tanana

Winning pitcher: Tanana (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Witt (0-2)