Friday, June 30, 1967: Tigers 5, Chicago 2

Detroit, MI- Johnny Podres pitched a complete game and the Tigers used a four-run third inning to beat the Chicago White Sox, 5-2 at Tiger Stadium.

Podres (4-2) gave up just five hits and walked two as the Tigers (38-33) crept to within 5.5 games of the first-place Chisox. He struck out three.

In the third inning and the Tigers trailing 2-1, Dick McAuliffe hit a solo homer with one out, tying the game. The next five Tigers got on base (three singles, two walks) as they added three more runs.

The White Sox managed just two hits after the third inning.

The Tigers did commit three errors (two by catcher Bill Freehan), but Podres was able to pitch around the miscues.

McAuliffe and Norm Cash each had two hits for Detroit.

Tommy John started and lost for Chicago in a battle of southpaws.

The game also saw the Tigers debut of newly-acquired outfielder Jim Landis from Houston. He started in right field and went 1-for-3 (double).

Game 71	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CHI	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
DET	0	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	X	5	8	3

WP- Podres (4-2)

LP- John

Thursday, June 29, 1967: Cleveland 5, Tigers 4

Detroit, MI- Max Alvis, who made two earlier bids for home runs, drove a ball into the left field seats with a man on base in the eighth inning, lifting the Cleveland Indians to a 5-4 win at Tiger Stadium.

Alvis hit two fly balls to the warning track in left field in previous at-bats, but finally connected for a homer in the eighth off Denny McLain (5-7) to erase a 4-3 deficit.

The Tribe scored three runs in the inning to win in come-from-behind fashion.

The Tigers (37-33), losers of six of their past eight games, got back-to-back homers from Willie Horton (11) and Bill Freehan (10) in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Horton's homer was a two-run shot.

Joe Azcue's solo homer in the fourth made the score 4-2. The Indians hit three four-baggers off McLain; Leon Wagner connected in the first inning.

The Tigers didn't manage a hit after the third inning.

Bob Allen got the win in relief, despite walking three batters in 2/3 of an inning.

The game saw the Tigers debut of outfielder Lenny Green, a Detroit native signed in January. The 34-year-old started in center field and went 0-for-2. The Tigers called Green up from AAA Toledo in response to Al Kaline's broken hand.

Earlier in the day, the Tigers announced the acquisition of outfielder Jim Landis from Houston for pitcher Larry Sherry. Green swings left, Landis swings right. Landis, 33, had his best year in 1961, when he hit 22 home runs for the Chicago White Sox.

With the Astros this season, Landis batted .252 in 143 at-bats with one home run and 14 RBI.

Sherry was 0-1 with an ERA of 11.25 in eight innings for Detroit.

Game 70	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CLE	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	5	7	0
DET	0	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	5	0

WP- Allen

LP- McLain (5-7)

Wednesday, June 28, 1967: Cleveland 12, Tigers 5

Detroit, MI-- The Cleveland Indians scored five runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings, romping past the Tigers, 12-5 at Tiger Stadium.

Four Indians players had two RBI each, and Chico Salmon drove in three runs for the Tribe.

Tigers starter Joe Sparma (6-8) saw his ERA rise to 4.96, giving up six runs in 5.1 innings. Sparma also walked five and recorded no strikeouts.

The Tigers (37-32) were playing their first game since losing Al Kaline to a broken hand. Kaline is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Detroit fell to 6.5 games behind first-place Chicago.

Johnny Podres fared even worse than Sparma, giving up five runs (one earned) in the seventh inning. Lefty hitters went 5-for-5 against the southpaw Podres, which is not surprising as lefties are batting over .500 against him.

Leon Wagner and Max Alvis each slammed solo homers for the Indians.

John O'Donoghue went 7.1 strong innings for Cleveland to earn the victory.

Game 69	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CLE	1	0	0	0	0	5	5	1	0	12	13	0
DET	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3	0	5	9	1

WP- O'Donoghue

LP- Sparma (6-8)

Tuesday, June 27, 1967: Tigers 6, Cleveland 5 (13 innings)

Detroit, MI- The Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians in 13 innings, 6-5, at Tiger Stadium, but it was a costly win.

Al Kaline, the Tigers' leader in just about every major offensive category, has been lost for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand.

Kaline slammed his bat in anger into the bat rack after a fifth inning strikeout, and the impact caused a hairline fracture in his right pinky and extending to the wrist.

Ray Oyler was the unlikely hitting hero, garnering three hits, including the game-winner---a drive into the left field corner that scored Bill Freehan from third base in the bottom of the 13th.

The Tigers (37-31) rallied for three runs in the eighth to tie the game, 5-5. The big blow was a two-run double by Willie Horton.

The Indians turned a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 lead in the seventh. The big hit was a two-run homer by Duke Sims.

Fred Whitfield also hit a two-run homer for Cleveland.

Tigers starter Earl Wilson struck out 10 in 6.2 innings, but gave up all five Indians runs.

Fred Gladding (1-0) got the win in relief after wiggling out of a jam in his only inning of work. The Indians put runners on first and third with one out, but Gladding got Vern Fuller to ground into a force out at the plate, and Larry Brown tapped to Don Wert, who stepped on third base to end the inning.

But the euphoria over the win was overshadowed in the Tigers clubhouse when news of Kaline's injury spread.

Game 68	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	R	H	E
CLE	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	10	1
DET	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	6	13	0
Two out when winning run scored

WP- Gladding (1-0)

LP- Allen

Sunday, June 25, 1967: New York 2, Tigers 1

Bronx, NY- The Tigers wasted a brilliant performance by Mickey Lolich in falling to the New York Yankees, 2-1, at Yankee Stadium.

Lolich (8-5) allowed just two hits---both in the sixth inning, when the Yankees scored both their runs---but it didn't prevent the hard-luck loss as the Tigers managed to push just one run across the plate.

Mel Stottlemyre pitched a complete game for New York, scattering eight hits.

The Tigers (36-31) have lost four of five.

Lolich carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, when the Tigers moved ahead 1-0 at the top of the frame.

In poor weather conditions, Lolich bobbled a weak grounder by Stottlemyre to start the sixth. One out later, Bill Robinson broke up the no-hitter with a single, sending Stottlemyre to third. Mickey Mantle followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Elston Howard walked, and Tom Tresh followed with an RBI double to score the second Yankees run.

That was enough for Stottlemyre, who allowed just two harmless singles (both by Don Wert) the rest of the way.

Game 67	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
DET	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	8	2
NY	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	X	2	2	1

WP- Stottlemyre

LP- Lolich (8-5)

Saturday, June 24, 1967: Tigers 8, New York 4

Bronx, NY- The Tigers bats busted out of a mini-slump with a 12-hit attack, and Detroit staved off the New York Yankees, 8-4 at Yankee Stadium.

Johnny Podres (3-2) picked up the win after pitching 6+ innings and giving up three runs.

Mickey Stanley, who made his first career start at first base, slammed a two-run homer (2) in the second inning to highlight a three-run frame that opened the scoring.

The Tigers, led by Podres and relievers Dave Wickersham and Fred Gladding, kept the Yankees at arm's length in snapping a three-game losing streak.

The Tigers bats harassed Yankees starter Fritz Peterson with five runs and eight hits in five innings of work by the lefty.

New York, after trailing 6-1, made the score 6-4 in the eighth inning on a solo home run by Mickey Mantle, but the Tigers (36-30) added two insurance runs in the ninth inning on a Don Wert triple and an Al Kaline double.

Willie Horton had two sacrifice flies for the Tigers.

Game 66	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
DET	0	3	1	1	0	0	1	0	2	8	12	0
NY	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	1	0	4	8	0

WP- Podres (3-2)

LP- Peterson

Friday, June 23, 1967: New York 5, Tigers 4

Bronx, NY- Tom Tresh drove home Bill Robinson from first base with a hit into the right field corner with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and the New York Yankees beat the Tigers, 5-4 at Yankee Stadium.

The Tigers led 4-1 in the sixth inning, but the Yanks scored single runs from the sixth through the ninth to earn the win, their fourth straight over Detroit, all in New York. The Tigers dropped three of four to the Yankees in New York just three weeks ago, a series that just preceded Detroit winning 12 of 16.

However, the Tigers (35-30) have now lost three straight.

With the score tied 1-1, the Tigers erupted for three runs in the sixth inning off Yankees starter Al Downing. The inning could have been even more productive, but Ray Oyler hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end it with runners on first and second.

With two out and nobody on in the ninth, Tigers reliever Hank Aguirre (0-1) looked to be in control. But Robinson flared a single to right field, and Tresh poked an opposite field hit into the right field corner. Robinson, running at the crack of the bat, beat the relayed throw of Al Kaline's to score the winning run.

Tigers starter Denny McLain went six innings (two earned runs). He was followed by John Hiller, who was touched for two runs in one-plus inning of work. Dave Wickersham (one inning) and Aguirre followed Hiller.

Dooley Womack picked up the win in relief for New York. Al Downing started (six innings, three earned runs) and was relieved by Thad Tillotson (two innings).

The Tigers fell into a second place tie with Boston, five games behind the Chicago White Sox.

Game 65	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
DET	1	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	4	7	1
NY	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	1	1	5	11	0
Two out when winning run scored

WP- Womack

LP- Aguirre (0-1)

Thursday, June 22, 1967: Minnesota 6, Tigers 2

Detroit, MI- The Tigers bats were quiet yet again as the Minnesota Twins earned a 6-2 victory at Tiger Stadium Thursday afternoon.

Detroit managed just four hits for the second straight game, falling to lefty Jim Kaat, who pitched a complete game.

The Twins jumped on Tigers starter Joe Sparma (6-7) with two runs in the first inning on a home run by Tony Oliva. Minnesota added four runs in the sixth, driving Sparma from the game.

The Tigers (35-29) didn't score until Bill Freehan deposited his ninth home run into the left field seats, with Al Kaline aboard, in the eighth inning.

Kaat walked two and struck out nine, and helped his own cause with a two-run triple.

Game 64	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
MIN	2	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	6	9	3
DET	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	4	1

WP- Kaat

LP- Sparma (6-7)

Tuesday, June 20, 1967: California 2, Tigers 1 (11 inn)

Detroit, MI- Roger Repoz hit a solo home run with one out in the 11th inning, leading the California Angels to a 2-1 win over the Tigers at Tiger Stadium.

Repoz's blast into the upper deck in right field made a loser of the Tigers and Dave Wickersham (1-2), who started the 11th inning in relief of John Hiller.

Johnny Podres got a spot start and did well for Detroit, going seven innings and allowing just one run and six hits. Mike Marshall went 1.2 innings and Hiller pitched 1.1 innings.

The Angels scored in the first inning on a Paul Schaal double, which plated Jose Cardenal. The Tigers (35-28) scored their run in the fourth on a Norm Cash single that scored Al Kaline.

The Tigers had just four hits, and three of those were in succession in the fourth inning.

Jack Hamilton also went seven innings for the Angels. George Brunet pitched two scoreless frames, and the winner was Pete Cimino, who tossed two innings.

The Tigers didn't get a base hit after the fifth inning. The Angels managed 10 hits.

Game 63	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
CAL	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	10	0
DET	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0

WP- Cimino

LP- Wickersham (1-2)

Monday, June 19, 1967: Tigers 10-4, California 2-3 (DH)

Detroit, MI- The Tigers unleashed their offense full throttle in the first game and squeezed out just enough in the second game in sweeping a doubleheader from the California Angels, 10-2 and 4-3 at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers used a 14-hit attack in Game 1 as the sloppy Angels helped Detroit's cause with four errors and two wild pitches. Al Kaline had four hits in the first game, including a two-run homer.

Mickey Stanley went 3-for-4 in both games, raising his average from .182 to .214.

Mickey Lolich pitched a six-hit complete game to win Game 1, while Denny McLain went eight innings in winning the nightcap.

The Tigers (35-27) trailed 3-1 in the fifth inning of Game 2 but scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth to pull out the win. Stanley's RBI single in the eighth inning proved to be the game-winner.

Detroit has won 12 of 16.

In the first game, the Tigers broke open a 1-0 game by scoring five runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth.

Fred Gladding pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 15th save in the second game.

Game 61	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CAL	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	6	4
DET	0	0	1	5	4	0	0	0	X	10	14	0
Game 62	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CAL	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	1
DET	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	1	X	4	8	0

Game 61

WP- Lolich (8-4)

LP- Wright

Game 62

WP- McLain (5-6)

SV- Gladding (15)

LP- Hamilton

Sunday, June 18, 1967: Tigers 3, Kansas City 1

Detroit, MI- Joe Sparma pitched eight strong innings and drove in a run with a squeeze bunt, and the Tigers beat the Kansas City Athletics, 3-1 at Tiger Stadium.

Sparma (6-6) allowed just three hits, though he walked six. He struck out eight.

In the third inning, Sparma got the scoring started with a squeeze bunt that scored Ray Oyler, who had advanced to third base after A's left fielder Reggie Jackson let Oyler's single slip past him for a two-base error.

The Tigers (33-27) added an unearned run in the fifth to make it 2-0, then after the A's scored a run in the sixth, the Tigers responded one inning later when Norm Cash's double scored Al Kaline from first base.

Fred Gladding picked up his 14th save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Jim Hunter went seven innings for the A's in the losing effort.

Game 60	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
KC	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	2
DET	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	X	3	7	0

WP- Sparma (6-6)

SV- Gladding (14)

LP- Hunter

Saturday, June 17, 1967: Tigers 4-2, Kansas City 3-7 (DH)

Detroit, MI- Tony Pierce pitched a complete-game, seven-hitter, and Detroit's Earl Wilson surrendered four home runs as the Kansas City A's earned a split of a doubleheader with a 7-2 win on Saturday.

The Tigers won the first game, 4-3, with a run in the bottom of the ninth.

Wilson (8-5) was battered in his four-plus inning start as the A's took him deep four times---by Rick Monday (twice), Mitch Webster and Jim Gosger.

The Tigers bullpen shut the A's down after the fifth inning, but the damage had been done.

In the opener, Detroit (32-27) fell behind 3-0 but scored single runs in the sixth through ninth innings to pull out the victory.

The Tigers scored the winning run when Willie Horton's double scored Al Kaline from first base with one out in the ninth.

Kaline (12) hit a home run in each game.

Game 58	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
KC	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	6	0
DET	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	4	11	0
One out when winning run scored.
Game 59	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
KC	3	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	7	10	0
DET	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	7	1

Game 58

WP- Marshall (3-0)

LP- Aker

Game 59

WP- Pierce

LP- Wilson (8-5)