TIGERS 6, NATIONALS 5
LAKELAND, Fla. - Leading for most of the afternoon, Washington gave up one run in the eighth and three in the ninth to fall to Detroit.
Rookie Levale Speigner was charged with all four runs and took the loss, but Chris Booker was on the mound when things fell apart in the ninth. Summoned from the bullpen with one out in the ninth, two runners on and the Nationals clinging to a 5-4 lead, Booker immediately walked Mark Haske on four pitches to load the bases. Timo Perez then hit a game-tying sacrifice fly, and Ryan Raburn followed with the game-winning single.
Washington scored all five of its runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by Cristian Guzman’s three-run homer off lefty Mike Maroth.
Starter Jason Bergmann overcame a shaky start to toss five effective innings. Speigner, who hadn’t allowed a run all spring, followed and finally succumbed in the eighth and ninth.
TEMPERATURE CHECK
Lukewarm: Jason Bergmann
Horrible in the first, solid after that
Cold: 0.00 ERA
Speigner finally gives up a run after 13 2/3 innings
Hot: Guzie
Swinging a mean bat right now
Hot: 9-3 groundout
Snelling guns down Timo Perez
BY THE NUMBERS
.471
Cristian Guzman’s batting average this spring
71
Years the Tigers have held spring training in Lakeland
OVERHEARD
“This is my job. I’ve got to be ready to go when they call on me.”
- Reliever Chris Booker, who blew a ninth-inning lead today.
SEVEN-DAY SCHEDULE
Tomorrow: vs. Mets in Viera, 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Orioles (ss) in Viera; vs. Marlins (ss) in Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
Thursday: vs. Orioles in Columbus, Ohio, 4:05 p.m.
Friday: vs. Orioles in Norfolk, 2:05 p.m.
Saturday: vs. Orioles at RFK Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday: Workout at RFK Stadium
Monday: Opening Day vs. Marlins, 1:05 p.m.
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