Tigers 4, Royals 5 (11) (3/31/08)
The Tigers opened their 2008 season with a snapshot of everything fans had hoped to see and an ending that featured the questions about the bullpen that fans had started to ask.
Miguel Cabrera launched a home run to center in his first game as a Tiger. Magglio Ordonez picked up where he left off in defense of his batting title. Justin Verlander was almost impossible to hit for five innings, and Brandon Inge made a highlight defensive play in center field.
All those individual efforts, however, didn’t add up to a victory. And after Tony Pena singled in John Buck in the 11th inning to put the Royals ahead for a 5-4 Tigers loss, the challenge facing Detroit’s bullpen with Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya out didn’t look any easier.