O n a beautiful October afternoon in 2006 fans filled Comerica Park in Detroit for a special day of baseball The fans could barely stay in their seats The Detroit Tigers were hosting the Oak land Athletics in the American League Championship Series ALCS The Tigers led the series 3 0 With one more win they would advance to the World Series for the first time since 1984 The game stayed close throughout With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning the Tigers and A’s were tied at 3 3 Two runners were on base as Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez stepped to the plate With a base hit the Tigers would be going to the World Series With an out they would go to extra innings Ordonez was one of the top batters for the Tigers in 2006 He had hit 298 with 24 home runs and 104 runs batted in RBIs that season He had Magglio Ordonez celebrates his three-run homer as he runs around the Magglio Ordonez celebrates his three-run homer as he runs around the bases The home run sent the Tigers to the 2006 World Series bases The home run sent the Tigers to the 2006 World Series RESTORING THE ROAR 5
already hit a home run in this game When he saw a pitch he liked he hit another one Just like that the Tigers won 6 3 The fans went wild Ordonez raised his arms above his head while he jumped and skipped around the bases When he arrived at home plate the entire Tigers team grabbed him in a big hug The Tigers have a long his tory in Major League Baseball MLB But in 2003 they lost 119 games That was the worst in team history One more loss Still the Worst Still the Worst Still the Worst The New York Mets f nished an MLB The New York Mets finished an MLB The New York Mets finished an MLB worst 40 120 in their first season worst 40 120 in their first season 1962 No other MLB team has lost 1962 No other MLB team has lost 1962 No other MLB team has lost that many games in a season But that many games in a season But the 2003 Detroit Tigers came close the 2003 Detroit Tigers came close the 2003 Detroit Tigers came close The Tigers had 118 losses with six The Tigers had 118 losses with six The Tigers had 118 losses with six games still to play They looked like games still to play They looked like games still to play They looked like games still to play They looked like they would tie or break the record they would tie or break the record they would tie or break the record But they won five out of their last six But they won five out of their last six But they won five out of their last six games to avoid being a bad part of games to avoid being a bad part of baseball history baseball history would have tied them for the worst record in major league history Tigers fans were very embarrassed by all of the los ing The once-proud team had become a national joke But the Tigers avoided that 120th loss Three years later they were back among the top teams in baseball The Tigers dream 2006 season ended at the World Series They made eight errors against the National League NL champion St Louis Cardi nals in the World Series That was the most in World Series history The pitchers had the most trouble They committed a World Series-record five errors Pitchers Justin Verlander and Fernando Rodney struggled fielding bunts and throwing to first base Their throws were wild and the errors proved 6 DETROIT TIGERS
After a great regular season outfielder Curtis Granderson and the Tigers struggled in the 2006 World Series costly The Cardinals beat the Tigers four games to one Although the Tigers did not win the World Series the fans in Detroit were still happy After all their team was winning once again And with a young team the Tigers appeared ready to keep winning The Tigers had brought in established veterans like Ordonez pitcher Kenny Rogers catcher Ivan Rodriguez and shortstop Carlos Guillen They teamed with young players such as pitchers Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman and out fielder Curtis Granderson to create a solid core The Tigers again showed a commitment to winning The proud tradition that is Detroit Tigers baseball lived on RESTORING THE ROAR 7
