It looks like Max Scherzer's brief stint with the Detroit Tigers' Triple-A affiliate the Toledo Mud Hens was just what he needed.
Scherzer dominated while in Toledo, and he looked to be in top form against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
The young right-handed pitcher blazed his way through the A's lineup with 14 of 17 outs coming by way of strikeout.
And he was aided by his friends during his second big-league triumph.
Detroit's offense perked up a bit, and the MoTowners downed the A's 10-2 for the first win of the Memorial Day weekend series.
More importantly, there seems to be a little life in catcher Gerald Laird's bat—even if for a game.
Laird did something Sunday that he has had trouble accomplishing lately—putting the ball in play.
He finished with two hits, one of which scored a run. On the other side of the coin, his excitement to be on base cost Jim Leyland's club a base runner, as he was picked off by a sly move to first by A's pitcher Dallas Braden .
In his second game back from the 15-day disabled list, second basemen Carlos Guillen made his return felt.
Guillen collected just one hit, which drove in a run, but his arm and glove are proving to be invaluable at the middle bag—a slot that he hasn't played on regular basis in over a decade.
His presence in the infield has brought much needed relief to a position that has been weak for the Tigers.
Brandon Inge must be reading newspapers and Tigers blogs.
He looked like he was on a mission to dismiss his abysmal month-long hitting drought. May hasn't been kind to Inge—he has just 13 hits in the month, 11 less than he did in April. Racking up three in the last week will likely boost his confidence in regard to swinging the stick.
The Tigers' third baseman went 3-for-3, which included a home run in the fourth inning. The touch-em-all hit put the Tigers in cruise control on their way to their 26th win of the season.
And speaking of bats, Miguel Cabrera's is hotter than the weather. Cabrera is on a maniacal pace in 2010, plating runs like it's going out of style. He had four RBIs on Sunday and holds the top spot in the majors with 48, which is five better than Texas' Vlad Guerrero.
The American League Central race appears to be a two-horse derby. The Minnesota Twins are nursing a three-game advantage, with Tigers slowly but surely gaining ground.
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