81' Tigers Keep Rolling in May

Tigers' closer has 9 Saves through 40 games.

My 1981 Detroit Tigers keep rolling through the month of May, as they are now 28-12 through their first 40 games of the season -- 16-5 during the month of May.

The Tigers just got done splitting a four-game series with the Baltimore Orioles, meaning the Orioles could not gain any ground on the first-place Tigers.

Here's a look at the A.L. East Standings...

• Detroit Tigers (28-12) - Won 1, +82 scoring differential.
• Baltimore Orioles (24-14), 3 GB - Lost 1, +38 scoring differential.
• Cleveland Indians (21-13), 4 GB - +17 scoring differential.
• Milwaukee Brewers (22-17), 5.5 GB, +18 scoring differential.
• Boston Red Sox (22-18), 6 GB, -2 scoring differential.
• New York Yankees (19-20), 8.5 GB, + 6 scoring differential.
• Toronto Blue Jays (12-30), 17 GB, -48 scoring differential.

and the A.L. West Standings...

• Oakland Athletics (28-17)
• Texas Rangers (21-17), 3.5 GB
• Chicago White Sox (20-17), 4 GB
• California Angels (20-24), 7.5 GB
• Kansas City Royals (12-21), 10 GB
• Seattle Mariners (13-27), 12.5 GB
• Minnesota Twins (12-27), 13 GB

The Tigers just finished a 12-game home stretch & now will start their road trip with a 4-game series in Milwaukee; The Brewers will be a tough match-up, and are looking to climb the division standings.

Due to the recent double-header against the Baltimore Orioles, the Tigers have to do an emergency start with Aurelio Lopez against Milwaukee's Jim Slaton; Lopez has a perfect ERA in 22.1 scoreless innings.

The Detroit Tigers' bullpen has been stellar, allowing a combined 13 earned runs in 86.1 innings this season, making a lean 1.36 ERA.

• Kevin Saucier: 3-0, 2.08 ERA, 9 SV, 19 K, 7 BB & .692 WHIP in 26 innings.
• Dave Tobik: 3-2, 1.66 ERA, 1 SV, 9 K, 9 BB & .816 WHIP in 38 innings.
• Aurelio Lopez: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 K, 6 BB & .627 WHIP in 22.1 innings.

The lineup slumped as of recent, with their team batting average dropping from .273 to .267, but that has not stopped Lance Parrish's powerful bat, as he has clobbered 15 HR & 33 RBI during his first 40 games. 

The team is rolling in all areas, as their team pitching ERA is only 2.47 to go along with their respectable hitting.