Ausmus considered letting Anibal finish game

OAKLAND -- Anibal Sanchez came within two outs of recording the Tigers' first complete game of the season on Wednesday night, something Detroit manager Brad Ausmus took into consideration.

"It was his third game back from the disabled list," Ausmus said. "We need him for the entire season. If I leave him in and he ends up losing, I'd be kicking myself for not taking him out."

The reality of today's game is that a pitcher starts to lose his effectiveness after 100 pitches.

"A lot of that has to do with the development," Ausmus said. "Guys don't get into the habit of pitching into the seventh, eighth or ninth innings. The bullpen has become specialized."

Ausmus said there are a handful of pitchers, including on his own team, who would want to finish games.

"Clayton Kershaw is a guy like that," he said. "His feeling is when it gets to the ninth, he's better than anyone you could bring in."

Ausmus said he didn't want to have to take Sanchez out in the ninth.

"We all wanted him to finish the game," he said.