Don't really blame anyone. The rundown play should have resulted in an out, but at the very least it should
not have resulted in a run. I understand keeping the runner from going to second (where he ended up at anyway), but I would rather have 2nd and 3rd and a tie game than only 2nd down by a run.
The outcome would have likely been the same, but you cannot give up the go-ahead run. Everyone in the stadium knew that the hitter would get caught off first when the ball was fired in that fast. That is his job. He did a great job of eluding the tag long enough for the run to score, but as soon as the runner from third takes off, throw the ball home!
It wasn't a wide throw that didn't get the runner, it was a late throw. It should have never happened. If Zumaya is brought in with runners and 2nd and 3rd with one out to get a strikeout and another out, why not let him try to do the same with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out and the team tied instead of behind?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the Tigers should just let the runner have 2nd base, but he was much less important than the runner at third. The game was in it's final stages. Zumaya had just given up a hit. He's not the type to give up back to back base knocks. He was just getting warmed up. Let him go for the strikeout on the next batter. It's hard to think ahead with balls flying around and runners moving back and forth, but the cardinal rule still stands: Don't let the go-ahead run score if you can stop it.
The Tigers forgot that, Zumaya got out of the jam with the runner on 2nd and only one out, and they lost the game 2-1.
By the way, Sean Casey may not have made an error yet this season, but being the "borderline gold glove" that Lynn Henning said is completely misstated. Gold glovers make great plays that they shouldn't make, not just all the plays they should. Case in point the run down. Casey was too slow to keep Upton in his sights and had to make a long throw to Guillen. Guillen turned and tried to get the runner at home, but the throw was wide (because it was late). Casey should have been on Upton's back. Zumaya should have run right at Upton with the ball instead of delivering it to Casey. Bad play all around. Another 2003 Tigers fielding show, if you ask me. This team fielded great for 100 games. So, fine, they split 8 games with poor fielding. They better play defense in the last 54, or they could still be in trouble.
