JUPITER, Fla. -- David Price's last outing was a little unusual, but he did not write it off as just part of spring training.
After giving up four runs on four hits in two innings against the Washington Nationals last Wednesday, Price decided he needed work with pitching coach Jeff Jones.
"Me and Jonesy had a good bullpen three days ago, threw 38 pitches in my bullpen and that's way more pitches than I would ever throw in any bullpen but we just needed to work some stuff out and I felt like I found my delivery," Price said. "If I can just have my delivery, it just puts me in a position where I can repeat everything and be more consistent."
On Monday in Jupiter, Fla., against the St. Louis Cardinals, Price found whatever went missing, throwing four scoreless innings, allowing one hit while walking one and striking out five in the Tigers' 1-0 loss.
Price needed just 48 pitches to get through four innings.
"Curveball was good, threw it for strikes, threw some good cutters backdoor to righties, right and lefties," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Fastball location looked outstanding from the side."
Price could have gone another inning but he and Jones decided it was not necessary.
"I just didn't want to go out there and get two quick outs and then walk a guy, hit a guy or worst-case scenario, give up a homer or something like that," Price said. "If I would have gotten taken out of an inning the way the first four innings went, that wouldn't have sat well with me. It could have ruined my day. We just wanted to end it on a high note."
Jones said it's easier to get to know a pitcher in spring training than in the heat of a pennant race.
The first thing Jones asks a new pitcher is what to look for when the pitcher's delivery is off.
"His delivery normally is pretty solid," Jones said. "He can make corrections when he needs to, which is the sign of a really good pitcher."
Price said both Jones and bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer know to make sure Price is staying over the rubber.
"That's the one thing in my delivery that I need to be able to repeat every single time," Price said. "If I do that, then I have a chance to be successful out there."
The Tigers did not score a run but had a chance to do so in the fifth when Yoenis Cespedes led off with a double.
With two outs, Daniel Fields singled up the middle but Ausmus wasn't taking any chances with Cespedes, who left Thursday's game early with left quad tightness.
Ausmus had already told Cespedes to take it easy and then before the single, warned third-base coach Dave Clark not to send Cespedes unless he could make it easily.
"I'd rather keep Cespedes healthy and cost us a spring training game, quite frankly," Ausmus said.
The only other Tigers hit was Manny Pina's single in the seventh inning.
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