Detroit — Manager Ron Gardenhire was back in his office, bouncing around the field during batting practice and generally looking fine. Maybe still a bit puffy around the lips, but otherwise, just fine. Gardenhire left Tuesday’s game in the third inning when an allergic reaction made him swollen, particularly around the face, and breaking out in red rashes. “It was a bad feeling,” Gardenhire said Wednesday. “I thought it was an abscessed tooth or something. It tingled and went away, then came back.” The redness and uncomfortable feeling returned with a vengeance and “didn’t look good," said Gardenhire. When the Tigers’ training staff saw Gardenhire, they recommended he get into the clubhouse and take something immediately. Bench coach Steve Liddle ran the team in Gardenhire's absence. More: Former Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus doesn't begrudge fans' ire “Somewhere in the third inning (Gardenhire left the game), it started happening in the first inning,” Gardenhire said. “It felt like it went into my upper lip. People were staring at me and were saying, ‘Whoa.’ “The docs said we have to get some drugs in you and that’s what I did the rest of the game (spent it in the medical room). They were concerned if it gets into your throat that can be dangerous, so they said you have to go. I didn’t have a choice. “I took Benadryl and it calmed it down a little bit. “I’ve never had anything like that before. Never been allergic to anything. I don’t know what it was. But it was definitely a reaction. All over my arms and legs. Definitely had a reaction to something.” More: ‘Amazing’: Former Tiger Mike Fiers throws second career no-hitter Gardenhire can’t pinpoint exactly what he ate that could have reacted so negatively. “We tried to break it down,” Gardenhire said. “I don’t want to point fingers at anybody or anything. I had a quesadilla and power drink, a juice. “I feel a lot better. I still have a bit of puffiness in the lips. A little bit, but I feel better. (But) it was crazy.” Gardenhire was going to have a drink of choice during Wednesday’s game if he got thirsty. “Benadryl on the rocks,” he said. Headed to Lakeland Infielder Josh Harrison (left shoulder contusion) took batting practice Tuesday and was headed later to Single-A Lakeland. Harrison will play three games in Lakeland, Gardenhire said, and meet the Tigers this weekend in Minnesota. “He’s going to play three games, try to get 12 at-bats and get back,” Gardenhire said. “That’s the plan. He swung good out there. He looked good. Driving the ball all over (the field). “Twelve at-bats with a guy like that who has been around (should be enough).” Gardenhire said the decision to send Harrison to Lakeland largely had to do with weather. At least in Florida — instead of, say, Triple-A Toledo — there’s a good chance Harrison will surely get to play and get his swings. “It’s been so bad up this way, and they’re calling for rain in the next day or two,” Gardenhire said. Using everyone Gardenhire sat shortstop Jordy Mercer on Wednesday, while getting Gordon Beckham into the lineup. Mercer has just returned from a strained right quad last week. “Jordy needs a day,” Gardenhire said. “He’s coming back from that quad and after you play a couple of days you get sore ultimately. It happens, it’s like spring training.” This also gave Gardenhire an opportunity to play Beckham, who hadn’t played since Saturday. “Beckham hasn’t played in four or five days, (so) get everyone in there,” said Gardenhire, noting Beckham has had some success against Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs, with two hits in three at-bats. Angels at Tigers First pitch: 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Comerica Park, Detroit TV/radio: FSD/97.1 Scouting report: ►TBA, Angels: Manager Brad Ausmus said before Wednesday’s game he was still undecided who was going to pitch the series finale. ►LHP Ryan Carpenter, Tigers: Carpenter is making his MLB debut this season. He was 1-2 with a 7.25 ERA in six games with the Tigers last season. In Toledo this season, Carpenter is 1-4 with a 4.09 ERA in six starts. ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com Twitter: @tkulfan<doc-sep>Detroit — Ron Gardenhire felt good enough for some lunch Wednesday, though perhaps he should watch what he eats. The Tigers manager made his regularly scheduled appearance at the annual Detroit Economic Club luncheon at MotorCity Casino, a day after leaving the team's game because of an allergic reaction to something he ate or drank. “Feeling all right,” Gardenhire said Wednesday, “other than my fat lips.” Gardenhire left Tuesday night's game against the Angels after the third inning, after his face started swelling. A team doctor gave him medicine which seemed to help, but didn't let him go back to the dugout. Bench coach Steve Liddle ran the team in Gardenhire's absence. "Anytime you have a reaction like that you worry about the airway closing up," Liddle said after Tuesday night's 5-2 loss. "But they say he's doing fine now. I am sure he will tell you all about it tomorrow." Gardenhire is expected to manage Wednesday night's game at Comerica Park. tpaul@detroitnews.com Twitter: @tonypaul1984<doc-sep>DETROIT -- Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire left Tuesday’s game in the third inning after suffering an allergic reaction. Bench coach Steve Liddle, who took over as manager in Gardenhire’s absence, said it was likely something that Gardenhire ate or drank just before the game. “It never got to trouble breathing, but he started to break out in hives and his face was swelling a little bit. So we just thought we need to get him upstairs and get him some medical attention,” Liddle said. “Our team doctor wouldn’t let him come back downstairs. But he’s doing fine now and he’ll be able to tell you about it tomorrow." The Tigers lost Tuesday’s game 5-2 to the Los Angeles Angels, but his reaction wasn’t related to the team’s on-field performance. Probably not, anyway. Left-hander Daniel Norris noticed Gardenhire’s reaction in the dugout. “I said, ‘Did I give you the hives watching me pitch?’ He said no. And then a couple innings later he came back and said, ‘Probably.’”<doc-sep>Detroit — Daniel Norris initially blamed himself. He came in after the top of the third inning to see manager Ron Gardenhire's face swelling up and breaking out in hives. "I said, 'Did I give you the hives watching me pitch?'" Norris said. "He said no. And then a couple innings later he came back and said, 'Probably.'" Truth was, nothing about Norris' five innings of work in the Tigers' 5-2 loss to the Angels Tuesday was overly toxic. Gardenhire, though, had an allergic reaction and by the third inning had to be taken into the trainer's room and given medication. BOX SCORE: Angels 5, Tigers 2 "What we know right now, he had an allergic reaction to something he ate or drank before the game," said bench coach Steve Liddle, who ran the team for the final six innings. "He started having some swelling, so the doctor took him upstairs and didn't let him come back down." The medicine seemed to be working and Liddle said he expected Gardenhire to be back in the dugout Wednesday. "Anytime you have a reaction like that you worry about the airway closing up," Liddle said. "But they say he's doing fine now. I am sure he will tell you all about it tomorrow." Before the game, though, Gardenhire was in fine form. He was asked what he thought of when he saw the Angels. “Heaven?” he said. Well, sure, but in a baseball sense, when you think of the Angels you tend to think of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani. And, since it was his first game back at Comerica Park with his new team, former Tigers manager Brad Ausmus was also a talking point. More: 'Just keep blaming me': Brad Ausmus doesn't begrudge fans' ire Pujols came into the night one RBI shy of becoming the fifth player in history to drive in 2,000 runs. He was looking to join Henry Aaron, Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez and Cap Anson. “He was the premier power guy in the game for a long, long time,” Gardenhire said. “He was one of the most feared hitters I’ve managed against. He’s a real classy guy, loves the game of baseball, but he’s there to beat you, not just shake your hand. “You were lucky if you had the opportunity to be on the same field with him.” Aside from his 1,999 RBIs (No. 2,000 will have to wait another night), Pujols has also eclipsed 600 home runs and 3,000 hits. “I played against Albert for a long time in the N.L. Central,” said Ausmus, who has now had the honor of managing Pujols and Miguel Cabrera. “He’s one of the greatest hitters ever to walk the planet, without question. For about 10 years he was the best. He was the Mike Trout of his time. “Really, it went from Pujols to Cabrera to Trout. But Albert’s body of work is clearly the best.” All those marquee names, and Angels rookie right-hander Griffin Canning, in his second big-league start, threatened to steal the show. "We faced a kid tonight who was on his game," Liddle said. "He had a slider that the guys had a hard time picking up the rotation on. We weren't able to adjust until later on." The only scratch the Tigers got off him over five innings was an infield single by Cabrera — a play that shortstop Andrelton Simmons makes nine out of 10 times. A routine ground ball, Simmons' throw to first was over Pujols’ head at first. Canning retired 14 of the next 15 Tigers, with seven strikeouts, before JaCoby Jones doubled to lead off the sixth. A triple by Nick Castellanos and a single by Cabrera made it a 4-2 game and knocked Canning out of the game. That was the extent of the Tigers' offense. "Just one of those games," Castellanos said. "We battled, competed, we were able to scratch out two runs. But anytime you face a pitcher you've never faced before, it's going to be tough." They didn't fare any better against the Angels bullpen, with just one hit against a trio of Angels relievers. Luke Bard got five outs and Ty Buttrey worked a clean eighth inning. A one-out single by Niko Goodrum was the only mark against Hansel Robles in the ninth. Tigers hitters struck out 11 times. All the damage against Norris came in a four-hit flurry in the third inning. "It was one of those nights where I didn't really have it, but you grind and battle through it," Norris said. Kole Calhoun, Zack Cozart and David Fletcher singled to start the inning. Norris got Trout to ground out to first. Ohtani drove Cozart home with a ground out before Simmons singled home Fletcher. "My body wasn't synced up and I felt off a little bit," said Norris, who lasted five innings for the fourth straight start. "Just that one big inning I have to avoid. They were all singles but, I've got to make better pitches. "I felt better in the fifth and it was nice to finish strong like that. But I put us in a hole and wouldn't come back from it. So, it's on me." The Angels extended the lead to 4-0 against reliever Zac Reininger in the sixth. Brian Goodwin doubled against the shift and scored on a sacrifice fly by Calhoun. Rookie Eduardo Jimenez, called up from Toledo on Sunday, made his Major League debut and worked a scoreless seventh. He allowed a double to Trout, and got a diving catch from third baseman Jeimer Candelario that took a possible RBI single away from Ohtani. The Tigers gifted the Angels their fifth run in the top of the ninth. Lefty Jose Fernandez got the first two batters before walking Trout and Ohtani. Simmons then greeted Buck Farmer with an RBI single to left. The Angels win breaks a seven-game losing streak at Comerica Park for Ausmus. chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com Twitter: @cmccosky<doc-sep>
DETROIT -- Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire still had puffy lips and a slight rash on Wednesday afternoon, almost 24 hours after he suffered a frightening allergic reaction that forced him from the dugout. “When you have an allergic reaction and it gets to your throat, it’s dangerous,” Gardenhire said. "They said, ‘You’ve got to go.’ I didn’t have a choice. They put Benadryl in me and all that. It calmed it down. I had it all night long. It’s still there a little bit this morning, but nothing like I had yesterday. I’m good. Gardenhire said he plans to manage tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. He handed the reins to bench coach Steve Liddle in the third inning on Tuesday. “It’s crazy, one of those crazy events,” he said. Gardenhire is still unsure what caused the reaction. Originally he blamed the coffee he drank before the game that he believed was a special herbal blend prepared by Daniel Norris. “Norris has his special coffee, his herbal-whatever coffee. It’s nothing crazy, I don’t think, just a California surfer-dude thing. He always sets his pot up there. Well, yesterday I forgot and just grabbed the top pot," Gardenhire said. But Norris said his coffee couldn’t be to blame because he doesn’t brew it on days he pitches. Norris started and went five innings for the Tigers on Tuesday. In any case, Gardenhire will lay off the coffee before today’s game. His new drink of choice? “Benadryl on the rocks."