It may not have had as identifiable a 'cause-and-effect' impact on Wednesday's game as some plays, but there were some grumblings in the Tigers' clubhouse about a missed call by home plate umpire Brian Runge which, at bare minimum, cost the Tigers a baserunner.

Jake Westbrook's first pitch of the third inning was inside to Ramon Santiago, far enough that the switch-hitting infielder couldn't get out of the way. Knowing he was plunked on the thigh by the pitch, Santiago trotted up the first-base line, before being called back.

Runge ruled Santiago, who'd been squared around to bunt, fouled the pitch off.

"I don’t even know. I know the ball hit me, I know I pulled the bat back. Then when the umpire say that, I was shocked. I was like, ‘What?’ He call me (for) a swing or something? Maybe I can take that better, but no. Not a foul ball when it’s not even close," Santiago said Thursday morning.

"C’mon."

Manager Jim Leyland went out to consult with Runge (pictured), but the umpire didn't get help from anyone else on his crew. Santiago would ground out to first baseman Matt Adams three pitches later. 

"I was like ‘Check with the umpire on the other side. Ask him,' " Santiago said. "He say, no, he see it."

One batter later, Westbrook issued his only walk of the game, putting Gerald Laird on first. But it could have been two on and no outs for leadoff hitter Austin Jackson in that situation, instead.

"We don’t make any excuse, but ..." Santiago said. "Those calls like that, you got to make sure — they can cost the game."