Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque cruised through his first inning and two-thirds Wednesday, but everyone got a little worried when he looked a little awkward facing his seventh batter of the night.

Considering the 26-year-old missed the majority of last season after elbow surgery, there was reason to be cautious, and assemble everyone on the mound to check out the problem.

“His hip tightened up. He got a knot in his hip. Fortunately, it was nothing with his arm. He kind of felt it on a pitch in the flexor area, then it just kind of grabbed him,” manager Jim Leyland said. “That’s a fortunate thing. I was real suspicious, when I saw him throwing to the last batter or so, so I went out to check him. His hip tightened up. I don’t expect it to be anything. We’re very fortunate it’s not the arm. That’s a good sign.”

Alburquerque said he felt fine after the game.

“I felt it the second pitch. I think I need to stretch more before I pitch in the game. It’s nothing serious. I don’t feel like it’s anything serious,” he said.

“I wanted to make it through my inning. I threw everything for a strike and I felt good. I wanted to get through my inning, no matter how. It’s part of the game.”

He wouldn’t, walking a second straight batter to put two on with two outs.

Joaquin Benoit would relieve him, getting the Tigers out of the seventh-inning jam with a pop fly.

Alburquerque said he felt fine Thursday morning.