GDT: 7/5/11 - DET (45-41) AT LAA (45-41) - 10:05 p.m. ET ---
AT ---
Detroit Tigers AT Los Angeles AngelsTuesday, July 5, 2011
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Game Time - 10:05 p.m. EDT REMEMBERING SPARKYThe Tigers are wearing a patch on their right
sleeves this season in the shape of a home
plate emblazoned with the name SPARKY, to
honor Hall of Fame manager Sparky
Anderson who passed away on November 4, 2010.
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Preview Verlander, Haren to square off in AnaheimBy Alex Ruppenthal / MLB.com | 7/5/2011 12:40 AM ET
Dan Haren knows what he's up against Tuesday.
The Angels' right-hander will face the Tigers' Justin Verlander, who leads the American League in wins and strikeouts and has given up the fewest walks and hits per nine innings.
One pitcher whose first half compares with Verlander's is Angels starter Jered Weaver.
"I don't think anybody's even close to those two guys," Haren said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of facing the Tigers."
Haren isn't having a bad season himself. He is 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA, 10th in the AL.
"They're totally different in the way they pitch," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Verlander has that electric power stuff. He relies on stuff and movement, changing movement from fastball to breaking ball to changeup. As opposed to Dan Haren, who relies on locating pitches with a different variety of looks. They have different ways of going about it, but are two of the best pitchers in baseball."
Surprisingly, several Angels hitters have hit Verlander well in their careers. Maicer Izturis, Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Erick Aybar have all hit better than .300 against Detroit's ace.
The Angels won the opener of the three-game series, 5-1, on Monday.
Tigers: Knapp key in Verlander's developmentThe Tigers fired pitching coach Rick Knapp over the weekend, but manager Jim Leyland said
Knapp was instrumental in the development of several of Detroit's pitchers."If you are going to shed some of that blame to Rick Knapp, about the overall staff not doing as well as we expected, you also have to give him credit for [Jose] Valverde and Verlander and [Al] Alburquerque and other guys," Leyland said.Angels: Looking to keep pace with TexasThe Angels moved into a first-place tie with the Rangers on Sunday, the first time they've been at the top of the division since May 27.
The Angels have won six of seven and each of their last six series, compiling a 15-6 record in their last 21 games.
• Abreu entered Monday's game a career .335 hitter against the Tigers, fourth-highest among active players.
Worth noting:• The Angels are 51-28 against the Tigers since 2002.
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If Verlander wins Tuesday, he will become the third Tigers pitcher in 23 years to win eight straight starts, joining Jeremy Bonderman (2007) and Dave Mlicki (1999).
• Verlander has gone at least six innings in each of his 18 starts this season.
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (11-3, 2.32 ERA)Verlander gets his first start in July after going 6-0 with a 0.92 ERA and better than eight innings per start in June. He has a shot to become the American League's first 12-game winner. He has never lost at Angel Stadium.
Angels: RHP Dan Haren (8-5, 2.85 ERA)In search of his offspeed stuff, Haren found it during 7 1/3 dominant innings, holding the Nationals to two hits on Wednesday. After a seven-start winless stretch, he has four wins in his past six outings and appears to have found his groove.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationRESCHEDULED GAMES: The following is the information on the rescheduled Tigers games postponed at Comerica Park this season:
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Thursday, September 1 versus Kansas City at 1:05 p.m. (rescheduled from May 15)
INJURY UPDATE: •
RHP Al Alburquerque (right forearm flexor mass inflammation,
15-day disabled list on June 30),
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LHP Brad Thomas (left elbow inflammation,
15-day disabled list on May 11),
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INF Carlos Guillen (left knee microfracture surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 30),
Rehab with Toledo•
RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow olecranon fracture surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 30).
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To track MLB play-by-play, to help post GDT outcomes: http://m.mlb.com/scores/On the Internet MLB.TV Gameday Audio•
Gameday•
Official Press Pass game notesOn television •
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Direct TV Extra Innings ScheduleOn radio•
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XM Channel Schedule______________________________________
Up next (Probable Pitchers) • Wednesday, July 6: Tigers (RHP
Brad Penny (5-6, 4.43 ERA))
AT Angels (RHP
Tyler Chatwood (5-4, 3.83 ERA)),
3:35 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Thursday, July 7: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (9-4, 4.90 ERA))
AT Royals (LHP
Danny Duffy (1-3, 5.09 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Friday, July 8: Tigers (RHP
Rick Porcello (7-6, 4.96 ERA))
AT Royals (RHP
Kyle Davies (1-7, 7.77 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)