GDT: 7/23/11 - DET (53-46) AT MIN (46-53) - 4:10 p.m. ET ---
AT ---
Detroit Tigers AT Minnesota TwinsSaturday, July 23, 2011
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Game Time - 4:10 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. Anderson’s number 11 was retired
in a pre-game ceremony on June 26.
______________________________________
Preview Baker returns from DL to face division-rival TigersBy Cash Kruth / MLB.com | 7/23/2011 12:14 AM ET
The Tigers look to continue their dominance against the Twins on Saturday, while Minnesota hopes a fresh pitcher will be Detroit's kryptonite.
Minnesota right-hander Scott Baker (strained right flexor muscle) will return from the disabled list to make his first start since July 5, and will try to snap the Twins' 11-game losing streak against the Tigers.
Baker threw a bullpen session on Wednesday and said he felt good to go. Twins trainer Rick McWane echoed Baker's thoughts on Friday, saying that the right-hander "has no problems." Baker said the bullpen session went as well as could be expected.
"The intensity was about as good as it's going to get just testing it out," Baker said. "Obviously you can't duplicate game intensity. But I did everything I could to test it to make sure the strength was good."
The Tigers, meanwhile, look to extend what already is their longest winning streak against their division rivals, which dates back to Sept. 2, 2010. Prior to their current stretch, the Tigers had recorded a nine-game winning streak against Minnesota three different times, with the last one coming July 27, 1949 to May 6, 1950, when the Twins were the Washington Senators.
After the Tigers recorded their 10th straight win against the Twins on Thursday, skipper Jim Leyland tried to downplay the streak.
"I think it's just one of those things," Leyland said. "I think things go in cycles. We've had some success against them recently, but in fairness, they had a lot of their guys missing in some of that stretch. They still don't have all their guys out there. So I don't put much stock in that."
Tigers: Penny goes for third straight victoryRight-hander Brad Penny takes the mound for the Tigers on Saturday gunning for his third straight victory. Penny has pitched well as of late, posting a 3.38 ERA in his last four starts, working into the seventh inning in each. He last faced the Twins on May 30, allowing five runs on 10 hits in six innings to take a no-decision. He is 2-0 with a 5.79 ERA in four career starts against Minnesota.
• Closer Jose Valverde has converted 25 straight saves, the third-longest mark in franchise history.
Twins: Kubel returns to actionJason Kubel returned from the 15-day disabled list on Friday, going 1-for-2 with two walks in his first game back. When Kubel was placed on the DL (retroactive to May 31), the Twins were 17-36 and 14 1/2 games back in the American League Central. Now the club is 46-53 and just seven games back of the Tigers.
"We're in a lot better shape coming back than when I left, that's for sure," Kubel said. "So that made it a little easier, sitting back and watching them play. I had a good time watching them play well and win some games. So now to finally be a part of that, I want to keep it going and not look back."
Kubel returned at the perfect time. Since 2009, he is hitting .348 with 14 doubles, four home runs and 28 RBIs against the Tigers.
• Joe Nathan has a .175 ERA in his last 11 games since returning from the DL, allowing only five hits, striking out seven and walking zero. He is two saves away from tying Rick Aguilera (254) for first on the Twins all-time saves list.
Worth noting• Joe Mauer is ninth on the Twins all-time walks list with 447, one away from tying Tony Oliva and three away from tying Kirby Puckett (450).
• Detroit's Joaquin Benoit is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 22 strikeouts in his last 25 outings.
• Current Tigers are hitting .342 against Baker, with Magglio Ordonez batting .469 with two homers and 11 RBIs against the right-hander.
Tigers: RHP Brad Penny (7-6, 4.47 ERA)Penny has struggled early in his last two starts, but rebounded to pick up wins in both of them. He has given up three runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts and had at least 10 groundouts in seven of those starts.
Twins: RHP Scott Baker (7-5, 3.01 ERA)Baker threw a bullpen on Wednesday with no problems and will return to action on Saturday against the Tigers. He last started on July 5, but left that start after five innings due to a right flexor muscle strain.
______________________________________
Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationRESCHEDULED GAMES: The following is the information on the rescheduled Tigers games postponed at Comerica Park this season:
-
Thursday, September 1 versus Kansas City at 1:05 p.m. (rescheduled from May 15)
INJURY UPDATE: •
RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow olecranon fracture surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 30).
______________________________________
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 •
FOX•
Direct TV Extra Innings ScheduleOn radio•
,
•
XM Channel Schedule______________________________________
Up next (Probable Pitchers) • Sunday, July 24: Tigers (RHP
Rick Porcello (9-6, 4.76 ERA))
AT Twins (LHP
Francisco Liriano (6-7, 4.56 ERA)),
4:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Monday, July 25: Tigers (LHP
Duane Below (0-0, 1.80 ERA))
AT White Sox (LHP
Mark Buehrle (7-5, 3.38 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Tuesday, July 26: Tigers (RHP
Justin Verlander (13-5, 2.24 ERA))
AT White Sox (RHP
Jake Peavy (4-4, 5.19 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Wednesday, July 27: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (11-5, 4.35 ERA))
AT White Sox (LHP
John Danks (3-8, 3.92 ERA)),
2:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)