GDT: 8/22/11 - DET (68-58) AT TB (69-56) - 7:10 p.m. ET ---
AT ---
Detroit Tigers AT Tampa Bay RaysMonday, August 22, 2011
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Game Time - 7:10 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.
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Preview Something must give when hot Tigers, Rays collideBy Zack Meisel / MLB.com | 8/21/2011 6:09 PM ET
The American League Central-leading Tigers just finished off a three-game sweep of second-place Cleveland -- and they did so without a start from ace Justin Verlander.
The right-hander will take to the mound Monday against Tampa Bay looking to continue Detroit's hot stretch, and he'll do so with an extra day of rest since his last start.
"I think he's pitched a lot," manager Jim Leyland said of Verlander, who leads the Majors with 195 innings pitched. "I think you've got to pick your spots, try to help him a little bit. We just think this time, and I think he'll get six [days] one more time before the season's over."
Verlander has earned the victory in each of his last six starts. In his last outing, he held the Twins to one run and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings.
On Monday, he'll square off against the Rays, a team Leyland isn't taking lightly -- and for good measure. In Verlander's only start against Tampa this season, he allowed six runs and nine hits in six innings, his worst outing of the season.
"I know that we're going to battle him offensively," Rays skipper Joe Maddon said. "We don't run away from anybody. ... That group that wants to say, 'Oh my gosh, so and so is pitching' and 'it's going to be a tough night,' that team isn't going anywhere."
The Rays have won five consecutive, including completing a three-game sweep of Seattle on Sunday, and 10 of their last 12 overall.
"They're playing really good. They're hot," Leyland said. "Probably the best all-around rotation. It's pretty impressive. Those guys are deep into the game every night. They're really pitching their fannies off."
Despite Leyland's concerns, the Tigers are 3-0 against the Rays so far this season.
Tigers: Jackson ends strikeout-less streak• Austin Jackson struck out once in four at-bats Sunday, ending a streak of eight consecutive contests without a punchout. Jackson has whiffed more than any other Tiger, with 129 on the season, 32 more than any other Detroit hitter.
"I'm just trying to be patient and take my at-bat and try to use it as my time and not go up there and let the pitcher dictate how long that at-bat is going to be," Jackson said.
Rays: Niemann set for Monday's game• Tampa will send Jeff Niemann to the mound on Monday. Niemann turned in one of his most sterling starts of the season his last time out, when he tossed a complete game against the Red Sox, holding Boston to two runs and three hits while striking out 10.
"[My] fastball command was pretty good, so we were able to get some early strikes with that and go to the off-speed later," Niemann said.
Worth noting• Tigers All-Star catcher Alex Avila is batting .429 (24-for-56) in the month of August.
• Tampa Bay only plays two more series against teams with records below .500, and both sets are against the Orioles. The Rays still have a pair of series each against the Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers and Blue Jays.
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (18-5, 2.31 ERA)The Tigers used an off-day to give Verlander an extra day of rest. It cost him a rematch against division rival Cleveland, but he gets a potentially tricky matchup in St. Pete and a reunion with ex-teammate Johnny Damon.
Rays: RHP Jeff Niemann (8-4, 3.29 ERA)Niemann went the distance against the Red Sox Tuesday night, holding the AL's top hitting team to three hits while earning his eighth win of the season. The 6-foot-9 right-hander has won his last seven decisions and is 8-1 since April 28.
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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:
-
Thursday, September 1 versus Kansas City at 1:05 p.m. (rescheduled from May 15)
INJURY UPDATE: •
INF Carlos Guillen (sore left wrist,
15-day disabled list on August 13),
•
RHP Al Alburquerque (concussion,
7-day disabled list on August 12).
•
RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow olecranon fracture surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 30).
•
LHP Brad Thomas (left elbow inflammation,
60-day DL on May 11)
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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) • Tuesday, August 23: Tigers (RHP
Brad Penny (8-9, 4.97 ERA))
AT Rays (LHP
David Price (11-10, 3.59 ERA)),
7:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Wednesday, August 24: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (13-7, 4.23 ERA))
AT Rays (RHP
Wade Davis (8-7, 4.43 ERA)),
7:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)