GDT: 9/1/11 - DET (75-61) VS KC (56-81) - 1:05 p.m. ET ---
VS ---
Detroit Tigers VS Kansas City RoyalsThursday, September 1, 2011
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Game Time - 1:05 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. Anderson’s number 11 was retired
in a pre-game ceremony on June 26.
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Preview Young hurlers Turner, Duffy clash in series finaleBy Spencer Fordin / MLB.com | 8/31/2011 4:50 PM ET
The Tigers have a comfortable lead in the American League Central and a month left until the playoffs. And still, they have to tread lightly. Detroit needed the whole game to earn a win on Wednesday, and will go into Thursday's finale against Kansas City seeking some separation.
Detroit, which sits six games ahead of the White Sox in the division standings, didn't push ahead of the Royals for good until the bottom of the eighth inning on Wednesday. The Tigers are 10-5 against Kansas City in 2011 and have won the season series between the two clubs in four of the last six years.
And for the Royals, Wednesday's hard-luck result was more of the same. Of Kansas City's first 137 games, 74 have been decided by two runs or fewer, and the Royals are 30-44 in those circumstances. Of Kansas City's 44 road losses, 25 have been by two runs or fewer.
Detroit, which has taken two of the first three games in this series, will be in danger of looking past the Royals in Thursday's series finale. The second-place White Sox will come to Detroit for an impactful series this weekend, reducing the Tigers' tenuous margin for error.
The Tigers, playing the seventh in a string of 19 straight games against division rivals, send rookie Jacob Turner to the mound for Thursday's series finale. Kansas City will counter with fellow first-year arm Danny Duffy, who has been erratic through his first 18 big league starts.
"He's just got really good stuff," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said of Duffy. "A little young and can sometimes be a little erratic, but he's really got good equipment. I like him a lot."
Turner, meanwhile, will be making just the second start of his career. The 20-year-old right-hander was taken with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, and he's gone 4-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 20 starts split between Double-A Toledo and Triple-A Erie this season.
Last month, Turner allowed two earned runs in a loss to the Angels in his Major League debut. The Tigers will watch him carefully in September and may unleash him for good next season.
"I wouldn't put a lot of emphasis on that, myself," said Leyland of how Turner will gain from his hard-won audition. "But I don't know that. That would be a good question for him."
Royals: Moustakas streaking toward historyMike Moustakas has found a way to distinguish himself amongst one of the league's most impressive crops of rookies. Kansas City's third baseman has a 14-game hitting streak, an accomplishment bested by only one rookie -- David DeJesus -- in the Royals' rich franchise history.
Moustakas batted .423 (22-for-52) over the life of his streak, and he's hitting .338 (27-for-80) in his last 22 games. The 22-year-old has just one homer in his first 67 games, though, a surprise given that he hit 84 home runs in his five seasons playing in Kansas City's farm system.
DeJesus had a pair of 15-game hitting streaks in '04, his rookie campaign.
Tigers: Avila caps red-hot AugustCatcher Alex Avila went hitless on Wednesday to close out a standout August. Detroit's backstop batted .360 (32-for-89) with seven doubles, seven home runs and 18 RBIs in 26 August games. Avila, for the season, is batting .304 (55-for-181) at home and .290 (58-for-200) on the road.
Worth noting• The Royals are 22-30 in one-run games and 8-14 in games decided by two runs this season.
• Eighteen of Detroit's final 26 games will be played against teams from the AL Central. The Tigers are 34-20 against division rivals.
• All five of Kansas City's losses on this road trip have been by one run.
Tigers: RHP Jacob Turner (0-1, 3.38 ERA)An extra day of rest for Justin Verlander means Turner will be called upon to make his second career big league start. The Tigers' top prospect took the loss in his Major League debut on July 30, despite giving up just two runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (3-8, 5.55 ERA)This may or may not be Duffy's final start this season. The Royals have a 150-inning limit on the rookie, and he's at 134 now, counting his Omaha work. With September callups looming, a Minor Leaguer could be slotted into his rotation spot.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationINJURY UPDATE: •
INF Carlos Guillen (sore left wrist,
15-day disabled list on August 13),
•
RHP Al Alburquerque (concussion,
15-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) • Friday, September 2: Tigers (RHP
Justin Verlander (20-5, 2.38 ERA))
VS White Sox (LHP
John Danks (6-9, 3.63 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Saturday, September 3: Tigers (RHP
Brad Penny (9-10, 5.07 ERA))
VS White Sox (RHP
Gavin Floyd (12-10, 4.36 ERA)),
4:10 p.m. ET (FOX / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Sunday, September 4: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (13-8, 4.52 ERA))
VS White Sox (LHP
Mark Buehrle (11-6, 3.05 ERA)),
8:05 p.m. ET (ESPN2 / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)