GDT: 9/18/11 - DET (88-64) AT OAK (69-83) - 4:05 p.m. ET DETROIT TIGERS 2011 AL CENTRAL DIVISION WINNER ---
AT ---
Detroit Tigers AT Oakland AthleticsSunday, September 18, 2011
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Game Time - 4:05 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 Verlander going for 24th win against A'sBy Spencer Fordin / MLB.com | 9/17/2011 9:39 PM ET
The Tigers have two weeks to enjoy a great achievement and prepare for the playoffs. Detroit, which clinched its first division championship since 1987 on Friday night, will match Justin Verlander against Oakland's Guillermo Moscoso in the series finale on Sunday.
Verlander hasn't thrown a no-decision since May 24, and he's won each of his last 11 starts while holding hitters to a .192 average in that span. Verlander has completed at least six innings in every start this season and leads the American League in wins (23), ERA (2.36) and strikeouts (238).
The A's, meanwhile, are playing to end one streak and give themselves a positive end to a trying campaign. Oakland has gone seven straight months without a winning record -- a skid that dates all the way back to August of 2010 -- but has gone 9-7 thus far in September.
Oakland has hit just 105 home runs, the third-lowest total in the AL and the team's worst mark since hitting 100 homers in 1978. The A's will play host to Texas next week, and manager Bob Melvin wants to evaluate younger players like Chris Carter, Michael Taylor and Jai Miller.
Moscoso took a no-hitter into the eighth inning two starts ago, and he's pitched well for the A's this season. The right-hander has gone 6-2 with a 2.50 ERA at home, compared to 2-6 with a 4.82 mark on the road.
The Tigers have roared out to a 23-6 record since Aug. 19, and they've won 25 of their last 37 games on the road. Designated hitter Victor Martinez has 17 RBIs in his last 16 games, and Miguel Cabrera is on the verge of becoming the fifth Tiger to break 100 runs, walks and RBIs in a season.
Tigers: Valverde shutting games downJose Valverde didn't get a chance to pitch Saturday, but he extended his franchise record to 45 consecutive saves converted in Friday's series opener. Valverde has finished 65 of his 69 appearances this season, and he's held the opposition scoreless 58 times.
Valverde leads the AL and can set a new career high with three more saves. The right-hander has eight saves in his last 10 games and has allowed just two home runs in the second half.
A's: Matsui to get some restHideki Matsui went hitless in Saturday's victory, and Melvin said he'd like to rest the veteran a bit down the stretch. The 37-year-old is currently posting career lows in batting average (.255), on-base (.327) and slugging percentage (.388), but the A's have been impressed with his work.
"He's played a lot. I'd like to give him a handful of games off," said Melvin. "He might have swung at a couple pitches out of the zone, and that's an indication he's tired, which is normal for some of the veteran players at this time of the year. What he has done this year is notable."
Worth noting• Detroit has won a division title four times since divisional play began in 1969.
• Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Rocky Colavito and Norm Cash have all finished with 100 runs, RBIs and walks for the Tigers.
• The A's are 47-21 when scoring first this season.
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (23-5, 2.36 ERA)Verlander will try to build on what is the longest winning streak by a Tiger since Bobo Newsom won in 13 straight outings in 1940. However, his 4-5 record at Oakland is his only losing mark at a ballpark despite a 3.00 ERA.
Athletics: RHP Guillermo Moscoso (8-8, 3.44 ERA)Moscoso, who failed to get out of the fifth inning in a loss to the Angels on Tuesday, will have his work cut out for him against a Tigers team that tagged him for seven runs (six earned) and nine hits, including two home runs, in Detroit on July 19.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationINJURY UPDATE: •
OF Brennan Boesch (right thumb surgery,
15-day disabled list on September 9).
•
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•
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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) • Monday, September 19: OFF DAY
• Tuesday, September 20: Tigers (RHP
Brad Penny (10-10, 5.07 ERA))
AT Royals (RHP
Luis Mendoza (0-0, -.-- ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Wednesday, September 21: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (14-9, 4.39 ERA))
AT Royals (RHP
Felipe Paulino (3-6, 4.10 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)