GDT29: 5/4/13 - DET (17-11) AT HOU (8-22) - 7:10 p.m. ET

Tigers: RHP Max Scherzer (3-0, 4.02 ERA)

It's a small sample size, but Scherzer is striking out hitters at an even better rate than last year -- 13.21 per nine innings. He could boost that against a Houston lineup that leads the American League in strikeouts.



Astros: RHP Lucas Harrell (3-2, 3.60 ERA)

Harrell is 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last four starts, and he's won three consecutive outings. The Astros went 4-12 from April 13-29, and three of those wins came with Harrell on the mound. He's 15-15 in his career.







Harrell trying to play stopper against Tigers
Righty to square off vs. fireballer Scherzer at Minute Maid Park

By Andrew Simon / MLB.com | 5/4/2013 12:24 AM ET

The Astros have struggled to win games, but with Lucas Harrell on the mound, it's been a different story.

Harrell will get the start on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park as the Astros host the Tigers in the third of a four-game series. He finds himself in the familiar position of trying to stop a losing streak.

Houston has dropped four straight games since Harrell's last outing on Monday against the Yankees. The right-hander, who 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA on the season, has pitched in three of the club's four wins since April 13.

Harrell owns a 1.83 ERA in his past four outings heading into Saturday's matchup with Max Scherzer. In his last start, Harrell used his sinker to induce three double-play grounders in the first four innings and gave up one run in 6 1/3 innings.

"I've been working on trying to get more ground balls and inducing early contact, and [shortstop Ronny] Cedeno and [second baseman Jose] Altuve and [third baseman Matt] Dominguez, they all played great defense behind me," Harrell said. "It makes it easy for me when you know you can get a ground ball and those guys are turning double plays."

Detroit has won seven of its past eight games, but it hasn't had an easy time in the first two in Houston. The Tigers needed 14 innings on Thursday and a ninth-inning comeback on Friday.

Not counting extra innings, Houston's pitchers have allowed seven runs in two games. How will they continue to hold Detroit's potent lineup in check for two more games?

"Hopefully the taxi gets lost," Astros manager Bo Porter joked.

"[The Tigers] are extremely good players," Porter said. "They've been at this game a long time. They play at a real high level. You just have to make quality pitches when those guys are in the batter's box."

Offensively, the Astros will have to capitalize on the chances they have. Not only does the club lead the Major Leagues in strikeouts, but Scherzer ranks second among all pitchers with 13.21 strikeouts per nine innings.

The right-hander, 3-0 with a 4.02 ERA, has three double-digit strikeout performances so far this season. One of those came against the Twins on Monday, when Scherzer gave up three runs in 7 1/3 innings while racking up 10 Ks.

Tigers: Jackson gets rare day off
Center fielder Austin Jackson was not in the starting lineup on Friday for the first time this season, although he did come off the bench late in the game as a defensive replacement. Jackson, who had led off and played center in each of Detroit's first 27 contests, has been fighting a sore hamstring.

Jackson is riding an eight-game hitting streak, during which he has batted .344 with three doubles and a home run.

• Tigers pitchers combined for six strikeouts on Friday, ending an American League-record streak of seven straight games with at least 10 punchouts.

Astros: A hiccup for Veras
Jose Veras' blown save on Friday, in which he gave up a two-run homer to Alex Avila, snapped a string of six straight scoreless appearances, spanning 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander had struck out nine, walked none and allowed three hits during that stretch.

The Astros' closer has received only four save opportunities this season and blown two of them.

• Astros catchers entered Friday leading the AL with a .307 batting average before Carlos Corporan went 0-for-4. Corporan was catching in place of Jason Castro, who started at designated hitter and went 0-for-5 to snap a career-high nine-game hitting streak.

Worth noting
• Scherzer hasn't faced the Astros since 2009, when he started twice against them, including once at Minute Maid Park. Only three current Astros -- Rick Ankiel, Cedeno and Carlos Pena -- have batted against Scherzer.

• Harrell pitched in two games and started one against the Tigers while a member of the White Sox in 2010. He gave up seven runs, three earned, over nine innings.







INJURY UPDATE:


• RHP Octavio Dotel (Right elbow inflammation, 15-day DL retroactive to April 20, 2013).

• LHP Phil Coke (left groin strain, 15-day DL retroactive to April 26, 2013).





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• SUN, May 5:
TIGERS: (RHP Justin Verlander (3-2, 1.83 ERA)) AT
ASTROS: (RHP Philip Humber (0-6, 7.58 ERA))
4:10 p.m. ET (FS-D / FM 97.1)


• MON, May 6:
OFF DAY


• TUE, May 7:
TIGERS: (RHP ? (0-0, -.-- ERA)) AT
NATIONALS: (RHP Jordan Zimmermann (5-1, 1.64 ERA))
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D, MLBN / FM 97.1)


• WED, May 8:
TIGERS: (RHP ? (0-0, -.-- ERA)) AT
NATIONALS: (RHP Dan Haren (3-3, 5.01 ERA))
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D / FM 97.1)

STARTING LINEUPS:


Detroit Tigers:
1. CF: Austin Jackson
2. RF: Torii Hunter
3. 3B: Miguel Cabrera
4. 1B: Prince Fielder
5. DH: Victor Martinez
6. LF: Andy Dirks
7. SS: Jhonny Peralta
8. C: Alex Avila
9. 2B: Omar Infante
SP: Max Scherzer


Houston Astros:
1. CF: Robbie Grossman
2. 2B: Jose Altuve
3. DH: Jason Castro
4. 1B: Carlos Pena
5. C: Carlos Corporan
6. LF: Chris Carter
7. SS: Ronny Cedeno
8. RF: Rick Ankiel
9. 3B: Matt Dominguez
SP: Lucas Harrell

DET - Top 1st
B:1 S:1 O:0
Austin Jackson singles on a line drive to left fielder Chris Carter.

B:3 S:2 O:0
Torii Hunter singles on a ground ball to left fielder Chris Carter. Austin Jackson to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:0
Miguel Cabrera singles on a soft line drive to right fielder Rick Ankiel. Austin Jackson scores. Torii Hunter to 3rd.
1 - 0

B:2 S:3 O:1
Prince Fielder called out on strikes. (clearly ball 4 called as a strike)

B:1 S:2 O:1
Victor Martinez doubles (6) on a fly ball to center fielder Robbie Grossman. Torii Hunter scores. Miguel Cabrera scores.
3 - 0

B:3 S:2 O:2
Andy Dirks lines out to first baseman Carlos Pena.

B:1 S:1 O:2
Jhonny Peralta singles on a soft fly ball to right fielder Rick Ankiel. Victor Martinez scores.
4 - 0

Coaching visit to mound.

B:3 S:3 O:3
Alex Avila called out on strikes.


HOU - Bot 1st
B:2 S:2 O:0
Robbie Grossman singles on a line drive to right fielder Torii Hunter, deflected by first baseman Prince Fielder.

With Jose Altuve batting, Robbie Grossman caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Alex Avila to second baseman Omar Infante.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Jose Altuve grounds out, first baseman Prince Fielder to pitcher Max Scherzer.

B:1 S:3 O:3
Jason Castro called out on strikes.

4 - 0 AFTER 1 INNING

DET - Top 2nd
B:0 S:0 O:0
Omar Infante singles on a line drive to center fielder Robbie Grossman.

B:0 S:1 O:2
Austin Jackson lines into a double play, second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Carlos Pena. Omar Infante doubled off 1st.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Torii Hunter singles on a ground ball to second baseman Jose Altuve, deflected by first baseman Carlos Pena.

With Miguel Cabrera batting, Torii Hunter steals (1) 2nd base.

B:0 S:0 O:2
Miguel Cabrera homers (5) on a line drive to left field. Torii Hunter scores.
6 - 0

B:0 S:1 O:3
Prince Fielder grounds out, second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Carlos Pena.


HOU - Bot 2nd
B:3 S:2 O:1
Carlos Pena flies out to right fielder Torii Hunter.

B:0 S:0 O:2
Carlos Corporan lines out to center fielder Austin Jackson.

B:2 S:3 O:3
Chris Carter strikes out swinging.

6 - 0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

DET - Top 3rd
B:2 S:2 O:1
Victor Martinez grounds out, second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Carlos Pena.

B:0 S:0 O:2
Andy Dirks grounds out, shortstop Ronny Cedeno to first baseman Carlos Pena.

B:3 S:2 O:3
Jhonny Peralta grounds out, shortstop Ronny Cedeno to first baseman Carlos Pena.


HOU - Bot 3rd
B:3 S:3 O:1
Ronny Cedeno strikes out swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:2
Rick Ankiel pops out to shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

B:0 S:3 O:3
Matt Dominguez strikes out swinging.

6 - 0 AFTER 3 INNINGS

DET - Top 4th
B:4 S:2 O:0
Alex Avila walks.

B:0 S:1 O:0
Omar Infante singles on a line drive to center fielder Robbie Grossman. Alex Avila to 2nd.

B:1 S:0 O:1
Austin Jackson flies out to right fielder Rick Ankiel. Alex Avila to 3rd.

B:4 S:1 O:1
Torii Hunter walks. Omar Infante to 2nd.

B:4 S:2 O:1
Miguel Cabrera walks. Alex Avila scores. Omar Infante to 3rd. Torii Hunter to 2nd.
7 - 0

Coaching visit to mound.

B:3 S:3 O:2
Prince Fielder called out on strikes. (clearly a ball called as a strike)

B:3 S:2 O:3
Victor Martinez grounds out, shortstop Ronny Cedeno to first baseman Carlos Pena.


HOU - Bot 4th
B:1 S:3 O:1
Robbie Grossman called out on strikes.

B:0 S:0 O:2
Jose Altuve flies out to center fielder Austin Jackson.

B:2 S:3 O:3
Jason Castro strikes out swinging.

7 - 0 AFTER 4 INNINGS

DET - Top 5th
B:4 S:2 O:0
Andy Dirks walks.

B:1 S:0 O:1
Jhonny Peralta flies out to right fielder Rick Ankiel.

B:3 S:2 O:1
Alex Avila doubles (1) on a line drive to center fielder Robbie Grossman. Andy Dirks scores.
8 - 0

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitching Change: Jose Cisnero replaces Lucas Harrell.

B:4 S:1 O:1
Omar Infante walks.

B:3 S:2 O:2
Austin Jackson flies out to center fielder Robbie Grossman. Alex Avila to 3rd.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Torii Hunter flies out to right fielder Rick Ankiel.


HOU - Bot 5th
B:0 S:1 O:1
Carlos Pena grounds out, second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Prince Fielder.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Carlos Corporan grounds out, first baseman Prince Fielder to pitcher Max Scherzer.

B:0 S:0 O:3
Chris Carter pops out to first baseman Prince Fielder in foul territory.

8 - 0 AFTER 5 INNINGS

DET - Top 6th
B:1 S:0 O:0
Miguel Cabrera homers (6) on a fly ball to left field.
9 - 0

B:0 S:1 O:1
Prince Fielder grounds out, second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Carlos Pena.

B:2 S:2 O:2
Victor Martinez grounds out to first baseman Carlos Pena.

B:1 S:2 O:3
Andy Dirks grounds out, second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Carlos Pena.


HOU - Bot 6th
B:0 S:0 O:1
Ronny Cedeno lines out to right fielder Torii Hunter.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Rick Ankiel pops out to second baseman Omar Infante.

B:0 S:1 O:2
Matt Dominguez singles on a line drive to left fielder Andy Dirks.

With Robbie Grossman batting, wild pitch by Max Scherzer, Matt Dominguez to 2nd.

B:4 S:2 O:2
Robbie Grossman walks.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Jose Altuve grounds into a force out, third baseman Miguel Cabrera to second baseman Omar Infante. Robbie Grossman out at 2nd.

9 - 0 AFTER 6 INNINGS

DET - Top 7th
B:0 S:2 O:1
Jhonny Peralta grounds out, shortstop Ronny Cedeno to first baseman Carlos Pena.

B:3 S:2 O:1
Alex Avila singles on a ground ball to center fielder Robbie Grossman.

B:0 S:2 O:2
Omar Infante lines out to shortstop Ronny Cedeno.

B:3 S:1 O:2
Austin Jackson singles on a line drive to left fielder Chris Carter. Alex Avila to 2nd.

B:2 S:1 O:2
Torii Hunter singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Robbie Grossman. Alex Avila scores. Austin Jackson to 2nd.
10 - 0

B:1 S:2 O:2
Miguel Cabrera singles on a line drive to right fielder Rick Ankiel. Austin Jackson scores. Torii Hunter to 3rd.
11 - 0

Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:1 O:2
Prince Fielder singles on a line drive to right fielder Rick Ankiel. Torii Hunter scores. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.
12 - 0

B:3 S:1 O:3
Victor Martinez flies out to center fielder Robbie Grossman.


HOU - Bot 7th
Defensive Substitution: Ramon Santiago replaces third baseman Miguel Cabrera, batting 3rd, playing third base.

Defensive Substitution: Matt Tuiasosopo replaces first baseman Prince Fielder, batting 4th, playing first base.

B:2 S:3 O:1
Jason Castro strikes out swinging.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Brandon Laird replaces Carlos Pena.

B:1 S:3 O:2
Brandon Laird strikes out swinging.

B:1 S:0 O:2
Carlos Corporan homers (2) on a fly ball to right field.
12 - 1

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Fernando Martinez replaces Chris Carter.

B:1 S:0 O:3
Fernando Martinez grounds out, second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Matt Tuiasosopo.

12 - 1 AFTER 7 INNINGS

DET - Top 8th
Brandon Laird remains in the game as the first baseman.

Fernando Martinez remains in the game as the left fielder.

B:1 S:1 O:0
Andy Dirks triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Robbie Grossman.

B:2 S:1 O:0
Jhonny Peralta doubles (6) on a line drive to left fielder Fernando Martinez. Andy Dirks scores.
13 - 1

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitching Change: Paul Clemens replaces Jose Cisnero.

B:1 S:1 O:1
Alex Avila grounds out to first baseman Brandon Laird. Jhonny Peralta to 3rd.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Omar Infante reaches on a fielding error by shortstop Ronny Cedeno. Jhonny Peralta scores.
14 - 1

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Don Kelly replaces Austin Jackson.

B:0 S:1 O:2
Don Kelly flies out to left fielder Fernando Martinez.

B:0 S:2 O:2
Torii Hunter doubles (9) on a ground ball to left fielder Fernando Martinez. Omar Infante scores.
15 - 1

B:1 S:1 O:3
Ramon Santiago grounds out sharply, second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Brandon Laird.


HOU - Bot 8th
Don Kelly remains in the game as the center fielder.

B:0 S:0 O:1
Ronny Cedeno grounds out, third baseman Ramon Santiago to first baseman Matt Tuiasosopo.

B:4 S:2 O:1
Rick Ankiel walks.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Matt Dominguez grounds into a double play, third baseman Ramon Santiago to second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Matt Tuiasosopo. Rick Ankiel out at 2nd.

15 - 1 AFTER 8 INNINGS

DET - Top 9th
B:2 S:1 O:0
Matt Tuiasosopo singles on a sharp ground ball to left fielder Fernando Martinez.

B:2 S:2 O:0
Victor Martinez homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Matt Tuiasosopo scores.
17 - 1

B:0 S:2 O:1
Andy Dirks pops out to third baseman Matt Dominguez in foul territory.

B:3 S:1 O:2
Jhonny Peralta grounds out to first baseman Brandon Laird.

B:0 S:3 O:3
Alex Avila called out on strikes.


HOU - Bot 9th
Pitching Change: Al Alburquerque replaces Max Scherzer.

B:1 S:0 O:1
Robbie Grossman flies out to left fielder Andy Dirks.

B:1 S:0 O:1
Jose Altuve doubles (8) on a line drive to left fielder Andy Dirks.

With Jason Castro batting, wild pitch by Al Alburquerque, Jose Altuve to 3rd.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Jason Castro singles on a line drive to right fielder Torii Hunter. Jose Altuve scores.
17 - 2

B:0 S:3 O:2
Brandon Laird strikes out swinging.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Carlos Corporan singles on a sharp ground ball to center fielder Don Kelly. Jason Castro to 2nd.

B:0 S:3 O:3
Fernando Martinez strikes out swinging.


TIGERS WIN 17 - 2

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE


W: Scherzer
L: Harrell


Game Info

Cisnero pitched to 2 batters in the 8th.

WP: Scherzer, Alburquerque.
Pitches-strikes: Scherzer 105-74, Alburquerque 21-16, Harrell 107-60, Cisnero 66-40, Clemens 36-25.
Groundouts-flyouts: Scherzer 7-2, Alburquerque 0-1, Harrell 5-2, Cisnero 4-3, Clemens 4-1.
Batters faced: Scherzer 27, Alburquerque 6, Harrell 26, Cisnero 17, Clemens 10.
Inherited runners-scored: Cisnero 1-0, Clemens 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Scott Barry. 1B: Tim Welke. 2B: Mike Everitt. 3B: Marty Foster.
Weather: 78 degrees, clear.
Wind: 15 mph, Out to CF.
T: 3:13.
Att: 21,266.