GDT: 5/23/10 - DET (24-19) AT LAD (25-18) - 4:10 p.m. ET
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Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles DodgersSunday, May 23, 2010Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Game Time - 4:10 p.m. EDT
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Dodgers not offering Tigers much hospitalityBy Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com
Los Angeles has not been kind to the Tigers.
So far, the Dodgers have greeted their American League visitors with solid pitching, strong bats and if all goes according to the Dodgers' plans on Sunday in the series finale, they'll bring out the brooms for the sweep.
The Dodgers topped the Tigers, 6-4, on Saturday.
"We're trying to win each game, that's the most important thing. It'd be a great way to go on this [upcoming] road trip," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "This ballclub that came in here, they're a first-place team when they came in here. Every time when you go out there and play, especially when you're playing the other league, you sort of measure yourself, see if you can handle the challenge."
"But again, that's how you sort of compare, and you win two games against this ballclub, it does a lot for your confidence," he continued. "You go out there and win it with a youngster [John Ely] like we did, that's important."
The Dodgers have two sweeps this season. It's going to be up to Tigers starter Rick Porcello and Co. to keep them from picking up their third.
Porcello has used his sinker for 24 groundouts over his past two starts, but unlike in his seven scoreless innings against the Yankees, the White Sox managed to turn one extra-base hit and seven singles into four runs and another loss. He has only one quality start in his past six outings and just two all season.
That said, he went 3-0 with a 1.90 ERA in four starts against the National League last season. The Dodgers will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound.
"I think Rick Porcello is trying to figure out the happy medium between throwing his sinker too hard or too slow," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He's a guy that has to use all his pitches a little bit more, in my opinion. [He's been doing that] a little bit, but against the White Sox the other day, he was just strong. He was throwing the ball up all the time. He was throwing high sinkers, and high sinkers get the stuff knocked out of them. He made a couple terrible pitches. As that game went on against the White Sox, he actually got a little bit better, but he wasn't quite as hard."
"I think the other thing with Rick Porcello is he looks to me like he's still growing," Leyland continued. "He looks taller every time I see him. I don't know that, I'm just saying. I saw him the other day and he was towering over [Justin] Verlander."
Dodgers: Martin's hitting streak snappedRussell Martin went 0-for-3 with a walk Saturday to snap his career-high 15-game hitting streak. Martin tied Detroit's Johnny Damon for the second-longest hitting streak in the Majors this year behind Florida's Jorge Cantu's Major League-best 17-game streak. ... Matt Kemp leads the Majors with 38 runs scored in 43 games.
Tigers: Outfielder Jackson on mendAustin Jackson, who was hit in the helmet by a pitch Saturday when he made an appearance as pinch-hitter, was taken to a local hospital for precautionary tests and will not return to action Sunday. Jackson's absence from the starting lineup Saturday put Damon in center fielder for the first time as a starter since 2008. Jackson had only been out of the starting lineup three games all season. Sunday will mark the fourth time.
Worth notingPorcello allowed five earned runs over 23 2/3 innings in his four Interleague starts last season. He drove in two runs against the Pirates to help his own cause last June but has never won in the state of California. In fact, he has never even gotten a no-decision in the Golden State, going a combined 0-3 in three career starts at Anaheim and Oakland.
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Pitching matchupTigers: RHP Rick Porcello (3-4, 5.93 ERA)Porcello has used his sinker for 24 groundouts over his last two starts, but unlike his seven scoreless innings against the Yankees, the White Sox managed to turn one extra-base hit and seven singles into four runs and another loss for Porcello in what has been a rough couple months to his sophomore season. Though he has alternated wins and losses in his last four starts, he has only one quality start in his last six outings and just two all season. Perhaps Interleague Play will be a remedy; he went 3-0 with a 1.90 ERA in four starts against the National League last season.
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (5-1, 2.87 ERA)In his last start, Kuroda uncharacteristically blew a three-run lead. But he stopped the damage there and went the final 3 1/3 innings without allowing a run while giving his offense a chance to come from behind and beat the Astros. This time, Kuroda said his slider wasn't working. Although he throws four pitches, it's rare when they all are effective together. Nonetheless, he's adept enough at pitching to win without his best stuff, which is what he did against Houston.
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From MLB Tigers Press PassRECENT RESULTS: The Tigers suffered a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers yesterday, the club’s second straight loss. Armando Galarraga (1-1) took the loss for Detroit after allowing six runs (five earned) in 4.2 innings of work. Brennan Boesch doubled, homered and drove in three runs for the Tigers, while Miguel Cabrera added two hits. The Tigers continue a seven-game road trip with the final game of a three-game series at Los Angeles this afternoon. Following an off day tomorrow, the trip concludes with a two-game series at Seattle beginning on Tuesday night.
INTERLEAGUE HAPPENINGS: Today’s contest against the Dodgers is Detroit’s third game of interleague play in 2010. Since interleague play started in 1997, the Tigers have compiled a 123-108 record. The Tigers are 57-33 in interleague games at Comerica Park. Detroit is 0-2 in interleague games during the 2010 season.
AMONG THE BEST SINCE 2006: The Tigers have compiled a 52-22 record, a .703 winning percentage, during interleague play since the start of the 2006 season. The .703 winning percentage during interleague action is second-best among major league clubs during that stretch. The Minnesota Twins are 55-19, a .743 winning percentage, during interleague action over that stretch.
MAGGLIO MASHES DURING INTERLEAGUE ACTION: Magglio Ordonez enters today’s game at Los Angeles hitting .332 (207x624) with 40 doubles, three triples, 33 home runs and 138 RBI in 169 games during interleague action in his career. He is fourth among all active major league players with a .332 batting average during interleague action, while he is seventh with a .564 slugging percentage.
CABRERA’S A ROAD WARRIOR: Migue Cabrera enters today’s game at Los Angeles hitting .387 (36x93) with nine doubles, eight home runs and 30 RBI in 23 games on the road this season. He is tops among all American League players with a .387 batting average and 30 RBI on the road this season, while he is second with eight home runs and a .742 slugging percentage.
ACTION JACKSON TAKES HIS SHOW ON THE ROAD: Austin Jackson has hit safely in 22 of his 23 games on the road this season, batting .364 (36x99) with seven doubles, three triples, a home run and six RBI. He is fourth among all American League players with a .364 batting average on the road this season.
PAPA GRANDE POWERS THE PEN: Jose Valverde has not allowed a run in his last 18 outings for the Tigers, tossing 17.2 scoreless innings. He is tops among all American League relievers with a .117 batting average against, while he is second with a 0.48 ERA and fourth with 11 saves.
BOESCH’S BOOST: Brennan Boesch is hitting .367 (29x79) with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 21 RBI over his last 21 games dating back to April 28. He is tied for the lead among all American League players with 15 extra-base hits during that stretch, while he is tied for third with 21 RBI, is fourth with a .367 batting average and fifth with a .684 slugging percentage.
DRIVING THEM IN: Brennan Boesch has collected at least one RBI in 13 of his first 24 career games with the Tigers. He is the second Tigers player since at least 1920 to collect at least one RBI in 13 of his first 24 career games. Dale Alexander collected at least one RBI in 13 of his first 24 career games in 1929.
LOOKING AT THE ROOKIE LEADERS: Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch have both enjoyed success during their rookie campaigns. Jackson is tops among all American League rookies with 31 runs scored and 59 hits, while he is third with a .337 batting average. Boesch is leading all league rookies with a .352 batting average and 22 RBI, while he is tied for the lead with four home runs and is second with 32 hits.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Through the club’s first 43 games this season, Tigers relievers have compiled an 11-4 record and 2.39 ERA (143.0IP/38ER). Tigers relievers lead the American League a 2.39 ERA, while the club is tied for the lead with 11 victories and is second with 143.0 innings pitched.
EXTRA, EXTRA: The Tigers have collected at least one extra-base hit in 40 of the club’s 43 games this season. Detroit is fourth among all American League clubs with 138 extrabase hits this season. Additionally, the Tigers are third in the league with 98 doubles.
GUILLEN’S INJURY REHAB ASSIGNMENT WITH TOLEDO: Carlos Guillen joined Triple A Toledo to begin an injury rehabilitation assignment yesterday. He went hitless in three atbats, while scoring a run last night at Syracuse. Guillen has been sidelined since April 23 with a left hamstring strain.
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Up next (Probable Pitchers)• Monday, May 24: Off Day
• Tuesday, May 25Tigers (RHP
Justin Verlander (5-2, 3.43 ERA))
at Mariners (RHP
Doug Fister (3-2, 1.96 ERA)),
10:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)
• Wednesday, May 26Tigers (RHP
Jeremy Bonderman (2-2, 4.43 ERA))
at Mariners (LHP
Jason Vargas (3-2, 3.08 ERA)),
3:40 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)
Sun May 23, 2010 2:35 pm
swinging.