GDT: 6/11/10 - DET (30-29) VS PIT (23-37) - 7:05 p.m. ET
---
VS ---
Detroit Tigers VS Pittsburgh PiratesFriday, June 11, 2010Comerica Park, Detroit, MIGame Time - 7:05 p.m. EDT______________________________________
Tigers welcome Bucs as Interleague resumesBy Samuel Zuba / MLB.com
The Tigers will look to stop their offensive skid as they welcome Pittsburgh to kick off a three-game series of Interleague Play.
Coming off two consecutive losses to the White Sox, Detroit will look to avoid its first three-game losing streak since May 29 as it begins a nine-game homestand at Comerica Park.
Detroit combined for just three hits in its latest 3-0 loss to the White Sox, as starting pitcher John Danks was untouchable, allowing just one hit through seven innings of work.
The Tigers will send their ace Justin Verlander to the mound in the first game against the Pirates. Verlander was lights out in his last start against the Royals as he pitched seven-plus innings and allowed only five hits and two earned runs in a 4-2 victory.
Verlander is no stranger to Interleague Play. The right-hander is 9-1 in 13 career starts with a 2.90 ERA. In those 13 starts, Verlander has fanned 89.
Tigers: Ordonez sits another one outMagglio Ordonez missed Thursday's game against the White Sox with continued left oblique soreness. He has only played in one of the Tigers' past five games. There is no indication as to when he will be back in the lineup, but the Tigers could sure use Ordonez's to break out of their current offensive slump. Ordonez is batting .312 with eight homers and 41 RBIs this season.
Pirates: Ohlendorf looking for first winRoss Ohlendorf (0-3) is still eyeing that elusive first win of the 2010 season. He was solid in his last outing, going six innings, giving up three runs on eight hits, but the Pirates lost, 6-5, in 10 innings to the Giants. Ohlendorf has faced the Tigers twice, with one start, and is 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA. Over 9 1/3 innings facing the Tigers, he has surrendered just one run, while striking out seven and walking just three.
Worth notingTigers manager Jim Leyland made a push for Miguel Cabrera in the 2010 All-Star Game voting, saying, "If he's not on the All-Star team, there's something wrong with the whole system."
... The Pirates bolstered the pitching staffs of their farm system by taking 32 pitchers in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.
... The Pirates' Jose Tabata singled in his first-career at-bat Wednesday against the Nationals.
______________________________________
Pitching matchupDET: Justin Verlander (6-4, 3.65 ERA)Verlander will welcome the Pirates for Game 1 of a three-game series that kicks off a nine-game homestand of Interleague Play for the Tigers. Verlander is fresh off his sixth victory of the season, in which he pitched seven-plus innings and allowed only five hits and two earned runs as the Tigers beat the Royals, 4-2. Interleague Play has been kind to Verlander. In 13 career starts, he is 9-1 with a 2.90 ERA to go along with 89 strikeouts.
Pirates: RHP Ross Ohlendorf (0-3, 4.30 ERA) Another stellar outing once again did not result in a win for Ohlendorf, who was aided by tremendous fielding in his last outing, a 6-5, 10-inning home loss to the Giants on Sunday. Ohlendorf went six innings, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking three. He added a single off Tim Lincecum in the fifth. In two career appearances (one start) against the Tigers, Ohlendorf is 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA, having surrendered just one run on three hits in 9 1/3 innings. The right-hander has stuck out seven and walked just three.
______________________________________
From MLB Tigers Game NotesRECENT RESULTS: The Tigers suffered a 3-0 loss to the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field yesterday afternoon.
Max Scherzer (2-6) fanned seven batters as he allowed three runs in 7.1 innings of work to take the loss for Detroit. Carlos Guillen, Brandon Inge and Gerald Laird all finished with a single for the Tigers. The Tigers begin a nine-game homestand with the first game of a three-game series versus Pittsburgh this evening. Following an off day on Monday, the homestand continues with a visit from both Washington and Arizona.
INTERLEAGUE HAPPENINGS: Tonight’s contest against the Pirates is Detroit’s fourth game of interleague play in 2010. Since interleague play started in 1997, the Tigers have compiled a 124-108 record. The Tigers are 57-33 in interleague games at Comerica Park. Detroit is 1-2 in interleague games during the 2010 season.
AMONG THE BEST SINCE 2006: The Tigers have compiled a 53-22 record, a .707 winning percentage, during interleague play since the start of the 2006 season. The .707 winning percentage during interleague action is second-best among major league clubs during that stretch. The Minnesota Twins are 55-20, a .733 winning percentage, during interleague action over that stretch.
TIGERS PILE UP THE WINS IN INTERLEAGUE PLAY AT HOME: The Tigers have posted a 29-6 record, an .829 winning percentage, during interleague action over the club’s last 35 games at Comerica Park dating back to May 20, 2006.MAGGLIO MASHES DURING INTERLEAGUE ACTION: Magglio Ordonez enters tonight’s game versus Pittsburgh hitting .333 (209x628) with 40 doubles, three triples, 34 home runs and 140 RBI in 170 games during interleague action in his career. He is fourth among all active major league players with a .333 batting average during interleague action, while he is seventh with a .568 slugging percentage.
PAPA GRANDE POWERS THE PEN: Jose Valverde has not allowed a run in his last 23 outings for the Tigers, tossing 23.1 scoreless innings. He is tops among all American League relievers with a 0.37 ERA and .115 batting average against, while he is tied for eighth with 12 saves.
ORDONEZ ON THE OFFENSIVE: Magglio Ordonez is batting .373 (28x75) with 16 runs scored, two doubles, a triple, four home runs and 18 RBI over his last 20 games dating back to May 13. He is fourth among all American League players with a .442 on-base percentage during that stretch, while he is fifth with a .373 batting average.
CABRERA PLAYING LONGBALL: Miguel Cabrera has connected for 10 home runs over his last 17 games dating back to May 20. During the 17-game stretch, he is hitting .348 (23x66) with 15 runs scored, three doubles and 17 RBI. Cabrera is tops among all American League players with 10 home runs and an .848 slugging percentage during that stretch, while he is tied for ninth with 17 RBI and is 10th with a .348 batting average.
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 36 runs scored and 75 hits, while he is second with a .313 batting average. Boesch is tops among all league rookies with a .338 batting average, seven home runs and 29 RBI, while he is second with 47 hits.
BOESCH’S EXTRA-BASE HIT TOTAL AMONG BEST SINCE AT LEAST 1952: Brennan
Boesch has collected 23 extra-base hits in the first 38 games of his major league career with the Tigers. His 23 extra-base hits are tied for the second-most in a player’s first 38 career games since at least 1952, along with Alvin Davis (1984), Adam Dunn (2001), Albert Pujols (2001) and Jeff Francoeur (2005). Ryan Braun collected 25 extra-base base hits in his first 38 career games in 2007.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Tigers relievers have compiled a 13-6 record and 2.99 ERA (180.2IP/60ER) through the club’s first 59 games this season. Tigers relievers lead the American League with 13 victories, while the club is second with a 2.99 ERA and fourth with 180.2 innings pitched.HOME IS WHERE THE MOUND IS: Tigers pitchers have compiled a 3.51 ERA (246.0IP/96ER) through the club’s first 27 games at home, while they have limited opponents to a .244 batting average (227x931). The Tigers are fourth in the American League with a 3.51 ERA at home this season, while the club is fifth with a .244 batting average against.
EXTRA, EXTRA: The Tigers have collected at least one extra-base hit in 54 of the club’s 59 games this season. Detroit is sixth among all American League clubs with 188 extrabase hits this season. Additionally, Detroit is third in the league with 126 doubles.
INJURY UPDATE: RHP Zach Miner (right elbow tendinitis, 15-day DL on March 26),
RHP Ryan Perry (right shoulder bicipital tendinitis, 15-day DL on June 7),
LHP Bobby Seay (left shoulder strain, 60-day DL on March 26).
______________________________________
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 •
On radio•
,
•
XM Channel Schedule•
Direct TV Extra Innings Schedule______________________________________
Up next (Probable Pitchers)• Saturday, June 12Tigers (RHP
Jeremy Bonderman (2-4, 4.40 ERA))
VS Pirates (LHP
Paul Maholm (4-4, 3.80 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)• Sunday, June 13Tigers (RHP
Armando Galarraga (2-1, 2.77 ERA))
VS Pirates (RHP
Jeff Karstens (1-2, 4.81 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)