Tigers look to complete sweep of Pirates By Matt Fortuna / MLB.com
On Saturday, the Tigers clinched their first series win in their last three tries. On Sunday they will go for their first sweep in more than a month.
And they certainly have the right man on the hill to do it.
Armando Galarraga will be making his first start in Comerica Park since his near-perfect game June 2 in a 3-0 win over the Indians. Facing a Pirates lineup that ranks last in the Major Leagues in runs scored and second-to-last in batting average, Galarraga will look to build off his last two starts, in which he has given up a total of just eight hits and two earned runs in a pair of Detroit wins.
But Galarraga's only start against the Pirates -- exactly one year to the day before this one -- did not go so well. The right-hander gave up four runs on eight hits in just two innings of work in a 9-3 Tigers loss.
In nine career starts against the National League, Galarraga is 4-3 with a 5.12 ERA.
Like most around baseball, Pirates manager John Russell was pleased to see how the whole situation was handled around Galarraga's masterpiece during his last home start.
"It was a tough situation," Russell said. "I know Jim Joyce very well, and he's a good umpire. I thought how he handled it was very good. I thought how Galarraga handled it was very good. That situation could have gotten out of hand. I thought they were both very classy about it."
The Pirates will send out Jeff Karstens, who will be making his first start since opposing Washington's Stephen Strasburg on Tuesday in the rookie phenom's Major League debut.
Pirates: Karstens in the rotationFollowing the promotion of Brad Lincoln on Wednesday, Karstens was given the fifth starter's role. Dana Eveland, acquired from the Blue Jays on June 1, moved to the bullpen. ... Karstens was actually in line for the win and in position to hand Strasburg the loss Tuesday before giving up three runs in the sixth. ... Ryan Doumit may return to catching Sunday. He has not caught since he was hit by a foul tip last Sunday. If Doumit doesn't catch Sunday, expect him to play first base again before returning behind the plate Tuesday.
Tigers: Ordonez still outMagglio Ordonez was out of the lineup Saturday for the fifth straight game because of left oblique soreness. With an off-day Monday, manager Jim Leyland said he may keep Ordonez out of the lineup Sunday to give him two more days off.
Worth notingThe Pirates' 2-1 lead after six innings Saturday marked the first time they held a lead after six innings since the previous Saturday.
... Doumit's error at first in the seventh on Saturday allowed the Tigers to score two runs. Bobby Crosby started the eighth at first.
... The Pirates have lost seven consecutive games.
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Pitching matchupDET: RHP Armando Galarraga (2-1, 2.77 ERA)Galarraga will be making his first start at Comerica Park since his bid for a perfect game a week and a half earlier set up a surge of national publicity and made him a name in Detroit. He got back to some sense of normalcy in his last start Tuesday at Chicago, where he gave up two runs over five innings against the White Sox. The Tigers aren't expecting complete games from him, let alone perfect games, but the more innings they can get out of him, the better. He owns a 4-3 record and 5.12 ERA in nine career Interleague starts but was roughed up was four runs on eight hits in two innings against the Pirates last June in Pittsburgh.
Pirates: RHP Jeff Karstens (1-2, 4.81 ERA) Karstens put up a good effort on Tuesday, especially considering it came in one of the most hyped games (Stephen Strasburg's debut) in recent memory. Karstens actually took a lead into the sixth inning, before two Washington home runs sunk him. Still, the outing earned Karstens a stay in the Pirates' rotation for the time being. The right-hander has been a fairly stable presence in the Pirates' rotation when called upon to start this season. As a starter, Karstens is 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA in five games. He has, however, allowed six home runs in 28 2/3 innings.
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From MLB Tigers Game NotesRECENT RESULTS: Carlos Guillen belted a walk-off home run in the bottom the 10th inning to propel the Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Pirates last night at Comerica Park. Phil Coke (4-0) worked a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win for Detroit.
Johnny Damon finished with three hits for the Tigers. The Tigers continue a nine-game homestand with the final game of a three-game series versus Pittsburgh this afternoon. Following an off day tomorrow, the homestand continues with a visit from both Washington and Arizona.
INTERLEAGUE HAPPENINGS: Today’s contest against the Pirates is Detroit’s sixth game of interleague play in 2010. Since interleague play started in 1997, the Tigers have compiled a 126-108 record. The Tigers are 59-33 in interleague games at Comerica Park. Detroit is 3-2 in interleague games during the 2010 season.
AMONG THE BEST SINCE 2006: The Tigers have compiled a 55-22 record, a .714 winning percentage, during interleague play since the start of the 2006 season. The .714 winning percentage during interleague action is second-best among major league clubs during that stretch. The Minnesota Twins are 56-21, a .727 winning percentage, during interleague action over that stretch.
TIGERS PILE UP THE WINS IN INTERLEAGUE PLAY AT HOME: The Tigers have posted a 31-6 record, an .838 winning percentage, during interleague action over the club’s last 37 games at Comerica Park dating back to May 20, 2006.
MAGGLIO MASHES DURING INTERLEAGUE ACTION: Magglio Ordonez enters today’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.
GUILLEN GIVES TIGERS A WALK-OFF WIN WITH HOME RUN: Carlos Guillen belted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Pirates last night.
It marked the fifth walk-off home run for the Tigers during interleague play, with all five coming at Comerica Park. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked Detroit’s first walk-off home run in extra innings since Guillen also did so in the 11th inning on August 24, 2007 versus the New York Yankees.
PAPA GRANDE POWERS THE PEN: Jose Valverde has not allowed a run in his last 25 outings for the Tigers, tossing 25.1 scoreless innings. He is tops among all American League relievers with a 0.34 ERA and .107 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 third among all American League players with a .373 batting average and .442 on-base percentage during that stretch.
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 77 hits, while he is second with a .308 batting average. Boesch is tops among all league rookies with a .345 batting average, eight home runs and 30 RBI, while he is second with 51 hits.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Tigers relievers have compiled a 14-6 record and 2.96 ERA (185.2IP/61ER) through the club’s first 61 games this season. Tigers relievers lead the American League with 14 victories and a 2.96 ERA, while the club is fourth with 185.2 innings pitched.
HOME IS WHERE THE MOUND IS: Tigers pitchers have compiled a 3.43 ERA (265.0IP/101ER) through the club’s first 29 games at home, while they have limited opponents to a .241 batting average (241x998). The Tigers are third in the American League with a 3.43 ERA at home this season, while the club is fifth with a .241 batting average against.
EXTRA, EXTRA: The Tigers have collected at least one extra-base hit in 56 of the club’s 61 games this season. Detroit is sixth among all American League clubs with 195 extrabase hits this season. Additionally,
Detroit is third in the league with 130 doubles.TIGERS HONOR JAKE WOOD WITH AWARD: The Tigers will present former second baseman Jake Wood with the second annual Detroit Tigers African American Legacy Award during a pre-game ceremony prior to this afternoon’s game. The Detroit Tigers African American Legacy Award is presented annually to a current or former African American Tigers player who has made a profound impact on or off the field as a trailblazer, leader, mentor or role model to other African American players.
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).
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Up next (Probable Pitchers)• Monday, June 14Off Day• Tuesday, June 15Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (2-6, 6.30 ERA))
VS Nationals (LHP
John Lannan (2-3, 5.00 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)• Wednesday, June 16Tigers (RHP
Justin Verlander (7-4, 3.56 ERA))
VS Nationals (RHP
Livan Hernandez (5-3, 2.28 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)• Thursday, June 17Tigers (RHP
Jeremy Bonderman (2-4, 4.21 ERA))
VS Nationals (RHP
Luis Atilano (5-3, 4.34 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1) 
Sun Jun 13, 2010 12:30 am
--- VS --- 
swinging. 
