GDT: 6/28/10 - DET (40-34) AT MIN (41-34) - 8:10 p.m. ET
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Detroit Tigers at Minnesota TwinsMonday, June 28, 2010Target Field, Minneapolis, MNGame Time - 8:10 p.m. EDT
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Twins, Tigers each have woes to conquer By Greg Rosenstein / MLB.com
While many American League teams have fared well against National League competition this season, the Twins are a different story.
Against those NL squads, Minnesota is 8-10 in 18 games. Most recently, the Twins went 1-5 against the Brewers and Mets.
They hope a trip back to Target Field against the AL Central rival Tigers will help end their recent struggles.
The Twins will send left-hander Francisco Liriano to the mound on Monday.
Liriano (6-5) is looking to get back to his winning ways after losing his last two starts against Milwaukee and Colorado. In his most recent outing against ace Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies, Liriano gave up three runs on seven hits in a 5-3 loss.
"Obviously that was a matchup of two very special young pitchers in the Major Leagues," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "I really feel like, offensively, we did what we need to do when you're facing someone the caliber of Francisco Liriano, just from the standpoint of when you've got a horse like that in the early stages of the game -- when he's trying to settle in and you're trying to create opportunity for yourself -- you have to capitalize, and that's exactly what we did."
The Tigers will counter with right-hander Jeremy Bonderman.
His last start did not go as planned, as Bonderman allowed four runs on seven hits in a 5-0 loss to the Mets on June 23.
The last time the Tigers were in Minnesota -- May 3-5 -- they dropped all three games and were outscored 19-11 at Target Field.
"I can tell you this: We don't have the dome to blame," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "So it's just a matter of going up there and playing good and executing and winning a ballgame, like it is everywhere else. I don't put a lot of stock in anything right now other than the fact that we've got to do better. That's all.
"You've got to put some runs on the board and you've got to pitch good, and that's like every other team. Minnesota's struggled recently on the road as well."
Added Bonderman: "To be honest with you, we haven't played well on the road all year. We have to get some wins on the road or we're not going to make the playoffs anyway. When you play well at home and go on the road and get your tails beaten, you're never going to make up ground."
Twins: AL Central foes a chance to right shipThe Twins have now lost five of their past six games.
... Against AL Central opponents this season, Minnesota is 17-9. ... Delmon Young has hit safely in 32 games since May 21.
Tigers: Home has been sweet to clubThe Tigers are now 15-23 on the road this season compared to 25-11 at home.
... Leyland was ejected from Sunday's game against the Braves for arguing a double-play call at first base.
Worth notingThe Twins are 5-2 this season against the Tigers.
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Pitching matchupTIGERS: RHP Jeremy Bonderman (3-5, 4.20 ERA)The basic numbers from Bonderman's last outing Wednesday against the Mets -- four runs over six-plus innings -- probably don't reflect how he pitched. He needed just 66 pitches through six innings and had 70 when he was lifted following back-to-back singles leading off the seventh. With one early-count ground ball after another, it continued his maturation from the young power pitcher of 2005-06 to a more efficient, pragmatic hurler looking for quick outs and deeper outings. He'll face the Twins for the first time since his plunking of Delmon Young last October drew a three-game suspension.
TWINS: LHP Francisco Liriano (6-5, 3.11 ERA) Liriano didn't get a chance to deliver yet another quality start for the Twins, as National League play forced the pitcher out after just five innings in his start vs. the Brewers. Despite having allowed just three runs and throwing 77 pitches, Liriano was removed in the top of the sixth when his turn to bat came with the Twins trailing by one and runners on first and second. Still, Liriano managed to strike out seven in the contest and improve his K/BB ratio to 100/25 on the season. He'll next face the Tigers, who he held scoreless over eight innings in his only start against them so far this year.
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From MLB Tigers Game NotesRECENT RESULTS: The Tigers knocked off the Braves 10-4 yesterday afternoon at Turner Field. Justin Verlander (9-5) picked up the win for Detroit after fanning six batters as he allowed four runs in seven innings of work. Brennan Boesch homered and drove in three runs for Detroit, while Austin Jackson, Carlos Guillen and Gerald Laird all finished with three hits. The Tigers continue a nine-game road trip with the first game of a three-game series at Minnesota this evening. Following an off day on Thursday, the club begins a ninegame homestand with Seattle, Baltimore and Minnesota beginning on Friday night.
MAGGLIO MASHES AGAINST MINNESOTA: Since joining the Tigers in 2005, Magglio Ordonez is hitting .348 (108x310) with 28 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs and 73 RBI in 83 games against the Twins. He is tops among all active major league players with 28 doubles and 73 RBI against the Twins during this stretch, while he is tied for third with 16 home runs, is fifth with a .600 slugging percentage and ninth with a .348 batting average.
MIGGY PLAYS LONGBALL VERSUS MINNESOTA: Miguel Cabrera has connected for 10 home runs over his last 26 games against Minnesota dating back to September 7, 2008. During the 26-game stretch versus the club, Cabrera is hitting .330 (35x106) with six doubles and 22 RBI. He is tops among all major league players with 10 home runs and 22 RBI against the Twins during that stretch.
CABRERA’S A ROAD WARRIOR: Miguel Cabrera enters tonight’s game at Minnesota hitting .357 (51x143) with 10 doubles, 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 36 games on the road this season. He is tops among all American League players with 38 RBI on the road this season, while he is second with 12 home runs and a .678 slugging percentage and fourth with a .357 batting average.
BOESCH BASHING DURING JUNE: Brennan Boesch is hitting .352 (32x91) with 17 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 21 RBI in 24 games during June. He is tied for second among all American League players with eight home runs during the month, while he is third with a .670 slugging percentage and tied for eighth with 21 RBI.
INGE IS TIED WITH KELL ON ALL-TIME LIST: Brandon Inge enters tonight’s game at Minnesota with 826 games played at third base during his Tigers career, tied with George Kell for fifth place in franchise history in games played at third base.
BOESCH ADDS TO RBI TOTAL: Brennan Boesch homered and drove in three runs for the Tigers yesterday at Atlanta, giving him 43 RBI in his first 53 games with the Tigers. Only two other players in Tigers history have driven in as many runs over their first 53 major league games as Boesch: Rudy York (49 RBI, 1934-37) and Dale Alexander (44 RBI in 1929). (Source: Elias Sports Bureau)
ORDONEZ ON THE OFFENSIVE: Magglio Ordonez is batting .364 (44x121) with 23 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, six home runs and 26 RBI over his last 31 games dating back to May 13. He is second among all American League players with a .422 on-base percentage during that stretch, while he is fourth with a .364 batting average.
BOESCH PROVIDES EXTRA-BASE POP: Brennan Boesch is leading all major league rookies with 12 home runs and 29 extra-base hits this season, while he is second with 43 RBI. His 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 29 extra-base hits mark the most by a Tigers player in his first 53 career games since at least 1952.
PAPA GRANDE POWERS THE PEN: Jose Valverde has converted each of his last 17 save opportunities for the Tigers, the eighth-longest such single-season streak in franchise history. Additionally, he has held opponents scoreless in 31 of his 33 outings this season. Valverde is tops among all American League relievers with a 0.56 ERA and .107 batting average against, while he is tied for fifth with 17 saves.
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 41 runs scored and 82 hits, while he is second with a .307 batting average. Boesch is tops among all league rookies with a .338 batting average, 12 home runs and 43 RBI, while he is second with 67 hits.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Tigers relievers have compiled a 16-7 record and 3.30 ERA (220.2IP/81ER) through the club’s first 74 games this season. Tigers relievers are second in the American League with 16 victories, while the club is fourth with a 3.30 ERA.
POSTING A DOUBLE-DIGIT HIT TOTAL: The Tigers finished with 17 hits yesterday at Atlanta, marking the 30th time during the 2010 season the club has finished with 10-or-more hits in a game. Detroit has compiled a 23-7 record in the 30 games in which the club has posted a double-digit hit total.
PERRY ON INJURY REHAB WITH TOLEDO: Ryan Perry joined Triple A Toledo to begin an injury rehabilitation assignment on Saturday. He worked a scoreless inning on Saturday night at Indianapolis, walking two batters and fanning one. Perry has been sidelined since June 7 with right shoulder bicipital tendinitis.
INJURY UPDATE: RHP Zach Miner (right elbow tendinitis,
60-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)• Tuesday, June 29TIGERS (RHP
Armando Galarraga (3-1, 3.68 ERA))
at TWINS (RHP
Nick Blackburn (6-5, 6.10 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)• Wednesday, June 30
TIGERS (LHP
Andy Oliver (0-1, 3.00 ERA))
at TWINS (RHP Kevin Slowey (7-5, 4.79 ERA)), 1:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD 1270 & 97.1)
Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:04 am
swinging. 
