GDT: 7/21/10 - DET (48-44) VS TEX (55-39) - 7:05 p.m. ET
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Detroit Tigers VS Texas RangersWednesday, July 21, 2010Comerica Park, Detroit, MIGame Time - 7:05 p.m. EDT
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Rangers seek more road magic against TigersBy Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
Game by game and series by series, the Rangers are proving they're for real. Texas has proven to be one of the league's most dangerous teams at home, and over the past two months, nobody's been better on the road. The Rangers have gone 16-5 away from home since June 1, the best record in the Majors, and will try to extend that trend against Detroit on Wednesday.
The Rangers have won by big margins and small ones, alternately relying on their offense and their pitching staff. But the winning has remained consistent, digging Texas out of a start that saw it go 8-15 in its first 23 road games. The Rangers have used their torrid streak to seize control of first place, and they're five games above .500 on the road for the first time all year.
To continue that trajectory, Texas will need to best a team that's among the best at home. Despite losses in the first two games of the series, the Tigers have won 17 of their past 22 home games and boast one of the league's best home records (32-15). Detroit will hand the ball to youngster Max Scherzer on Wednesday, and he'll be matched against veteran Colby Lewis.
Scherzer has seen his season statistics skewed by a difficult May that saw him log a 9.45 ERA in four starts. The 25-year-old has won four of his past five decisions, though, and has completed six innings in eight of his 17 starts. Scherzer allowed more than three earned runs three times in May, and he's combined to do it three more times in the season's other months.
Lewis, on the other hand, has gone 5-1 with a 3.37 ERA in his past seven starts, and he allowed three earned runs or less in six of them. Lewis has also won three consecutive road starts, notching a 4-4 record and a 3.44 ERA away from home this season. Lewis has logged more walks than strikeouts just once all year and has given up more than one homer two times in 18 starts.
The Tigers have been using one of the league's most dominant bullpens to stay afloat in a competitive division. The Tigers went into Tuesday's game with an 18-10 record and a 3.41 ERA for its relief staff, ranking second in victories and fourth in ERA among AL clubs. Closer Jose Valverde -- who has logged 19 consecutive saves -- lies at the heart of that success.
Rangers: Feliz has been a rookie rockNelson Cruz had a hit and an RBI in Tuesday's game, but he had a streak of five straight multi-hit games snapped. That streak was tied for the longest by the Rangers all year, and no Texas regular has done it six straight times since 2008.
Texas didn't need the services of closer Neftali Feliz on Tuesday night, but he's been one of the biggest factors in his team's success. Feliz is one of six closers in the past 10 years to have 25 saves as a rookie. The most recent, Andrew Bailey, won the Rookie of the Year Award last season, and Feliz is shaping up as a solid bet to repeat the feat.
Tigers: Jackson, Boesch holding their ownAnd if Feliz doesn't win that trophy, the Tigers will be well positioned to claim it for themselves. Outfielder Austin Jackson went 1-for-4 on Tuesday, but he leads AL rookies in runs (54) and hits (102). Teammate Brennan Boesch is providing some stiff competition, leading AL rookies in average (.321), home runs (12) and RBIs (50).
The Tigers put third baseman Brandon Inge on the disabled list with a broken left hand, and utilityman Don Kelly stepped in at third base. Kelly made two fine defensive plays Tuesday and went 1-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.
Worth notingThe Rangers are 5-1 since the All-Star break and just 8-9 overall in July. ... Texas had lost 11 in a row at Detroit before winning the first two games of this series, and it represents the first time the Rangers have taken a series at Comerica Park since 2007. ... Detroit has lost seven in a row for the first time since the start of the 2008 season. ... The Rangers placed Dustin Nippert on the disabled list with a head contusion Tuesday and replaced him on the active roster by recalling Doug Mathis from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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Pitching matchup 
TIGERS: RHP Max Scherzer (6-7, 4.74 ERA)Scherzer yielded five runs on five hits and five walks over five laborious innings in the Tigers 8-2 loss to the Indians on Friday. The setback snapped a four-game winning streak for the 25-year-old right-hander, who is 4-1 with a 2.32 ERA in his past six starts.
RANGERS: RHP Colby Lewis (9-5, 3.42 ERA) Lewis is 5-1 with a 3.13 ERA in his last seven starts after beating the Red Sox on Friday at Fenway Park. He is 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 10 starts on the road. Opponents are hitting .209 off him, including .175 with runners in scoring position.
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From MLB Tigers Game NotesRECENT RESULTS: The Tigers suffered an 8-0 loss to the Rangers at Comerica Park last night, the club’s seventh straight loss. Armando Galarraga (3-3) took the loss for Detroit after allowing four runs in 7.1 innings of work. Miguel Cabrera led the Tigers with a single and double, while Austin Jackson and Don Kelly both added a single. Detroit continues a seven-game homestand with the final game of a three-game series versus Texas this evening. The homestand concludes with a four-game series against Toronto beginning tomorrow afternoon.
SIZEMORE RECALLED; FIEN OPTIONED: The Tigers today announced the club has recalled the contract of infielder Scott Sizemore from Triple A Toledo. Additionally, the club today optioned the contract of righthanded pitcher Casey Fien to Toledo.
Sizemore hit .329 (55x167) with 32 runs scored, 13 doubles, six home runs and 19 RBI in 41 games with the Mud Hens.
WINNING WAYS AT COMERICA PARK: The Tigers enter tonight’s game versus the Rangers having won 17 of the club’s last 22 games at home dating back to June 2. For the season, Detroit has compiled a 32-15 record at Comerica Park and is tops among all American League clubs with a .681 winning percentage at home in 2010.
MIGGY AT HIS BEST AGAINST THE WEST: Miguel Cabrera enters this evening’s game versus the Rangers batting .359 (150x418) with 80 runs scored, 37 doubles, a triple, 27 home runs and 105 RBI in 108 games against clubs from the American League’s West Division during his career. He is tops among all active major league players with a .359 batting average and .648 slugging percentage versus the American League’s West Division.
ORDONEZ ON THE OFFENSIVE VERSUS RANGERS: Magglio Ordonez enters tonight’s game versus Texas hitting .342 (117x342) with 63 runs scored, 24 doubles, 17 home runs and 68 RBI in 92 games during his career against the club. He is third among all active major league players with a .342 batting average against Texas, while he is ninth with a .561 slugging percentage.
CABRERA KEEPS ON HITTING: Miguel Cabrera enters tonight’s game versus Texas hitting .360 (41x114) with 25 runs scored, 11 doubles, a triple, six home runs and 29 RBI over his last 31 games dating back to June 12. Cabrera is third among all American League players with 29 RBI during that stretch, while he is fourth with a .360 batting average.
PAPA GRANDE POWERS THE PEN: Jose Valverde has converted each of his last 19 save opportunities for the Tigers, tied for the seventh-longest such single-season streak in franchise history. Additionally, he has held opponents scoreless in 37 of his 41 outings this season. Valverde is second among all American League relievers with a .139 batting average against, while he is third with a 1.11 ERA and 10th with 19 saves.
ACTION JACKSON: Austin Jackson enters tonight’s game versus Texas having hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games. During the 19-game stretch, he is hitting .312 (24x77) with 16 runs scored, five doubles, two triples, five RBI and five stolen bases.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Tigers relievers have compiled an 18-10 record and 3.51 ERA (284.1IP/111ER) through the club’s first 92 games this season. Tigers relievers are second in the American League with 18 victories, while the club is fourth with a 3.51 ERA.
AVILA SLOWS THE RUNNING GAME: Alex Avila enters tonight’s game versus Texas having thrown out 37.5 percent of baserunners attempting to steal (12x32) this season, tops among all American League catchers.
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 54 runs scored and 102 hits, while he is second with a .304 batting average. Boesch is tops among all league rookies with a .321 batting average, 12 home runs and 50 RBI, while he is second with 86 hits.
GETTING AN ASSIST FROM THE OUTFIELD: Brennan Boesch threw out Cleveland’s Trevor Crowe at second base in Saturday afternoon’s game at Progressive Field, marking the club’s 18th outfield assist this season. The Tigers are tied for second among all American League clubs with 18 outfield assists in 2010. Magglio Ordonez is tied for the lead among all league outfielders with seven outfield assists this season.
INJURY UPDATE: 3B Brandon Inge (non-displaced fracture of fifth metacarpal in left hand, 15-day DL on July 20), (out 4 to 6 weeks)
RHP Zach Miner (right elbow tendinitis, 60-day DL on March 26),
LHP Bobby Seay (left shoulder strain, 60-day DL on March 26),
RHP Joel Zumaya (non-displaced fracture of the olecranon, 60-day DL on June 29).
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1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Friday, July 23TIGERS (RHP
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7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Sunday, July 25TIGERS (RHP
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