Verlander, Buchholz to duel in rubber gameBy Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
The Tigers' midseason acquisition already looks like a hit.
One day you withstand Big Papi, and the next day he's too much to overcome. Boston slugger David Ortiz hit a ninth-inning grand slam in his team's series-opening loss to Detroit, and on Saturday, he cleared the bases with a three-run walk-off double. The Tigers will have to beware of Ortiz again on Sunday, when they meet the Red Sox for the rubber match of a three-game set.
The Red Sox, who have lost five of seven, spotted Detroit four early runs on Saturday before mounting a late-inning comeback. Boston came up with two runs in the seventh and then loaded the bases on two hits and an intentional walk. Enter Ortiz, who doubled off left-handed reliever Phil Coke to clear the bases and pull the Sox even in the series.
Both teams -- who exist on the periphery of their respective division races and the Wild Card standings -- will be turning to a hot pitcher in the series finale. Detroit will hand the ball to ace Justin Verlander, winner of four of his last five decisions, against Boston youngster Clay Buchholz, who leads the Red Sox with 11 victories this season.
Verlander, the second overall selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, has had an ERA under 3.00 in two of the last three months. Verlander is 11-4 since the start of May, and he's completed at least six innings in 14 of his last 16 starts. The right-hander has just three no-decisions all season, and two came in his first two outings of the year.
Buchholz, meanwhile, has also been fairly consistent. The 25-year-old has had an ERA at 3.08 or below in three of the first four months, with a 5-1 record in May and a 1.84 ERA in June standing in as his long-awaited breakout. Buchholz has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts, and he beat the Tigers at the beginning of that streak.
Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera continued his assault on American League pitching staffs on Saturday, when he homered and drove in two runs in the loss. Cabrera is batting .377 (57-for-151) with 18 doubles, eight home runs, 32 runs and 38 RBIs in his last 42 games. And for the season, he's hitting .348 (65-for-187) with 15 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBIs on the road.
Tigers: Club quiet on Deadline DayDetroit didn't have to make a splash on Deadline Day, resting contentedly on this week's acquisition of Jhonny Peralta from Cleveland. Peralta, who became the first Detroit player to homer in each of his first two at-bats with his new team, takes over at third base for the injured Brandon Inge, giving the Tigers another regular for the stretch run.
Detroit expects veteran Carlos Guillen to return from a strained right calf by mid-August, further rounding out the team's lineup for its stretch run in the competitive AL Central. The Tigers did make one trade at Saturday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, sending outfield prospect Wilkin Ramirez to Atlanta in exchange for cash or a player to be named.
Red Sox: Salty joins organizationThe Red Sox made a move right before the non-waiver Trade Deadline to improve their depth in a position of strength. Boston acquired highly regarded catching prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia from Texas in exchange for two Minor Leaguers, and the backstop is expected to serve as understudy to Victor Martinez and as insurance for injured veteran Jason Varitek.
Saltalamacchia began the year as the Opening Day catcher for Texas, but he went to the disabled list in the first week of the year with stiffness in his upper back and shoulder. The Rangers demoted him to Triple-A Oklahoma City when he got healthy, and he hit .244 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs. Now, the 25-year-old is with his third organization.
Worth notingThe Red Sox have six players who have reached double-digits in the homer department.
... Detroit closer Jose Valverde -- who threw 61 pitches in closing out the series opener -- has converted 21 straight saves.
... Former Red Sox regular Johnny Damon (back) has yet to play in Fenway as a member of the Tigers.
... Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon is one save shy of logging 25 saves in each of his first five seasons. Chicago closer Bobby Jenks is the only pitcher to have done that. Papelbon closed out the 175th save of his career Tuesday, becoming the quickest player in big league history (309 games) to reach that number.
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Pitching matchup TIGERS: RHP Justin Verlander (12-6, 3.74 ERA)Verlander pitched a gem at Fenway last summer with eight scoreless innings and eight strikeouts. The Tigers could use a repeat. He's 7-2 with a 2.69 ERA this year when pitching on four days' rest, which the Tigers set up by moving him up to Sunday.
RED SOX: RHP Clay Buchholz (11-5, 2.71 ERA) Buchholz thrived in his second start back from the disabled list, giving up five hits and a run over seven innings while walking one and striking out seven. Opponents are hitting .233 against Buchholz. He is 5-3 with a 3.08 ERA at Fenway.
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From MLB Tigers Game NotesINJURY UPDATE: •
2B Carlos Guillen (right calf strain, 15-day DL on July 25),
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3B Brandon Inge (non-displaced fracture of fifth metacarpal in left hand, 15-day DL on July 20), (OUT FOR 4-6 WEEKS)
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RHP Zach Miner (right elbow tendinitis, 60-day DL on March 26),
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OF Magglio Ordonez (right ankle fracture, 15-day DL on July 25), (OUT FOR 6-8 WEEKS)
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LHP Bobby Seay (left shoulder strain, 60-day DL on March 26),
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RHP Joel Zumaya (non-displaced fracture of the olecranon, 60-day DL on June 29).
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Direct TV Extra Innings Schedule______________________________________
Up next (Probable Pitchers)• Monday, August 2,Off Day• Tuesday, August 3, DH GM 1TIGERS (RHP
Rick Porcello (4-9, 5.50 ERA))
VS White Sox (LHP
Mark Buehrle (9-8, 4.15 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Tuesday, August 3, DH GM 2TIGERS (RHP
Jeremy Bonderman (5-6, 5.05 ERA))
VS White Sox (?HP
??? ( ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Wednesday, August 4, TIGERS (RHP
Armando Galarraga (3-3, 4.28 ERA))
VS White Sox (RHP
Edwin Jackson (6-10, 5.16 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (
, FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Thursday, August 5, TIGERS (RHP
Max Scherzer (7-8, 4.28 ERA))
VS White Sox (RHP
Freddy Garcia (10-4, 4.73 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM) 
Sun Aug 01, 2010 1:25 am
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out swinging.