GDT: 9/18/10 - DET (73-74) AT CWS (79-68) - 4:10 p.m. ET

Verlander can make White Sox job tougher

By Alex DiFilippo / MLB.com

Postseason play isn't ruled out for the White Sox just yet. But it's no secret that the White Sox will need to go on an absolute tear to close out the season if they have any hopes of catching the Twins, who own a nine-game lead in the American League Central.

After Friday's 9-2 loss, the task won't get any easier on Saturday, as the South Siders will square off against Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

Verlander has looked like one of the best pitchers in the American League over the course of his past five starts. In that span, he owns a 3-0 record with a 2.19 ERA.

He said his best outing of the season came in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Orioles, when he tossed eight innings and only allowed two earned runs while fanning 11, which tied a season high.

"It was probably the best I've felt all year," Verlander said. "Everything seemed to be working well for me. My curveball was good again and my changeup was good as well. I felt like I could throw my changeup whenever I wanted for strikes, and also for balls.

"I thought Verlander had shutout stuff," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I thought all pitches worked as good as I've seen them all year. That was shutout stuff. He didn't get a shutout, but he easily could have."

Verlander has struggled against the White Sox over the course of his career. The right-hander is 1-6 with a 5.19 ERA in nine starts at U.S. Cellular Field. Overall, he's 6-9 with a 4.66 ERA against the South Siders in his six-year big league career. In his one start against the White Sox this season, he earned the win, tossing seven innings and allowing only one earned run Sept. 7.

Opposite Verlander will be 25-year-old rookie Lucas Harrell. He will make his second spot-start in place of Freddy Garcia, who is battling a stiff back. Harrell lasted 3 1/3 innings in the Tigers' 12-6 win over the Royals on Sunday, allowing six earned runs off nine hits but taking a no-decision.

Harrell has only made four appearances for the White Sox this season, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.

Tigers: Sizemore hopes to return healthy
A pesky ankle injury plagued Tigers infielder Scott Sizemore all season. But he said the ankle has healed pretty well, and he doesn't plan on playing on it this offseason. It's been four years since Sizemore was able to undergo a normal offseason workout routine, and he's hoping it pays dividends next season. I'm approaching the offseason like it's a midseason mentality," Sizemore said. "In offseasons in the past, if I was sore or I didn't feel right, I'd take a few days off or a week off, and I don't want to have to worry about that, whether it's my hip or ankle or anything. I just want to make sure that I'm continuous with my plan and getting in the best shape I can be." Sizemore was the Opening Day starter at second base for the Tigers this season, but underwent a slump that caused him to be sent back down to Triple-A Toledo. He's hitting .217 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 38 games for the Tigers this season.

White Sox: Ozzie not throwing in towel
Even though the White Sox are a long shot to sneak into the playoffs, manager Ozzie Guillen doesn't plan on shutting any players down, including Garcia or Gordon Beckham, who has been plagued with a sore hand. "Nobody is shut down, Guillen said. "They are still making a lot of money. I still have a shot. Maybe it sounds impossible or crazy but yes, I still have a shot. I'm not giving up until the shot is over. Even when the shot is over with, you will continue to play unless you are hurt. As soon as this thing is over and the players don't want to play, they know where to find me and say they are going to shut it down. I get paid to win games and win the most games we can. Players have to go there for different reasons. There are a lot of different reasons to go out and play."

Worth noting
White Sox outfielder Juan Pierre was hit by a pitch on Friday night, upping his total to an American League-high 20 this season.

... Manny Ramirez homered on Friday, his first homer for the White Sox since being acquired by the club on Aug. 30.

... Paul Konerko was out of the White Sox lineup on Friday after being hit in the face by a pitch on Thursday night against the Twins. There was no serious damage that should keep the American League Most Valuable Player candidate out of the lineup for an extended period of time.

... Tigers reliever Bobby Seay underwent successful surgery on his left shoulder Friday. The recovery timetable has Seay on track to begin a throwing program in four months in hopes of possibly pitching at some point next season.



Pitching matchup

TIGERS: RHP Justin Verlander (16-8, 3.48 ERA)
One more win will give Verlander 17 for the fourth time in his first five big league seasons, something no Major League pitcher has done since Dwight Gooden. Verlander's next inning will give him 200 for the fourth straight season.

WHITE SOX: RHP Lucas Harrell (1-0, 4.50 ERA)
With Freddy Garcia ruled out for his scheduled Saturday start, look for Harrell to get his second straight call in place of the veteran right-hander. Harrell gave up six runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings in his last start against the Royals.


RECENT RESULTS: The Tigers knocked off the White Sox 9-2 last night. Max Scherzer (11-10) fanned 11 batters as he allowed two runs in eight innings of work to earn the win for Detroit. Austin Jackson and Jhonny Peralta both finished with two hits and two RBI for the Tigers, while Alex Avila added a two-run double. The Tigers continue a five-game road trip with the second game of a three-game series at Chicago this afternoon. Detroit returns home for the final homestand of the season on Monday, a homestand that features a visit from Kansas City and Minnesota.

RECENT WORK AGAINST THE WHITE SOX: The Tigers enter today’s game having won six of the club’s last seven games against the White Sox. Detroit is hitting .310 (78x252) with 49 runs scored, 11 doubles, a triple and 10 home runs during the stretch. The Tigers have compiled a 2.95 ERA (64.0IP/21ER) against Chicago during the stretch.

CENTRAL FOCUS: The Tigers continue a 12-game stretch this afternoon at Chicago in which all of the club’s games are against opponents from the American League’s Central Division. Detroit has posted a 14-6 record in the club’s last 20 games against division opponents after compiling a 17-24 record in the club’s first 41 games against division opponents this season.

STARTING WELL: Tigers starting pitchers have registered a quality start in 18 of the club’s last 26 games dating back to August 20. During the 26-game stretch, Detroit’s starting pitchers have compiled a 13-3 record and 2.99 ERA (177.2IP/59ER).

OFFENSE ON THE UPTICK: Tigers hitters are batting .284 (281x990) with 157 runs scored, 53 doubles, nine triples and 26 home runs over the club’s last 27 games dating back to August 19. Detroit leads all American League clubs with 157 runs scored, 281 hits and 53 doubles during that stretch, while the club is third with a .284 batting average and tied for sixth with 26 home runs.

JACKSON CLOSING IN ON RARE ROOKIE TERRITORY: With four more runs scored and two more hits, Austin Jackson would become just the ninth player in major league history since 1901 to collect at least 100 runs scored, 170 hits, 30 doubles, 10 triples and 20 stolen bases as a rookie. Jackson would join Joe Jackson (1911), Roy Johnson (1929), Evar Swanson (1929), Barney McCosky (1939), Minnie Minoso (1951), Juan Samuel (1984), Nomar Garciaparra (1997) and Hanley Ramirez (2006) in accomplishing the feat.

SCHERZER TURNS IN DOMINANT PERFORMANCE: Max Scherzer fanned 11 batters as he limited the White Sox to two runs on two hits in eight innings of work last night to earn the win. There have been 13 major league pitchers who have fanned 11-or-more batters in a game while surrendering two-or-fewer hits this season, with Scherzer being the only one of the pitchers to accomplish the feat twice. He fanned 14 batters as he allowed two hits to Oakland in 5.2 innings of work on May 30. (Source: Elias Sports Bureau)

RABURN ON A ROLL: Ryan Raburn enters today’s game versus the White Sox hitting .357 (50x140) with 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 31 RBI over his last 38 games dating back to August 5. He is tops among all American League players with 13 doubles, a .686 slugging percentage and 24 extra-base hits during the stretch, while he is second with 31 RBI, third with 11 home runs, fourth with a .357 batting average and tied for fourth with 50 hits.

PERALTA PICKING UP THE PRODUCTION: Jhonny Peralta is batting .333 (33x99) with six doubles, three home runs and 24 RBI over his last 26 games dating back to August 19. He is tied for second among all American League players with 24 RBI during the stretch.

JACKSON PILING UP THE RUNS: Austin Jackson has scored 27 runs over his last 26 games dating back to August 20 and he leads all American League rookies with 96 runs scored this season. His 96 runs scored mark the most by a Tigers rookie since Jake Wood also scored 96 runs during the 1961 season. With four more runs scored, Jackson will become just the sixth rookie in Tigers history to score at least 100 runs and the first since Barney McCosky scored 120 runs in 1939.

GUILLEN UPDATE: Carlos Guillen underwent a surgical clean up of the degenerative changes and microfracture surgery on his left knee yesterday in a procedure performed by Dr. Russ Warren at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He will be non-weight bearing for the next six-to-eight weeks and he can begin physical activities in four months. Guillen’s exact return date for the 2011 season has not been determined.

INJURY UPDATE:
• RHP Zach Miner (Partial tear in right elbow, 60-day DL on March 26, Had successful Tommy John surgery May 28, Out for Season),
• LHP Bobby Seay (Torn rotator cuff, 60-day DL on March 26, surgery on September 15, Out for Season),
• OF Magglio Ordonez (right ankle fracture, 15-day DL on July 25, Had surgery surgery Aug. 25, Out for Season),
• INF Danny Worth (bruised left heel, 15-day DL on August 4, Out for Season),
• RHP Joel Zumaya (non-displaced fracture of the olecranon, 60-day DL on June 29, Underwent elbow surgery July 12, Out for Season).
• Carlos Guillen (Bruised left knee, 15-day DL on August 23, Out for Season)


Out for Season



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Up next (Probable Pitchers)


• Sunday, September 19,
TIGERS (RHP Jeremy Bonderman (8-9, 5.04 ERA)) AT WHITE SOX (LHP John Danks (13-11, 3.60 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET (ESPN / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)

• Monday, September 20,
TIGERS (RHP Rick Porcello (9-11, 5.10 ERA)) VS ROYALS (RHP Zack Greinke (9-12, 3.90 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)

• Tuesday, September 21,
TIGERS (RHP Armando Galarraga (4-6, 4.27 ERA)) VS ROYALS (LHP Bruce Chen (10-7, 4.70 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)

• Wednesday, September 22,
TIGERS (RHP Max Scherzer (11-10, 3.54 ERA)) VS ROYALS (RHP Kyle Davies (8-10, 5.08 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Jackson, A, CF .301
Rhymes, 2B .286
Damon, DH .270
Cabrera, M, 1B .332
Boesch, RF .262
Raburn, LF .276
Peralta, J, SS .254
Inge, 3B .250
Avila, C .215
Totals .269

Chi White Sox AVG
Pierre, LF .273
Ramirez, A, SS .281
Rios, CF .286
Konerko, 1B .323
Ramirez, M, DH .308
Pierzynski, C .271
Morel, 3B .250
Teahen, RF .254
Lillibridge, 2B .262
Totals .268