GDT: 9/5/11 - DET (78-62) AT CLE (70-67) - 1:05 p.m. ET

Indians kick off critical set against first-place Tigers

By Quinn Roberts / MLB.com | 9/5/2011 12:14 AM ET

While Ubaldo Jimenez had only three career starts against the Tigers before coming over to the American League at the Trade Deadline, he'll face off against them Monday for the third time since becoming a member of the Indians.

In a crucial three-game series for the Tribe, who sit 6 1/2 games back of Detroit in the American League Central, Jimenez can get the club off on the right foot in Monday's opener at Progressive Field.

Jimenez pitched a gem against Detroit on Aug. 10, giving up three runs in eight innings for the win. He wasn't able to repeat his success on Aug. 21, though, unraveling to the tune of eight runs on nine hits in just 3 1/3 innings of a losing effort.

However, this time around, Jimenez (2-1, 5.56 ERA with Cleveland) could get an added boost from the Indians' offense, with Grady Sizemore potentially returning from the disabled list on Monday.

Even second baseman Jason Kipnis is on target to come off the DL during the coming week.

"I think at some point," Indian manager Manny Acta said, "we're going to be able to add both of them."

Yet, an improved Indians lineup should be no problem for Detroit's Doug Fister, who took a perfect game into the seventh inning of his last start.

Against the Royals on Tuesday, Fister (3-1, 2.97 ERA since being traded by the Mariners to the Tigers) mowed down hitters one by one, giving up only one run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings of work. However, the right-hander took the no-decision in an eventual 2-1 walk-off win.

"He just changed speeds and used both sides of the plate," manager Jim Leyland said after the start. "He threw some other stuff behind in the count and got ahead very good as well. He pitched."

Tigers: Alburquerque activated

Before Sunday's game against the White Sox, Detroit activated right-hander Al Alburquerque from the DL. Alburquerque had been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 after being hit in the head with a batting practice line drive and sustaining a concussion. The reliever is 5-1 on the season with a 2.19 ERA in 34 appearances.

• Alburquerque is rejoining a strong group. Tigers relievers have compiled a 2.25 ERA (24 earned runs in 96 innings) and 84 strikeouts over the club's last 30 games dating back to Aug. 4.

• Catcher Alex Avila has hit safely in 25 of his last 30 games, batting .354 (39-for-105) with nine doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 21 RBIs. Avila also has reached base safely in 29 of his 30 games dating back to Aug. 2.

Indians: Hafner could return by end of month

The Indians are holding out hope that designated hitter Travis Hafner (right foot strain) will be able to come off the disabled list before the end of the month. Hafner still has a few hurdles to clear in his recovery process.

"He needs to progress to batting practice on the field," Acta said. "We're expecting him to be joining us, but I don't think he's as close as [Jason] Kipnis and Grady [Sizemore]."

• On Sunday, Asdrubal Cabrera was back at shortstop and in the three-hole in the Cleveland lineup -- two days after knee pain forced him off the field.

"It didn't hit him directly in the bone," Acta said. "So that was a break we caught there. He's been just a gamer the whole season. He has played through a lot of minor injuries and stayed out there."

• A 9-6 win over the Royals on Sunday gave the Indians their third straight series win.

Worth noting

• Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano has not allowed a run in his last 13 2/3 innings, and over his last 16 appearances, he has allowed just one earned run.

• Tigers outfielder Ryan Raburn is hitting .303 (40-for-132) with eight doubles, a triple, six home runs and 17 RBIs over his last 43 games.

Tigers: RHP Doug Fister (3-1, 2.97 ERA)

Fister couldn't carry through the perfect game bid he took into the seventh inning of his previous start into Tuesday's turn against the Royals, but the outing reflected how he has been pitching with Detroit since coming over from Seattle.


Indians: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (2-1, 5.56 ERA)

Jimenez allowed three runs and six hits in six innings against the Athletics on Wednesday. He didn't factor into the decision, as the game lasted until the 16th inning. Cleveland is 3-3 with Jimenez on the hill.


Game Information




INJURY UPDATE:

• RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow olecranon fracture surgery, 60-day disabled list on March 30).
• LHP Brad Thomas (left elbow inflammation, 60-day DL on May 11)



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• Tuesday, September 6:
Tigers (RHP Rick Porcello (12-8, 5.01 ERA)) AT
Indians (RHP Fausto Carmona (6-13, 4.84 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)

• Wednesday, September 7:
Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (21-5, 2.34 ERA)) AT
Indians (RHP Justin Masterson (11-8, 2.92 ERA)),
12:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)

• Thursday, September 8:
OFF DAY

STARTING LINEUP:

TIGERS

Austin Jackson, CF
Andy Dirks, RF
Delmon Young, LF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Alex Avila, C
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Wilson Betemit, 3B
Ramon Santiago, 2B

P: Doug Fister

DET - Top 1st
B:1 S:3 O:1
Austin Jackson called out on .

B:3 S:3 O:2
Andy Dirks out swinging.

B:1 S:3 O:3
Delmon Young out swinging.

CLE - Bot 1st
B:1 S:1 O:1
Grady Sizemore grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:3 O:2
Kosuke Fukudome called out on .

B:0 S:0 O:3
Asdrubal Cabrera lines out to left fielder Delmon Young.

0 - 0 AFTER 1 INNING

DET - Top 2nd
B:4 S:2 O:0
Miguel Cabrera walks.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Victor Martinez flies out to left fielder Shelley Duncan.

B:2 S:3 O:2
Alex Avila out swinging.

B:2 S:3 O:3
Jhonny Peralta out swinging.

CLE - Bot 2nd
B:1 S:3 O:1
Carlos Santana called out on .

B:2 S:1 O:2
Jim Thome grounds out, shortstop Jhonny Peralta to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:3 O:3
Shelley Duncan called out on .

0 - 0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

DET - Top 3rd
B:3 S:2 O:1
Wilson Betemit grounds out, second baseman Jason Donald to first baseman Carlos Santana.

B:0 S:0 O:2
Ramon Santiago grounds out, second baseman Jason Donald to first baseman Carlos Santana.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Austin Jackson grounds out, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman Carlos Santana.

CLE - Bot 3rd
B:0 S:2 O:1
Lonnie Chisenhall grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:1 O:1
Jason Donald hit by pitch.

Injury Delay.

B:0 S:2 O:1
Lou Marson reaches on force attempt, fielding error by second baseman Ramon Santiago. Jason Donald to 2nd.

B:0 S:3 O:2
Grady Sizemore out swinging.

B:0 S:1 O:2
Kosuke Fukudome singles on a line drive to shortstop Jhonny Peralta, deflected by pitcher Doug Fister. Jason Donald to 3rd. Lou Marson to 2nd.

B:1 S:3 O:3
Asdrubal Cabrera out swinging.

0 - 0 AFTER 3 INNINGS

DET - Top 4th
B:3 S:2 O:1
Andy Dirks pops out to second baseman Jason Donald.

B:1 S:0 O:1
Delmon Young singles on a ground ball to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:4 S:2 O:1
Miguel Cabrera walks. Delmon Young to 2nd.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Victor Martinez homers (9) on a fly ball to right field. Delmon Young scores. Miguel Cabrera scores.
3 - 0

B:4 S:0 O:1
Alex Avila walks.

Coaching visit to mound.

B:2 S:1 O:2
Jhonny Peralta grounds into a force out, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall to second baseman Jason Donald. Alex Avila out at 2nd. Jhonny Peralta to 1st.

B:2 S:3 O:3
Wilson Betemit out swinging.

CLE - Bot 4th
B:2 S:1 O:1
Carlos Santana grounds out, second baseman Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:1 O:1
Jim Thome singles on a soft ground ball to third baseman Wilson Betemit.

B:1 S:3 O:2
Shelley Duncan out on foul tip.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Lonnie Chisenhall lines out to center fielder Austin Jackson.

3 - 0 AFTER 4 INNINGS

DET - Top 5th
B:2 S:2 O:0
Ramon Santiago hit by pitch.

B:2 S:0 O:2
Austin
Jackson grounds into double play, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall to
second baseman Jason Donald to first baseman Carlos Santana. Ramon
Santiago out at 2nd.

B:0 S:2 O:3
Andy Dirks lines out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

CLE - Bot 5th
B:0 S:0 O:0
Jason Donald singles on a ground ball to center fielder Austin Jackson.

With Lou Marson batting, throwing error by Doug Fister on the pickoff attempt, Jason Donald to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:1
Lou Marson grounds out, second baseman Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Jason Donald to 3rd.

B:0 S:1 O:2
Grady Sizemore grounds out, shortstop Jhonny Peralta to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Jason Donald scores.
3 -1

B:1 S:3 O:3
Kosuke Fukudome out swinging.

3 -1 AFTER 5 INNINGS

DET - Top 6th
B:1 S:0 O:1
Delmon Young grounds out, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall to first baseman Carlos Santana.

B:2 S:3 O:2
Miguel Cabrera out swinging.

B:3 S:1 O:3
Victor Martinez pops out to third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall.

CLE - Bot 6th
B:0 S:1 O:1
Asdrubal Cabrera grounds out, first baseman Miguel Cabrera to pitcher Doug Fister.

B:4 S:0 O:1
Carlos Santana walks.

B:2 S:3 O:2
Jim Thome out swinging.

B:1 S:0 O:3
Shelley Duncan pops out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

3 -1 AFTER 6 INNINGS

DET - Top 7th
B:2 S:3 O:1
Alex Avila called out on .

B:1 S:1 O:2
Jhonny Peralta grounds out, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman Carlos Santana.

B:3 S:2 O:3
Wilson Betemit pops out to catcher Lou Marson in foul territory.

CLE - Bot 7th
Defensive Substitution: Brandon Inge replaces third baseman Wilson Betemit, batting 8th, playing third base.

B:0 S:0 O:1
Lonnie Chisenhall lines out to shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

B:1 S:3 O:2
Jason Donald out on foul tip.

B:1 S:3 O:3
Lou Marson called out on .

3 -1 AFTER 7 INNINGS

DET - Top 8th
Pitcher Change: Joe Smith replaces Ubaldo Jimenez.

B:1 S:1 O:0
Ramon Santiago doubles (9) on a line drive to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:1 S:2 O:1
Austin Jackson grounds out, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman Carlos Santana.

B:4 S:1 O:1
Andy Dirks walks.

B:1 S:2 O:1
Delmon Young singles on a line drive to right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. Ramon Santiago to 3rd. Andy Dirks to 2nd.

Coaching visit to mound.

B:1 S:0 O:2
Miguel Cabrera grounds into a force out, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall to second baseman Jason Donald. Ramon Santiago scores. Andy Dirks to 3rd. Delmon Young out at 2nd. Miguel Cabrera to 1st.
4 - 1

Pitcher Change: Tony Sipp replaces Joe Smith.

Coaching visit to mound.

B:1 S:2 O:3
Victor Martinez pops out to second baseman Jason Donald.

CLE - Bot 8th
B:0 S:3 O:1
Grady Sizemore out swinging.

B:2 S:1 O:1
Kosuke Fukudome homers (5) on a fly ball to right center field.
4 - 2

B:2 S:3 O:2
Asdrubal Cabrera out swinging.

B:1 S:3 O:3
Carlos Santana called out on .

4 -2 AFTER 8 INNINGS

DET - Top 9th
B:1 S:1 O:1
Alex Avila flies out to right fielder Kosuke Fukudome.

B:4 S:1 O:1
Jhonny Peralta walks.

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitcher Change: Vinnie Pestano replaces Tony Sipp.

B:1 S:3 O:2
Brandon Inge called out on .

B:1 S:0 O:2
Ramon Santiago singles on a line drive to right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. Jhonny Peralta to 2nd.

B:0 S:3 O:3
Austin Jackson out on foul tip.

CLE - Bot 9th
Pitcher Change: Jose Valverde replaces Doug Fister.

B:1 S:1 O:1
Jim Thome lines out to second baseman Ramon Santiago.

B:2 S:1 O:2
Shelley Duncan grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:3 S:2 O:3
Lonnie Chisenhall flies out to center fielder Austin Jackson.