2012 DETROIT TIGER SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

HOME GAMES IN BOLD

Date, Opponent, Time/Result, Broadcast/Pitcher
Thu, 4/5: Red Sox, WIN 3-2 (WP: Valverde)
Fri, 4/6: OFF DAY
Sat, 4/7: Red Sox, WIN 10-0 (WP: Below)
Sun, 4/8: Red Sox, WIN 13-12 F/ 11 INN (WP: Below) SWEEP
Mon, 4/9: OFF DAY
Tue, 4/10: Rays, WIN 5-2 (WP: Coke, SV: Valverde)
Wed, 4/11: Rays, LOSE 2-4 (LP: Verlander)
Thu, 4/12: Rays, WIN 7-2 (WP: Balester) SERIES WIN
Fri, 4/13: at White Sox, LOSE 2-5 (LP: Scherzer)
Sat, 4/14: at White Sox, LOSE 1-5 (LP: Wilk)
Sun, 4/15: at White Sox, WIN 5-2 (WP: Porcello)
Mon, 4/16: at Royals, WIN 3-2 (WP: Verlander)
Tue, 4/17: at Royals, WIN 3-1 (WP: Dotel, SV: Valverde)
Wed, 4/18: at Royals, WIN 4-3 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Valverde) SWEEP
Thu, 4/19: Rangers, LOSE 3-10 (LP: Wilk)
Fri, 4/20: Rangers, Postponed due to rain, Makeup 7:05 pm 4/21
Sat, 4/21: Rangers, LOSE 4-10 (LP: Porcello)
Sat, 4/21: Rangers, WIN 3-2 (WP: Verlander, SV: Valverde)
Sun, 4/22: Rangers, LOSE 2-3 F/11 INN (LP: Weber)
Mon, 4/23: OFF
Tue, 4/24: Mariners, LOSE 4-7 (LP: Scherzer)
Wed, 4/25: Mariners, LOSE 1-9 (LP: Wilk)
Thu, 4/26: Mariners, LOSE 4-5 (LP: Porcello)
Fri, 4/27: at Yankees, LOSE 6-7 (LP: Villarreal)
Sat, 4/28: at Yankees, WIN 7-5 (WP: Smyly)
Sun, 4/29: at Yankees, LOSE 2-6 (LP: Scherzer)
Mon, 4/30: Royals, POSTPONED: RAIN, rescheduled for Sept. 24
Tue, 5/1: Royals, WIN 9-3 (WP: Porcello)
Wed, 5/2: Royals, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Benoit)
Thu, 5/3: OFF
Fri, 5/4: White Sox, WIN 5-4 (WP: Valverde)
Sat, 5/5: White Sox, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Valverde)
Sun, 5/6: White Sox, WIN 3-1 (WP: Porcello, SV: Valverde) SERIES WIN
Mon, 5/7: at Mariners, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Dotel)
Tue, 5/8: at Mariners, WIN 6-4 (WP: Verlander, SV: Valverde)
Wed, 5/9: at Mariners, LOSE 1-2 (LP: Putkonen)
Thu, 5/10: at Athletics, WIN 10-6 (WP: Scherzer)
Fri, 5/11: at Athletics, LOSE 4-11 (LP: Porcello)
Sat, 5/12: at Athletics, LOSE 1-3 (LP: Fister)
Sun, 5/13: at Athletics, WIN 3-1 (WP: Verlander, SV: Valverde)
Mon, 5/14: at White Sox, LOSE 5-7 (LP: Putkonen)
Tue, 5/15: at White Sox, WIN 10-8 (WP: Balester, SV: Dotel)
Wed, 5/16: Twins, LOSE 7-11 (LP: Below)
Thu, 5/17: Twins, LOSE 3-4 (LP: Fister)
Fri, 5/18: Pirates, WIN 6-0 (WP: Verlander)
Sat, 5/19: Pirates, LOSE 3-4 (LP: Smyly)
Sun, 5/20: Pirates, WIN 4-3 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Benoit) SERIES WIN
Mon, 5/21: OFF
Tue, 5/22: at Indians, LOSE 3-5 (LP: Porcello)
Wed, 5/23: at Indians, LOSE 2-4 (LP: Coke)
Thu, 5/24: at Indians, LOSE 1-2 (LP: Verlander)
Fri, 5/25: at Twins, WIN 10-6 (WP: Smyly)
Sat, 5/26: at Twins, WIN 6-3 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Valverde)
Sun, 5/27: at Twins, WIN 4-3 (WP: Villarreal, SV: Valverde) SWEEP
Mon, 5/28: at Red Sox, LOSE 4-7 (LP: Fister)
Tue, 5/29: at Red Sox, LOSE 3-6 (LP: Verlander)
Wed, 5/30: at Red Sox, LOSE 4-6 (LP: Dotel)
Thu, 5/31: at Red Sox, WIN 7-3 (WP: Scherzer)
Fri, 6/1: Yankees, LOSE 4-9 (LP: Crosby)
Sat, 6/2: Yankees, WIN 4-3 (WP: Valverde)
Sun, 6/3: Yankees, LOSE 1-5 (LP: Verlander)
Mon, 6/4: OFF
Tue, 6/5: Indians, LOSE 2-4 (LP: Smyly)
Wed, 6/6: Indians, LOSE 6-9 (LP: Scherzer)
Thu, 6/7: Indians, WIN 7-5 (WP: Crosby. SV: Valverde)
Fri, 6/8: at Reds, LOSE 5-6 F/10 INN (LP: Coke)
Sat, 6/9: at Reds, WIN 3-2 (WP: Villarreal, SV: Valverde)
Sun, 6/10: at Reds, WIN 7-6 (WP: Villarreal, SV: Valverde) SERIES WIN
Mon, 6/11: OFF
Tue, 6/12: at Cubs, LOSE 3-4 (LP: Coke)
Wed, 6/13: at Cubs, WIN 8-4 (WP: Porcello)
Thu, 6/14: at Cubs, WIN 5-3 (Verlander. SV: Valverde) SERIES WIN
Fri, 6/15: Rockies, LOSE 4-12 F/10 (LP: Valverde)
Sat, 6/16: Rockies, WIN 4-1 (WP: Fister)
Sun, 6/17: Rockies, WIN 5-0 (WP: Scherzer) SERIES WIN
Mon, 6/18: OFF
Tue, 6/19: Cardinals, WIN 6-3 (WP: Verlander. SV: Coke)
Wed, 6/20: Cardinals, LOSE 1-3 (LP: Porcello)
Thu, 6/21: Cardinals, WIN 2-1 F/10 (WP: Benoit) SERIES WIN
Fri, 6/22: at Pirates, LOSE 1-4 (LP: Fister)
Sat, 6/23: at Pirates, LOSE 1-4 (LP: Scherzer)
Sun, 6/24: at Pirates, WIN 3-2 (WP: Verlander)
Mon, 6/25: at Rangers, WIN 8-2 (WP: Porcello)
Tue, 6/26: at Rangers, LOSE 5-7 (LP: Smyly)
Wed, 6/27: at Rangers, LOSE 9-13 (LP: Fister)
Thu, 6/28: at Rays, WIN 5-2 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Valverde)
Fri, 6/29: at Rays, LOSE 2-4 (LP: Verlander)
Sat, 6/30: at Rays, WIN 6-2 (WP: Porcello)
Sun, 7/1: at Rays, WIN 5-3 (WP: Smyly, SV: Valverde)SERIES WIN
Mon, 7/2: Twins, LOSE 4-6 (LP: Fister)
Tue, 7/3: Twins, LOSE 6-8 (LP: Villarreal)
Wed, 7/4: Twins, WIN 5-1 (WP: Verlander)
Thu, 7/5: Twins, WIN 7-3 (WP: Dotel)
Fri, 7/6: Royals, WIN 4-2 (WP: Smyly, SV: Valverde)
Sat, 7/7: Royals, WIN 8-7 (WP: Fister)
Sun, 7/8: Royals, WIN 7-1 (WP: Scherzer) SWEEP

HOME GAMES IN BOLD

Date, Opponent, Time/Result, Broadcast/Pitcher
Mon, 7/9: State Farm Home Run Derby, on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET
Tue, 7/10: 83rd All-Star Game, Kansas City (Kauffman Stadium) 7:30 p.m. ET
Wed, 7/11:
Thu, 7/12:
Fri, 7/13: at Orioles, WIN 7-2 (WP: Fister)
Sat, 7/14: at Orioles, LOSE 6-8 F/13 INNINGS (LP:Benoit)
Sun, 7/15: at Orioles, WIN 4-0 (WP: Verlander) WIN SERIES
Mon, 7/16: Angels, WIN 8-6 (WP: Dotel, SV: Valverde)
Tue, 7/17: Angels, LOSE 0-13 (LP: Turner)
Wed, 7/18: Angels, WIN 7-2 (WP: Fister)
Thu, 7/19: Angels, WIN 5-1 (WP: Scherzer) WIN SERIES
Fri, 7/20: White Sox, WIN 4-2 (WP: Verlander, SV: Valverde)
Sat, 7/21: White Sox, WIN 7-1 (WP: Porcello)
Sun, 7/22: White Sox, WIN 6-4 (WP: Turner, SV: Benoit) SWEEP
Mon, 7/23: OFF
Tue, 7/24: at Indians, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Fister)
Wed, 7/25: at Indians, WIN 5-3 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Valverde)
Thu, 7/26: at Indians, LOSE 3-5 (LP: Verlander)
Fri, 7/27: at Blue Jays, LOSE 3-8 (LP: Porcello)
Sat, 7/28: at Blue Jays, LOSE 1-5 (LP: Sanchez)
Sun, 7/29: at Blue Jays, WIN 4-1 (WP: Fister, SV: Valverde)
Mon, 7/30: at Red Sox, LOSE 3-7 (LP: Scherzer)
Tue, 7/31: at Red Sox, LOSE 1-4 F/5 INN (LP: Verlander)
Wed, 8/1: at Red Sox, WIN 7-5 (WP: Porcello, SV: Valverde)
Thu, 8/2: OFF
Fri, 8/3: Indians, WIN 10-2 (WP: Sanchez)
Sat, 8/4: Indians, WIN 6-1 (WP: Fister)
Sun, 8/5: Indians, WIN 10-8 F/10 INN (WP: Downs) SWEEP
Mon, 8/6: Yankees, WIN 7-2 (WP: Verlander)
Tue, 8/7: Yankees, WIN 6-5 (WP: Porcello, SV: Valverde)
Wed, 8/8: Yankees, LOSE 8-12 (LP: Sanchez)
Thu, 8/9: Yankees, LOSE 3-4 (LP: Bonoit)
Fri, 8/10: at Rangers, WIN 6-2 (WP: Scherzer)
Sat, 8/11: at Rangers, LOSE 1-2 (LP: Villarreal)
Sun, 8/12: at Rangers, LOSE 3-8 (LP: Porcello)
Mon, 8/13: at Twins, LOSE 3-9 (LP: Sanchez)
Tue, 8/14: at Twins, WIN 8-4 (WP: Fister)
Wed, 8/15: at Twins, WIN 5-1 (WP: Scherzer) WIN SERIES
Thu, 8/16: OFF
Fri, 8/17: Orioles, WIN 5-3 (WP: Benoit, SV: Valverde)
Sat, 8/18: Orioles, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Porcello)
Sun, 8/19: Orioles, LOSE 5-7 (LP: Fister)
Mon, 8/20: OFF
Tue, 8/21: Blue Jays, WIN 5-3 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Valverde)
Wed, 8/22: Blue Jays, WIN 3-2 (WP: Sanchez, SV: Valverde)
Thu, 8/23: Blue Jays, WIN 3-2 F/11 INN (WP: Benoit) SWEEP
Fri, 8/24: Angels, LOSE 1-2 (LP: Porcello)
Sat, 8/25: Angels, WIN 5-3 (WP: Dotel, SV: Valverde)
Sun, 8/26: Angels, WIN 5-2 (WP: Scherzer) WIN SERIES
Mon, 8/27: OFF
Tue, 8/28: at Royals, LOSE 8-9 (LP: Villarreal)
Wed, 8/29: at Royals, LOSE 0-1 (LP: Sanchez)
Thu, 8/30: at Royals, LOSE 1-2 (LP: Porcello)
Fri, 8/31: White Sox, WIN 7-4 (WP: Dotel, SV: Valverde)
Sat, 9/1: White Sox, WIN 5-1 (WP: Scherzer)
Sun, 9/2: White Sox, WIN 4-2 (WP: Verlander, SV: Valverde) SWEEP
Mon, 9/3: Indians, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Downs)
Tue, 9/4: Indians, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Porcello)
Wed, 9/5: Indians, WIN 7-1 (WP: Fister)
Thu, 9/6: OFF
Fri, 9/7: at Angels, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Dotel)
Sat, 9/8: at Angels, LOSE 1-6 (LP: Verlander)
Sun, 9/9: at Angels, LOSE 2-3 (LP: Sanchez)
Mon, 9/10: at White Sox, LOSE 1-6 (LP: Porcello)
Tue, 9/11: at White Sox, WIN 5-3 (WP: Fister, SV: Valverde)
Wed, 9/12: at White Sox, WIN 8-6 (WP: Scherzer, SV: Valverde)
Thu, 9/13: at White Sox, Postponed, Rain, Makeup Monday 9/17
Fri, 9/14: at Indians, WIN 4-0 (WP: Verlander)
Sat, 9/15: at Indians, WIN 5-3 (WP: Sanchez, SV: Valverde)
Sun, 9/16: at Indians, LOSE 6-7 (LP: Valverde) WIN SERIES
Mon, 9/17: at White Sox, LOSE 4-5 (LP: Fister)
Tue, 9/18: Athletics, WIN 12-2 (WP: Downs)
Wed, 9/19: Athletics, WIN 6-2 (WP: Verlander)
Thu, 9/20: Athletics, LOSE 4-12 (LP: Sanchez) WIN SERIES
Fri, 9/21: Twins, Postponed, Rain, Makeup Sunday 9/23 at 7:05
Sat, 9/22: Twins, WIN 8-0 (WP: Fister)
Sun, 9/23: Twins, LOSE 4-10 (LP: Scherzer)
Sun, 9/23: Twins, LOSE 1-2 F/10 INN (LP: Valverde)
Mon, 9/24: Royals, WIN 6-2 (WP: Verlander)
Tue, 9/25: Royals, WIN 2-0 (WP: Sanchez)
Wed, 9/26: Royals, WIN 5-4 (WP: Benoit, SV: Valverde)
Thu, 9/27: Royals, WIN 5-4 (WP: Benoit) SWEEP
Fri, 9/28: at Twins, LOSE 2-4 (LP: Villarreal)
Sat, 9/29: at Twins, WIN 6-4 (WP: Verlander, SV: Valverde)
Sun, 9/30: at Twins, WIN 2-1 (WP: Coke, SV: Valverde) WIN SERIES
Mon, 10/1: at Royals, WIN 6-3 (WP: Porcello, SV: Valverde)
Tue, 10/2: at Royals, LOSE 2-4 (LP: Fister)
Wed, 10/3: at Royals, WIN 1-0 (WP: Marte, SV: Putkonen) WIN SERIES

reserved

Jackson bails out Valverde with walk-off single
Verlander gets no-decision after hurling eight shutout innings

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/5/2012 7:04 PM ET

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DETROIT -- The Tigers came home Thursday morning as a team billed with star power. They left Comerica Park later in the afternoon looking like teammates, great players working together.

More important, they left the park as winners.

"We won the ballgame," Tigers ace Justin Verlander said after the 3-2 victory over the Red Sox, "and that's first and foremost. Obviously it's nice to get the win, but to be able to go out there and pitch eight [innings] strong and only use one bullpen guy, that's my job."

Verlander remains winless on Opening Day in five career tries, but he didn't sound like he particularly cared. His obsession with getting off to a strong start to the season was more about his pitching, and he needed every zero he could muster to keep his offense in the game long enough to break through against Boston ace Jon Lester, who held Detroit hitless in its first 13 at-bats with runners on base.

With eight scoreless innings, Verlander had his best Opening Day start, and maybe his best start in April. But with two Red Sox runs in the ninth, he had a no-decision, and Jose Valverde had his first blown save in more than a year.

That was when the offense truly came through. It came not from the star-studded heart of the order, but the bottom-third setting up the oft-questioned leadoff man. And when Austin Jackson came through with what he said was his first game-winning hit, Verlander was one of the first to congratulate him on the field.

"I don't think I've ever had one," Jackson said of a walk-off hit, "not that I can remember. It's [special], just because I've got family in the stands and they get a chance to see it.

"But that first game is out of the way. We've got 161 more. We'll keep playing hard and trying to get wins."

When Jackson was working with hitting coach Lloyd McClendon this spring to quicken his swing, eliminating the leg kick from his stance to help speed up his reactions and cut down on strikeouts, it was meant to help him reach base as a leadoff hitter. If Jackson could make better contact, he had a better chance to get on base, given his high average on balls put in play.

It proved a little more helpful when he stepped to the plate with bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth against Red Sox closer Alfredo Aceves.

Three straight Tigers had reached base safely before him, all from the bottom of the order starting with back-to-back one-out singles from Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila off Mark Melancon. Aceves entered against Ramon Santiago, but his curveball hit the ninth hitter on his back foot as Santiago checked his swing.

If Jackson put a ball in play with any solid contact, he had a good chance to end it. He shortened up his swing in turn.

"Anything can happen in that situation by putting the ball in play," Jackson said. "That's what I tried to do my best to do."

With a hitter's count at 2-1, Aceves tried to jam him with a fastball inside. Jackson turned on it and sent it down the third-base line, past former Tigers nemesis Nick Punto.

"As soon as it got to be a jeopardy situation, I just wanted to close the door with the last guy who's going to really be the closer," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "I thought he had the stuff to get a ground ball. He got a ground ball."

Pinch-runner Danny Worth had been readying for a mad dash to the plate and a potential collision with the massive Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Few were more relieved than Worth that he could stroll home.

"I was ready to bust my butt," Worth said.

The exception with more relief might have been Valverde, who went 49-for-49 in save opportunities last year and had converted 51 consecutive save chances since his last blown save on Sept. 2, 2010. He was an out away from doing the same Thursday and stranding the tying run at second base when Ryan Sweeney turned on his sinker and lined it off the fence in the right-field corner.

The silence after the hit reflected the mood of what had been a celebration in waiting from fans who had grown used to Valverde's narrow escapes. When Valverde retired Cody Ross and kept it tied, the scattered boos as he walked into the dugout were a surprise.

Valverde's teammates weren't thinking that way, and when they earned him the win, he wasn't preoccupied with the route he took there.

"The only thing that matters right now is winning," Valverde said. "That's it."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Miggy, Prince tee off in Tigers' rout of Red Sox

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/7/2012 7:00 PM ET

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DETROIT -- While Opening Day is a holiday in these parts, manager Jim Leyland welcomes the second game of the season as the day the Tigers settle into the daily routine of the season. If he can watch Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder slugging back-to-back home runs on a routine basis, their season might well go a long way.

As it was, their two homers apiece fueled a five-homer barrage off Josh Beckett that made quick work of the Red Sox with a 10-0 win Saturday and made their long relief work a little easier after losing starter Doug Fister with a left side injury.

The Tigers signed Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract in January to provide a feared hitter to protect Cabrera in the Tigers' order once Victor Martinez suffered a season-ending knee injury in offseason workouts. It didn't stop the Red Sox from walking Cabrera three times on Opening Day, but Beckett didn't have nearly the same traffic on the bases Saturday. More often, his baserunners were trotting around.

A leadoff walk to Austin Jackson provided enough of a distraction for Beckett before he made his first mistake of the game. He threw no less than five pickoff throws to first trying to keep Jackson close before his fastball over the middle of the plate allowed Cabrera to send home Jackson jogging and build a 2-0 lead.

Beckett recovered to retire eight of Detroit's next hitters, including a called third strike on Cabrera to strand Jackson in the third inning. But once Fielder took a Beckett cutter and sent it over the left-field fence for his first homer as a Tiger, an opposite-field shot, the game fell increasingly out of Beckett's control.

Delmon Young's ensuing single off Adrian Gonzalez at first base put a runner on for Alex Avila, who pounced on Beckett's first pitch for an opposite-field homer of his own. Beckett retired five more in a row before Cabrera sent another loft deep to left. The ball was initially ruled a ground-rule double when left fielder Cody Ross argued the ball crawled under the fence, but replay showed the ball cleared the fence and hit off the bullpen dugout immediately behind it before bouncing off the back of the outfield fence.

Fielder's ensuing shot had no doubt, a line drive that landed well into the right-field seats. One batter later, Beckett was gone, having tied his career high with five homers allowed.

Cabrera, Fielder, Young, Avila and Dirks each had multihit games. Once Dirks singled in Avila in the seventh inning, the Tigers were in double digits.

It would've easily made a winner out of Fister in his first start of the season, but the lanky right-hander grabbed his left side after a pitch in the dirt with two outs in the fourth. Duane Below, who was the runner-up in the Tigers' fifth starter competition before an injury opened a spot in the bullpen, tossed 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn his first Major League win.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Avila hits two-run walk-off homer to cap sweep

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/8/2012 6:17 PM ET

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DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera hit a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, and then Alex Avila launched a two-run walk-off homer in the 11th as the Tigers posted a 13-12 win and a season-opening series sweep of the Red Sox.

In a game that demonstrated why manager Jim Leyland placed so much importance on picking his long relievers, the Tigers saw both a four-run first-inning lead, a three-run ninth-inning deficit and a two-run extra-inning deficit erased a few hours apart. Avila's homer provided the last lead the Tigers needed, giving them their second walk-off hit in three games.

It continued the Tigers' best opening to a season since they won their first five games in 2006. That start was fueled by an incredible start from slugger Chris Shelton. This one has a lot more established hitting behind it, starting with the reigning American League batting champion and continuing with a rejuvenated leadoff hitter.

Cabrera's third home run in two days came off Alfredo Aceves, who failed to retire any of the three Tigers he faced after coming on to close out a 10-7 lead in the ninth. Austin Jackson's leadoff single, his fourth hit of the day, and Brennan Boesch's infield single set up Cabrera, who jumped a first-pitch fastball and lined it over the fence in the left-field corner.

Cody Ross' leadoff walk in the 11th and Mike Aviles' single put Boston in position to retake the lead on Nick Punto's flare into left field. Once Dustin Pedroia plated Aviles with a two-out single, the Red Sox seemed to have the gap they needed. But they had to face the middle of the order one more time, beginning with Cabrera.

Cabrera didn't go deep, but his single off Mark Melancon started the rally. Once Prince Fielder slapped a ground ball to an open left side of the infield against the shift, Detroit had the potential go-ahead run at the plate.

Delmon Young's sacrifice fly brought the Tigers within a run with one out remaining. Melancon tried to strike out Avila with back-to-back curveballs, but Avila fouled back the first before driving the second one deep to right field. The ball hit off the railing, just above the fence for his second homer of the year.

Duane Below, who got the last out of the 11th, earned his second win in as many days.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Cabrera, Fielder spark rally for unbeaten Detroit

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/10/2012 3:41 PM ET

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DETROIT -- Rick Porcello looked calm, confident and controlled Tuesday like the kind of veteran pitcher the Tigers are hoping he becomes. Unfortunately for him, so did Rays rookie Matt Moore.

If the 42-degree first-pitch temperature and intermittent snowfall wasn't enough to cool off hitters, including the previously red-hot Tigers bats, the pitchers were. It took back-to-back hits from Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder to help decide their series-opening pitching duel, sending Detroit to its fourth straight win with a 5-2 decision vs. Tampa Bay on Tuesday afternoon at Comerica Park.

The 4-0 record continues the Tigers' best start since 2006, the year they won the American League pennant. They could match their start from that year with a win Wednesday afternoon.

The two teams traded runs in the third and seventh innings -- including Austin Jackson's game-tying solo homer to chase Moore in the seventh -- until Cabrera's eighth-inning double to the deepest part of the park set up the run that decided it.

Jackson continued his scorching hot start Tuesday by reaching base safely three times. He only put the ball in play once all day, but it was big one. After working his third full count against Moore, Tampa Bay's rookie sensation, the center fielder made Moore pay for the one pitch he probably would want back -- a fastball he left over the middle of the plate. Jackson sent it deep to left for his first home run of the year and a 2-2 game in the seventh.

An inning later, Cabrera's double to the out-of-town scoreboard in right-center off Jake McGee (0-1) started the Tigers' rally. Fielder drove him in with a single through the middle, then Delmon Young greeted former Tigers prospect Burke Badenhop with a ground ball through the right side.

After manager Jim Leyland's hit-and-run call with pinch-runner Clete Thomas prevented a double play, Jhonny Peralta's sacrifice fly and Gerald Laird's single tacked on insurance tallies.

It was too late for Porcello to earn the victory, keeping Detroit's rotation without a decision on the season. Still, his seven innings of two-run ball on seven hits lasted two innings longer than any of his previous season-opening starts. More impressive, he needed just 92 pitches to do it, racking up seven groundouts.

Phil Coke (1-0) got back-to-back strikeouts of Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist with the potential go-ahead run on first in the top of the eighth to earn the victory.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Verlander stunned in ninth as Tigers toppled
Rays mount unlikey rally against ace as Detroit takes first loss

By Anthony Odoardi / MLB.com | 4/11/2012 3:55 PM ET

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DETROIT -- The Tigers weren't going to win them all. But nobody imagined them losing their first like this.

What started as Justin Verlander's bid at a one-hit shutout in the ninth inning and the Tigers' bid at matching their start from 2006 ended with a four-run ninth-inning rally from the Rays, sending Detroit to a 4-2 defeat Wednesday afternoon before a stunned crowd of 28,180 fans at Comerica Park.

It was the first loss of the year for the Tigers, who had been the American League's last unbeaten team. With their ace and reigning AL MVP on the mound, they seemingly had little chance at losing this once they forged ahead. But the ninth showed why baseball is difficult to predict.

When Jose Valverde's first blown save in more than a year spoiled Verlander's chance at an Opening Day victory last week, the debate centered on whether manager Jim Leyland took out Verlander too soon, even with a previously perfect closer. Wednesday was the flip side.

Verlander had thrown just 81 pitches going into the ninth, and a fifth-inning single from Ben Zobrist as his only base hit allowed. He threw 23 pitches trying to finish it out, but retired only one of the six Rays he faced in the ninth.

Jeff Keppinger led it off with a single. Desmond Jennings singled and Keppinger went from first to third. Keppinger scored on a wild pitch, pegging Verlander for his first earned run of the season. And Evan Longoria snuck a chopper between Miguel Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta to drive in the tying run.
Daniel Schlereth took over for Verlander and walked Elliot Johnson to load the bases. Then Valverde came in to face Ben Zobrist, who singled to center and broke the 2-2 tie with a ground ball up the middle.

It's the second time in five games the Tigers squandered a 2-0 lead in the ninth. However, unlike Opening Day, when they won it with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, they weren't as fortunate Wednesday.

James Shields earned the win after his great outing was overshadowed by how Verlander was carving through the Rays' lineup through the first eight.

Shields, the third-place Cy Young Award vote-getter last season, went eight strong innings, giving up six hits and two runs while striking out five. Fernando Rodney entered in the ninth to a chorus of boos to seal it.

Anthony Odoardi is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Boesch has a bash with four RBIs on birthday
Smyly works out of early trouble, fans four in MLB debut

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/12/2012 4:38 PM ET

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DETROIT -- Drew Smyly stared at the heart of the Rays' order with the bases loaded before recording his first Major League out. His manager stared into his eyes 12 pitches into the game and told him, in so many words, to throw strikes.

For a kid just starting his second pro season, it was a ball of stress. Yet Smyly survived to escape the first inning scoreless and tossed four-plus innings of one-run ball. That allowed the Tigers to bounce back from their ninth-inning meltdown on Wednesday to move ahead with a pair of two-run singles from Brennan Boesch on his 27th birthday for a 7-2 win on Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.

The victory sends the Tigers on their first road trip of the season with a 5-1 record, their third such record through six games in the last seven seasons. After scoring 23 runs over the last two games of their series-opening sweep of the Red Sox, they plated 14 for the series against the Rays, half of them in the finale, to turn a closely pitched series into an eventual runaway.

Detroit took three of four from Tampa Bay last August in what manager Jim Leyland called the defining series of their late-season surge to the American League Central title. It's way too early to think of this one the same way, but if the Tigers change their course from last year with a solid opening month, this series could be more meaningful than any one game against the Red Sox last weekend.

Three batters into Thursday's rubber game, it looked like a potential Tampa Bay rout. Smyly missed the strike zone with seven consecutive pitches following a first-pitch strike, walking leadoff man Desmond Jennings and falling behind Carlos Pena ahead of his single.

Once Smyly lost Evan Longoria to a walk, he had the bases loaded for the cleanup man. On Thursday, however, that cleanup man was Jeff Keppinger, author of a .721 career OPS. Smyly regrouped to get a shallow flyout from Keppinger, then mixed pitches for back-to-back strikeouts of Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez and one impressive escape.

Pena's solo homer in the third inning was the only run off Smyly, who paid for his elevated pitch count with an early exit after 90 pitches once he hit Pena on his hands leading off the fifth. Collin Balester retired the side from there, putting himself in line for the win once Detroit put up three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Andy Dirks' first career triple was a game-changer, scoring Alex Avila and putting himself in position to score on a sac fly. Ryan Raburn's strikeout took away that chance, but after Rays starter Jeff Niemann pitched around Austin Jackson with a four-pitch walk, he paid for falling behind Boesch, who sliced a fly ball toward the left-field corner to clear the bases.

Rays manager Joe Maddon had used the intentional walk back in 2010 to pitch around Miguel Cabrera and get his outs from Boesch. He had no such fortune on Thursday, as Boesch pounced on lefty reliever Jake McGee's diet of five consecutive fastballs and the Rays' infield shift by sending a ground ball through the middle for two more RBIs in the seventh.

Avila added an insurance tally by tripling in Prince Fielder in the eighth and scoring on a wild pitch.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Young's homer not enough for Tigers in Chicago
Rallies thwarted by defensive gems; Scherzer fans 11 over six

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/13/2012 5:05 PM ET

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CHICAGO -- Miguel Cabrera realized three batters into Friday's White Sox home opener that the batter's box at U.S. Cellular Field was too far forward. Moving it back didn't get them an inch of progress against Jake Peavy.

In the end, the Tigers fell inches short -- the distance that Paul Konerko covered sliding home on a close play at the plate under Alex Avila's tag, or the distance by which Dayan Viciedo corralled Andy Dirks' line drive toward the left-field line. The two plays, plus 6 2/3 innings of stellar pitching from Peavy, nullified 11 strikeouts from Max Scherzer in a 5-2 Detroit loss at U.S. Cellular Field.

On most days, Detroit's offense has the firepower to turn an outing like Scherzer's six innings into a win. When Peavy is on his game, however, he has been brutal for the Tigers to hit. They finally got him for a Delmon Young two-run homer, but they still needed one more tally.

They came awfully close.

Young hit six home runs in Spring Training, but hadn't sent a ball out in the regular season until he turned on a Peavy curveball and sent it down the left-field line for a two-out blast. It was just the second hit off Peavy, the other being a Brennan Boesch single in the fourth, and it chased Peavy from the game.

Alex Avila's single off Will Ohman and Jhonny Peralta's double over Brent Morel at third base put the Tigers in position to take the lead with one more hit off rookie reliever Addison Reed. They nearly got it from Dirks, who sent a sharp liner to left. Viciedo took a handful of steps and stretched out to make the grab.

The Tigers mounted another rally in the eighth with an Austin Jackson walk and Brennan Boesch single, but Matt Thornton escaped when Alexei Ramirez made a sliding stop on Cabrera's grounder up the middle to start an inning-ending double-play as Prince Fielder waited on deck.

Viciedo was arguably worth at least three runs in the game, stealing two there after scoring the game's first run on a fifth-inning homer. Scherzer was nearly unhittable at that point, having retired nine straight batters and struck out eight of Chicago's first 13 hitters.

A leadoff walk to Alejandro De Aza sparked Chicago's offense in the next inning. Morel's sacrifice bunt moved De Aza into position to score on Konerko's single before A.J. Pierzynski sent a liner into the right-field corner.

The 36-year-old Konerko chugged his way around third as Boesch threw the ball back in.

Relievers Daniel Schlereth and Brayan Villarreal allowed the White Sox to grab a larger cushion with two runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Miggy has batter's box redrawn before at-bat
White Sox grounds crew asked to rechalk during first inning
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/13/12 2:52 PM ET

CHICAGO -- The Tigers brought their lineup to U.S. Cellular Field on Friday ready to take their swings at the fences. Three batters into the White Sox home opener, they realized they were swinging a little closer than usual.

Miguel Cabrera stepped to the plate with two outs in the top of the first inning and immediately pointed to the batter's box, arguing that it didn't extend far enough back. As it turned out, he was right. Crew chief Gary Cederstrom confirmed that the box was drawn too far forward and stopped the game for the grounds crew to rechalk the lines.

According to diagrams in the Major League Baseball rulebook, the batter's box must be four feet wide and six feet deep, extending three feet each way from the midpoint of home plate. The batter must stay in that box when he's hitting, though the back line usually gets blurred by hitters' back foot soon after the game starts.

The box appeared to be the right dimensions, but it was centered too far forward. Neither Austin Jackson nor Brennan Boesch noticed it in their at-bats before Cabrera came up, but either Cabrera or someone in the Tigers' dugout did.

It's a rare miscue. Major League grounds crews have wooden frames made out to the specific dimensions so that they can chalk the lines quickly and exactly. It can make a big difference for a hitter who wants to stay as far back as possible to get an extra split-second to react to the pitch.

The game was delayed for about five minutes while the grounds crew swept off the chalk of the old box and redrew it. Cabrera, meanwhile, drew a heavy amount of boos from the U.S. Cellular Field crowd, which has made him a favorite target in his four-plus seasons with the rival Tigers.

Once they finally had it right, Cabrera stepped to the plate and flew out to right on the first pitch.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers offer little support in Wilk's first start
Jackson's three hits, Boesch's homer not enough to carry offense

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/14/2012 7:01 PM ET

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CHICAGO -- Adam Wilk has spent his entire pro career taping up the middle finger of his glove hand, a superstition he developed in college and has kept for good luck. It didn't seem to help him much Saturday in his first Major League start, a 5-1 Tigers loss to the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

It wasn't his pitching that suffered. Wilk pitched relatively well, holding the White Sox to three hits, two of them solo homers. That would be enough for a victory behind Detroit's offense on many days, but not on an afternoon when Gavin Floyd held every Tiger hitless aside from Austin Jackson through six innings.

Adding injury to ineffective run support was the Prince Fielder foul ball that hit Wilk in the left shoulder while he was sitting in the dugout during the sixth inning. He's expected to make his next start next Thursday against the Rangers, but it left him done for this one. Two add-on runs off Tigers relievers sealed Detroit's second straight loss.

Wilk challenged hitters all afternoon until his own offense knocked him out. In comparison to the shaky beginning from Drew Smyly in his Major League debut, Wilk, who debuted last summer in Detroit's bullpen, reached just a pair of three-ball counts among the 19 hitters he faced.

He stayed out of situations where he had to serve up a hittable pitch, but he paid for a pair of mistakes he left up in the strike zone. One was an offspeed pitch he hung to Alexei Ramirez with a 1-2 count in the second inning, and Ramirez sent it 369 feet to left field for his first home run. The other was a fifth-inning fastball up in the strike zone to Tyler Flowers, to drove it 423 feet to left for his first homer.

Both homers came after he had retired the first two batters in those innings. The only two other baserunners he allowed followed those homers, a Dayan Viciedo single in the second and a Gordon Beckham walk in the fifth. He struck out four.

Wilk's next start isn't in question, but more immediately, Detroit's offense is. What had been the highest-scoring team in the league entering Saturday with 42 runs, averaging six runs a game, has scored half that through two games in Chicago, where Detroit won six out of nine games in 2011 to help capture the American League Central.

Jackson's three hits picked him back up onto his hot start after a hitless series opener. But with three walks and three hit batters off Floyd, Detroit needed just a timely hit from someone else in the order to have a chance. Brennan Boesch's solo homer in the eighth inning broke up the drought, but it was too late.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Porcello, Laird end Tigers' mini-slump
Righty allows one run over 7 2/3; backup catcher goes 3-for-4

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/15/2012 5:20 PM ET

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CHICAGO -- Finally, the Tigers' rotation has a victory. It took 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball from Rick Porcello to do it.

On a warm, blustery day at U.S. Cellular Field, Porcello and his sinkerball went to work on the White Sox offense, inducing 11 ground balls to salvage a win for Detroit in a 5-2 decision.

The Tigers' offense didn't exactly break out on its way out of Chicago, but Porcello didn't need much to break Detroit's rotation out of its winless start after five victories in eight games from the bullpen. Doubles down the right-field line from Paul Konerko in the second inning and Adam Dunn in the fourth, plus an Alexei Ramirez single in the fifth, comprised all the hits for Chicago until Dayan Viciedo's home run with two out in the eighth ended Porcello's shutout bid.

In between were a slew of sinkers Porcello used to keep the White Sox from lifting anything in the air with authority. Five groundouts were comebackers that he finished off. Four others were converted at third by Miguel Cabrera, including a slow roller he chased down to retire Ramirez in the second.

The vast majority of those outs came early in the count, which allowed Porcello to enter the eighth with 84 pitches. Another highlight play from Cabrera, this one a diving catch to his right, took a line drive and extra bases away from Kosuke Fukudome.

As it turned out, that also took a run away once Viciedo pounced on a slider and sent it to right-center field for his second homer of the series. Eduardo Escobar's ensuing single brought the potential tying run to the plate with the top of the White Sox lineup, ending Porcello's afternoon.

Joaquin Benoit missed with his first four pitches to put Alejandro De Aza on as the would-be tying run, but after Brent Morel worked a full count, Benoit got him to miss an offspeed pitch.

Porcello's win continues a stingy stretch that dates back to his strong Spring Training. He has allowed three runs on 12 hits over 15 innings in two starts this season,

White Sox lefty Chris Sale did his best to keep pace, holding the Tigers and keeping Cabrera hitless for the series. His advantage fell apart, though, when ninth batter Gerald Laird drove a pitch to left for a leadoff homer in the third and doubled into shallow center field in the fifth, moving Jhonny Peralta into position to score on a wild pitch.

Laird, the former Tigers starting catcher who re-signed with Detroit as a backup this past winter, turned his start into a three-hit game, falling a triple shy of the cycle.

Ramon Santiago and Prince Fielder had RBI singles in the ninth, before A.J. Pierzynski singled home a run against Jose Valverde in the bottom of the frame.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Verlander hangs on for complete-game win
Leading by a run, gets game-ending strikeout with bases loaded

By Robert Falkoff / Special to MLB.com | 4/16/2012 11:02 PM ET

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KANSAS CITY -- Justin Verlander continued his mastery of the Royals by allowing just two runs in a complete-game effort and the Tigers used a two-run homer by Brandon Inge for a 3-2 victory Monday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Verlander cruised through the first eight innings, taking a 3-1 lead into the ninth. But the Royals pushed across a run and loaded the bases with two outs before Verlander recorded his ninth strikeout by getting Alex Gordon looking to end it.

Inge's blast snapped a 1-1 tie in the fifth and the Tigers made it stand up as Verlander went the distance. Verlander is now 14-2 lifetime in 20 starts against the Royals.

The Tigers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as hot-hitting Austin Jackson launched a towering home run to left-center leading off the game. Jackson worked the count to 3-1 and was ready when Royals starter Danny Duffy tried to challenge him.

It looked as though the Tigers would do more damage in the first, but Duffy was able to pitch around a two-on, no-out jam. After Brennan Boesch singled and Miguel Cabrera walked, Duffy got a double-play grounder off the bat of Prince Fielder.

The Royals came right back to tie it in the first when Verlander got off to a slow start. Gordon led off with a double to right and went to third on a Chris Getz sacrifice. Eric Hosmer showed patience at the plate and drew a walk before Billy Butler blooped an RBI single to right. Verlander kept it 1-1 by fanning Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas.

The starting pitchers dominated until the fifth when the Tigers regained the lead on Inge's two-run homer. Inge, who came off the disabled list on Saturday, hit his homer to right-center, scoring Jhonny Peralta ahead of him.

Verlander had to reach back for something extra in the fifth. Humberto Quntero and Mitch Maier opened the inning with singles. Alcides Escobar couldn't move the runners over with a bunt, but the Royals executed a double steal to put runners at second and third with one out. Gordon struck out and Getz was jammed, hitting a soft liner to second.

Duffy was lifted after Peralta and Alex Avila singled in the seventh. But the Tigers' aggressiveness on the basepaths backfired when Peralta tried to go first-to-third on Avila's single and was thrown out by right fielder Francoeur.

Robert Falkoff is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Cabrera, Fielder lead Tigers past Royals
Back-to-back RBI singles in eighth break tie

By Robert Falkoff / Special to MLB.com | 4/17/2012 11:04 PM ET

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KANSAS CITY -- Miguel Cabrera snapped a tie with an RBI single in the eighth inning that boosted the Tigers toward a 3-1 victory over the Royals on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium.

The Tigers opened the eighth with a single by designated hitter Andy Dirks off Royals starter Bruce Chen. After Chen was relieved by Greg Holland, Austin Jackson struck out and Brennan Boesch singled to left.

That brought up Cabrera, who rapped his RBI single to center. Detroit got some insurance when Prince Fielder followed with an RBI single up the middle.

The Royals have dropped six in a row.

Offense was hard to come by as Detroit left-hander Drew Smyly and Chen were in control much of the way.

The Tigers broke on top in the second inning when Delmon Young hit a leadoff single, went to third on Ryan Raburn's double and scored on Ramon Santiago's sacrifice fly to right. The double by Raburn snapped an 0-for-22 slide.

The Royals tied it in the third on an unearned run, with Smyly hurting himself due to a throwing error. There were two outs and nobody on when Alcides Escobar hit a liner back at Smyly.

The left-hander turned his back and the ball hit him and caromed toward the first-base line. Smyly chased it down but threw wildly past first, allowing Escobar to take second. The error loomed large as Alex Gordon delivered an RBI single up the middle after Smyly had been checked by the trainer and delivered a few warmup pitches to make sure he was all right.

Smyly faced a stressful situation in the sixth when Billy Butler drove a double to the left-field corner with two outs. The Tigers intentionally walked Jeff Francoeur to set up a lefty-versus-lefty matchup and Smyly came out on top, getting Mike Moustakas on a tap to second.

Smyly worked six innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits. He fanned four and walked one.

Robert Falkoff is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Fielder drives in go-ahead run for Scherzer's first win

By Robert Falkoff / MLB.com | 4/18/2012 11:25 PM ET

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KANSAS CITY -- Max Scherzer worked six innings for his first win of the year and Prince Fielder snapped a tie with an RBI single in the seventh to lead the Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Royals on Wednesday night and a sweep of the three-game series.

The Tigers completed a 4-2 road trip to raise their record to 9-3. The Royals, 3-9, dropped their seventh in a row.

Scherzer allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings, striking out three.

Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh, the Tigers pulled ahead with a pair of runs. Gerald Laird led off with a single and after Brennan Boesch flied out, Miguel Cabrera singled Laird to third. A Jose Mijares wild pitch allowed Laird to score the tying run, with Cabrera taking second. Fielder then beat a defensive shift by driving his RBI single through the vacated shortstop hole.

The Tigers had jumped on top in the second inning against Royals left-hander Jonathan Sanchez. With two outs and nobody on, Ryan Raburn drew a walk and stole second. Jhonny Peralta, back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday's game, rapped a hard grounder that caromed off shortstop Alcides Escobar for an RBI single.

The Royals put two men on with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Jose Valverde got Escobar to hit into a 5-3 double play, with Cabrera making a nice pick at third to initiate the game-ending play.

The Royals grabbed the lead in the third when Scherzer issued a one-out walk to Mitch Maier and No. 9 hitter Escobar drilled a two-run homer into the left-field bullpen. It was Escobar's first homer this year and the 10th of his Major League career.

The Tigers lost a golden opportunity to tie or take the lead in the fourth. Fielder reached on an error by Sanchez as the Kansas City pitcher dropped a throw covering first. Fielder stole second, clapping his hands in celebration after he was called safe.

Delmon Young then singled and Raburn walked to load the bases with nobody out. After Peralta worked the count to 3-1, he lined out to short. Brandon Inge popped to first and Laird flied to center.

Kansas City took a 3-1 lead in the fifth on Humberto Quintero's RBI single, but Fielder pulled the Tigers within a run with an RBI double in the fifth.

The dugouts emptied briefly in the seventh when Scherzer hit Quintero. The Kansas City catcher slammed down his bat near Laird's foot and the two had words before other players arrived at the scene. There were no ejections.

Robert Falkoff is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Bats tamed in series opener vs. Rangers

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/19/2012 10:55 PM ET

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DETROIT -- The Tigers had international scouts watching Yu Darvish while he was in Japan, and they had advance scouting on what the Rangers' newest starter was doing here in the states. But they also knew his potential when he's on his game.

"I've heard people say he's the best to come over from Japan," Leyland said before Thurday's 10-3 loss to the Rangers. "Now whether that's true or not, I don't know. We'll have to wait and see."

Whether he's the best is up to debate, but this was by far the best he has looked since coming over.

The Tigers have had their share of offensive struggles over the last week and a half, against a wide variety of pitchers, from the Tampa Bay Rays' vaunted rotation to the White Sox's Jake Peavy last weekend to the painfully familiar Bruce Chen. They hadn't seen anybody yet quite like Darvish.

Darvish wasn't overpowering, though his fastball was consistently at 94 mph. Nor was he particularly deceptive early on with a heavy dose of fastballs. But after a bout of early-season wildness, he was effective enough to remind people why he had so much promise, all but shutting down one of baseball's most formidable lineups.

Don Kelly's second-inning single and Delmon Young's fourth-inning double comprised all the hitting off Darvish. The latter hit followed Prince Fielder's walk and set up Detroit's lone run on a Kelly groundout. Five walks from Darvish gave Detroit the chance for more, but aside from a Miguel Cabrera fly ball that seemingly died at the right-field warning track leading off the sixth inning, they didn't do much with the rest of the pitches they put in play.

Tigers hitters tried to work the count at times, with some positive results as Darvish wore down in the sixth and seventh, but they still needed the big hit. They never found it, not even at the end, when Darvish capped a seven-pitch battle with Jhonny Peralta by striking him out on a breaking ball in the dirt with his 121st and final pitch of the night.

Darvish struck out five batters over his 6 1/3 innings. It was the kind of outing where the Tigers needed a good pitching performance on their own end to have a chance. On a night when they had a contact pitcher going up against a lineup that can crush balls put into play, it seemed unlikely.

Still, Adam Wilk came closer than many might've expected with an exercise in damage control. He didn't get much help around him.

Wilk held Texas' mighty lineup to two runs through the first four innings despite 10 hits, before a leadoff walk to Josh Hamilton brought out manager Jim Leyland for a pitching change. It also set up a two-run, hitless fifth inning, fueled by a Ramon Santiago error on what looked like a potential double-play ball from Nelson Cruz. Santiago charged it, looked to catch it on the fly and double off Michael Young, then stopped too late to avoid the in-between hop.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers-Rangers postponed; twin bill Saturday
Rainout leads to day-night doubleheader at Comerica Park
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/20/12 7:44 PM ET

DETROIT -- The Tigers will have to wait a day to resume their American League Championship Series rematch with the Rangers. A line of showers passing through Michigan slowed over Detroit on Friday night, washing out the second game of this four-game set.

The game will be made up in a day-night doubleheader Saturday at Comerica Park. The first game will be at 1:05 p.m. ET, with the nightcap coming at 7:05. Tickets and parking passes for Friday's game will be honored for the Saturday night game. No ticket exchange is necessary.

The pitching matchups will remain the same. Rick Porcello and Matt Harrison, Friday's scheduled starters, will pitch the day game on Saturday. Justin Verlander and Neftali Feliz will be pushed back to the nightcap.

The Tigers and Rangers took batting practice in 70-degree weather, albeit under cloudy skies. The skies opened up about an hour before game time and didn't let up before the game was called at 7:30 p.m. ET, 25 minutes after the scheduled start time.

The weather system looked like a thin line of showers extending south and west, but it wasn't moving west to east very quickly. Moreover, the line of storms seemed to thicken as the day went on. If the teams had waited, they would've been left with a late-night game before a day game on Saturday.

Given the alternative, they opted for the doubleheader under a forecast of clear skies Saturday. This is the Rangers' only scheduled series at Comerica Park this season, so they would've otherwise had to find a common off-day for Texas to travel back to Detroit later in the season.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Eight-run first inning dooms Porcello, Tigers

By Anthony Odoardi / MLB.com | 4/21/2012 3:42 PM ET


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DETROIT -- Rick Porcello had gone his first 14 2/3 innings of the 2012 season having only allowed three runs. In one-plus inning of work Saturday against the Rangers, that number tripled.

The defending American League champions beat the Tigers, 10-4, tagging Porcello for nine runs -- eight earned -- on 10 hits before manager Jim Leyland pulled him with nobody out in the second inning.

Eight of those runs came in the first inning, as the first seven Rangers batters reached safely. They put four runs on the board before Porcello recorded his first out of the game.

It began with Ian Kinsler, who singled to lead off the game. Elvis Andrus walked and Josh Hamilton cleared the bases with a 389-foot three-run home run into the right-field bleachers -- his sixth of the season.

From that point, things spiraled out of control for the 23-year-old. Adrian Beltre singled, Michael Young reached on an error by second baseman Brandon Inge and Nelson Cruz followed them up with an RBI single to make it 4-0.

Kinsler's second hit of the inning, a two-run triple to left-center, tacked on run Nos. seven and eight before Porcello retired Andrus and Hamilton to end the inning.

It was the first time the Tigers gave up at least eight runs in the first inning since July 20, 2003, when the Seattle Mariners scored nine runs in the first frame.

All three batters Porcello faced in the second inning singled. Cruz's RBI single marked Porcello's last batter as he was removed having thrown just 51 pitches.

Duane Below took over and admirably threw six scoreless innings.

Working with the huge lead, Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison held the Tigers in check. Austin Jackson broke out of his 0-for-16 slump with a solo homer over the left-field fence for Detroit's first run of the game. Four batters later, Delmon Young added the second with a two-out RBI double that drove in Miguel Cabrera.

Harrison was removed in the eighth and Cabrera hit a two-run homer to pull the Tigers to within five, but it was too little, too late.

Anthony Odoardi is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Long day for Tigers ends with victory

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/21/2012 10:00 PM ET

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DETROIT -- Five days after Justin Verlander used a 100-mph fastball in his 131st pitch to complete a win, he dropped changeups, sliders and an occasional curveball on the Rangers over 115 pitches on Saturday night. That's what he used to tame what has been one of baseball's most dangerous offenses for six innings, allowing just an unearned run.

Paired with two-out RBIs from Delmon Young and Ramon Santiago, Verlander's performance turned what began as a long day at Comerica Park into an easier evening and a day-night doubleheader split with a 3-2 victory. It also turned the question of Verlander's pitch count into an easier debate for manager Jim Leyland.

When Verlander sent down Josh Hamilton swinging at an offspeed pitch to strand a runner in the fifth inning, he had 101 pitches, having battled through lengthy at-bats early against a Texas lineup that was willing to take its chances waiting him out. Leyland may have wanted to give Verlander his traditional end-of-outing handshake on his way into the dugout, but Verlander had more left in his arm.

Verlander took the mound for the sixth while Detroit's bullpen began warming up, and he kept the door closed. He threw a curveball on the corner for a called third strike on Michael Young, then sent down Nelson Cruz swinging at a slider as the bat flew out of his hands.

Once David Murphy grounded out weakly to second base for the third out, Leyland met Verlander midway down the steps to the dugout to shake his hand. Octavio Dotel handled the seventh, then Joaquin Benoit recovered from Murphy's RBI single to retire Yorvit Torrealba and strand the potential tying run.

Jose Valverde finished up for his fourth save of the year.

Verlander struck out eight, nothing special for him. The fact that he used offspeed pitches for all of the K's, though, was rather unique. The first four came on changeups, according to data from MLB.com Gameday, and he fanned five of the final seven Rangers he faced.

Verlander (2-1) didn't throw a pitch over 96 mph, but his mix kept hitters off their timing. None of the four hits he allowed went for extra bases, and three were ground balls.

Young and Santiago were two of five straight Tigers to reach base safely with two outs in the fourth, turning what had been an efficient, dominant outing from Neftali Feliz (1-1) into a hard-luck loss. The former closer turned starter retired Detroit's first 10 batters before hitting Brennan Boesch in the elbow with one out in the fourth, then lost Prince Fielder out of an 0-2 count to set up Young's game-tying single through the left side to score Boesch.

A walk to Alex Avila extended the inning and set the stage for Santiago, who slapped a line drive over the shortstop and into left-center as Fielder chugged home and Young charged around third.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers take tough-luck loss in Weber's debut

By Anthony Odoardi / MLB.com | 4/22/2012 4:51 PM ET

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DETROIT -- Thad Weber was called up from Triple-A Toledo on Saturday between games of a day-night doubleheader. About 24 hours later, he took the mound in the top of the 11th inning to make his Major League debut in a deadlocked game against the best-hitting lineup in the big leagues.

Thirty minutes after that, the 27-year-old had his first career loss, as the Tigers fell, 3-2, in 11 innings and dropped three of four games to the Rangers.

Weber walked Nelson Cruz and allowed two straight singles to load the bases. Alberto Gonzalez squared to bunt and dropped down a suicide squeeze back to the pitcher. Weber looked at home, had no play and also had no play at first base as the go-ahead run scored.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland came out arguing that the bunt hit part of Gonzalez's body, which would have made it a foul ball. But home-plate umpire Tim Welke, after conferring with the rest of the crew, did not agree, and the game-winning hit stood.

"As soon as I hit it, I just kept running," Gonzalez said. "I'm not going to stay and see what he says. I was going to run and see if the umpire called it."

The Tigers found themselves in the situation because the bullpen couldn't hold a 2-1 lead in the eighth.

After an impressive outing from rookie left-hander Drew Smyly, who allowed just one run and five hits in six innings, striking out seven in his third Major League start, Brennan Boesch hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth for the lead.

It was blown in the eighth. Joaquin Benoit walked Elvis Andrus and was relieved by Phil Coke, the lefty, to face left-handed hitter Josh Hamilton. Coke threw a wild pitch and Alex Avila -- trying to throw out Andrus advancing to second -- threw the ball into the outfield. Andrus ended up taking third on the two mistakes and scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-2.

Hamilton, who was 3-for-3 on the day, hammered Tigers pitching all day. He began the scoring in the first inning with a solo shot to deep right to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead, their third first-inning lead the series and Hamilton's seventh dinger of the season.

The Tigers struck back in the bottom of the third, when No. 9 hitter Ramon Santiago, who knocked in the two go-ahead runs in Saturday night's game, tripled to lead off the inning. Rangers starter Colby Lewis retired the next two batters, but threw a wild pitch to Miguel Cabrera that allowed the tying run to cross.

From that point, the Tigers' bats went silent, and they failed to register a hit in the final four innings.

Anthony Odoardi is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Deep drives by Avila, Cabrera not enough for Detroit

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/24/2012 10:10 PM ET

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DETROIT -- The Tigers' offense awakened to an extent off Mariners lefty Jason Vargas, including a tape-measure home run from Alex Avila and Miguel Cabrera's fifth homer of the year. But it wasn't enough to take the lead from Seattle, which used a three-run second inning off Max Scherzer and added runs off Collin Balester for a 7-4 Detroit loss on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

The Tigers' fourth loss in their last five games dropped them out of the American League Central lead pending the White Sox matchup against the A's later Tuesday evening.

Not since rocking Clay Buchholz for seven runs on April 8, the first Sunday of the season, had the Tigers scored four runs off an opposing starter. After facing a four-run deficit in the third inning, however, Detroit's bats awakened a bit once Brennan Boesch singled in Brandon Inge with two outs.

Avila's third home run of the year was an estimated 432-foot drive to right-center, home to some of the deepest dimensions in Comerica Park. He put the ball midway into the shrubs beyond the center-field fence, plating Prince Fielder to bring the Tigers within a run in the fourth.

That's as close as the Tigers got while Scherzer (1-2) struggled to find any sort of groove. It wasn't just the five runs in as many innings that plagued him but the high pitch count. The Mariners drew 103 pitches out of him over those five innings, including four full counts and a bevy of foul balls.

The two sides traded runs in the fifth, Detroit's coming on Cabrera's drive to left, before Alex Liddi's seventh-inning solo homer added what turned out to be a critical insurance run. It meant back-to-back singles in the eighth inning merely put the tying run on base in the eighth.

Even so, Tom Wilhelmsen kept the lead runner from scoring with back-to-back strikeouts of Jhonny Peralta and Avila, keeping Vargas (3-1) in line for the win. Michael Saunders doubled in another run in the ninth, making it easier for Brandon League to pick up the save.

Cabrera's two hits raised his average, to .308. He has five multi-hit efforts in the last seven games.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Wilk wilts against Mariners' hitters

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/25/2012 10:10 PM ET

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DETROIT -- The Tigers had to expect their chances weren't good at beating Felix Hernandez. They couldn't have expected to be out of it so early though, especially as close as they came to getting him in the first inning.

In the end, Detroit's 9-1 loss to Seattle on Wednesday night put the Tigers in the odd position of needing Rick Porcello as a stopper -- not only to avoid what could be a second April series sweep by the Mariners at Comerica Park in two years, but to save a bullpen that has pitched 11 innings the last two nights.

Both Hernandez and Tigers starter Adam Wilk threw 28 pitches in their opening inning and put three runners on base. Wilk gave up three singles, and allowed the leadoff runner to score. Hernandez walked the bases loaded, and reached a full count on Alex Avila before escaping with a groundout.

Once Wilk gave up four straight baserunners to open the second inning, three of them at the bottom of the order, it pretty much summed up the rest of the night for Detroit.

Three of those aforementioned Mariners scored to break open Seattle's lead. Alex Liddi's two-run homer an inning later built up a 6-0 Tigers deficit and chased Wilk from the game with nobody out in the third.

Hernandez, meanwhile, regrouped. He had the lowest run support among American League starters two years ago, and the eighth-lowest last season. After nearly blowing a six-run lead three starts ago, he wasn't going to mess around with this one after Brennan Boesch's third-inning leadoff homer put Detroit on the scoreboard.

Hernandez (2-1) faced the minimum 15 batters over his final five innings following Boesch's blast. He erased a pair of leadoff infield singles with double plays from the following batter. He struck out just two Tigers, tying his lowest strikeout total over seven innings since 2008, but he permitted nothing resembling a rally after that opening inning.

The loss was the fifth for Detroit in its last six games.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers come up short in comeback attempt
Porcello settles in after rough first; Cabrera homers

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/26/2012 3:53 PM ET

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DETROIT -- For the second straight season, the Mariners have swept a three-game series at Comerica Park in the final week of April. This time, the Tigers are hoping it doesn't carry over into their weekend road trip.

Though Detroit erased what had been a four-run deficit with Miguel Cabrera's game-tying two-run homer, they couldn't stop Chone Figgins, whose two-out RBI double in the seventh sent Seattle sweeping out of town with a 5-4 win.

The Tigers' sixth loss on this seven-game homestand marked an uncharacteristically ugly stretch for a team that has been tough at home over the last few years. It included an offensive funk that Cabrera's sixth home run of the season seemingly broke, but starting pitching that struggled to hold down an opportunitistic offense.

Porcello's damage came on the bookends. He allowed three of Seattle's first four batters to reach base safely, capped by Justin Smoak's three-run homer on a hanging offspeed pitch, then seemingly settled in until Miguel Olivo's solo shot in the fourth.

Porcello retired eight of the next nine Mariners, mainly on early outs, to salvage a rapidly escalating pitch count and give the Tigers a chance to tie it without further taxing an exhausted bullpen. Once Cabrera's record 77th career home run at Comerica Park brought the game back to even, Porcello had new life, which he showed next inning on a strikeout of Michael Saunders and an Olivo groundout.

With a no-decision or a chance at a win in sight, Porcello lost ninth batter Brendan Ryan to a five-pitch walk that extended the seventh inning for Figgins, who singled in the first and third innings. Porcello tried to get the aggressive Figgins to offer at offspeed pitches but couldn't, putting the count in Figgins' favor until he had to challenge him with a 3-1 pitch.

Figgins drove it into an overcast afternoon sky and over the head of Brennan Boesch in right field as Ryan rounded third base.

Detroit nearly tied it in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff walk to Jhonny Peralta, a Ryan Raburn sacrifice and a passed ball that moved Peralta to third with one out. Reliever Lucas Luetge walked Avila rather than risk a sacrifice fly from him after Peralta moved up, then got a ground ball that barely stayed fair down the third-base line to allow Alex Liddi to pick it up and throw to first for the out.

Boesch had one more chance to tie it and worked the count full, but his ground ball up the middle fell right into the teeth of an infield shift for Ryan at shortstop.

Porcello (1-2) has given up 13 earned runs on 17 hits over 7 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.