GDT: 5/8/09 - DET (14-13) AT CLE (11-18) - 7:05 p.m. ET

CHICAGO -- It's certainly too early to put any stock in the Indians' current status as the American League Central cellar dwellers. Underachieving or not, the Tigers plan to watch their step in Cleveland.

Detroit will kick off a three-game series against the Tribe on Friday at Progressive Field with what figures to be a pitchers' duel between Justin Verlander and reigning America League Cy Young winner Cliff Lee.

The game is the seventh of 13 straight contests for the Tigers against division opponents. Detroit is 3-3 during that stretch so far.

"Cleveland's one of those teams that you can't ever scratch out because of a slow start," Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge said. "They've always been a team that can come back and rattle off a bunch of wins."

If the Tigers are going to leave Cleveland with two or three wins, they'll need to take advantage of the Tribe's struggling pitching staff. Indians starters have combined for a 5.56 ERA and a .292 batting average against. The relief corps has a 6.27 ERA and a .503 slugging percentage against.

After Armando Galarraga's rough start Thursday against the White Sox, Detroit's focus will be on getting its own pitching in order and preventing the Cleveland offense from gaining any momentum.

"I see signs of them about ready to break loose offensively," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "But I think they're like all the rest of us, they're trying to get some things in order with their pitching. We're all doing that. They're a loaded club. They'll be right in the thick of everything."

Inge couldn't have agreed more.

"I don't know what's caused their slow start, but they'll be in there," Inge said. "We have one of the strongest divisions, and Cleveland is the only one that hasn't gotten into it."


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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, 5.66 ERA)
Verlander shook off his traditional struggles against the Indians with seven innings of one-run ball to outduel Lee on Sunday at Comerica Park. His next challenge will be to follow it up at Progressive Field, where he's 1-7 with a 9.00 ERA in eight career starts. That won't be easy, but it's been a while since he entered Cleveland with as much momentum as now, coming off back-to-back dominant seven-inning performances to beat the Indians and Yankees.

CLE: LHP Cliff Lee (1-4, 3.92 ERA)
Lee gave the Indians another strong effort Sunday in Detroit, but he once again was hurt by a lack of support. Lee went seven innings, allowing three runs on 12 hits with a walk and four strikeouts. The lefty pitched out of some jams early, but he gave up the go-ahead runs in the seventh. Lee, who is the Indians' all-time leader in winning percentage among those with 1,000 innings pitched, has allowed just six runs over his last four starts.
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Tidbits

...Leyland said Thursday that pitching prospect Freddy Dolsi is making progress at Triple-A Toledo. "He's done very well," Leyland said. "What we want Dolsi to do is get to the point where you feel comfortable that you know what you're going to get eight out of nine times. Last year we didn't have that. We knew we'd see electric stuff. We knew he might strike the side out or he might hit the first guy. It's got to be a little better than that."
... The Tigers recorded their third shutout on Tuesday night versus Minnesota. It is the fastest the club has reached three shutouts in a season since 2006, when the team posted its third in the 18th game of the season.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Saturday: Tigers (RHP Edwin Jackson, 1-2, 3.08 ERA) at Indians (RHP Fausto Carmona, 1-3, 6.11 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Tigers (RHP Rick Porcello, 2-3, 4.71 ERA) at Indians (RHP Anthony Reyes, 1-0, 6.84 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Off-day

TIGERS

1. Granderson, CF
   
2. Polanco, 2B
   
3. Thomas, RF
   
4. Cabrera, 1B
   
5. Ordonez, DH
   
6. Inge, 3B
   
7. Raburn, LF
   
8. Everett, SS
   
9. Sardinha, C
   

P: Verlander

INDIANS

1. Grady Sizemore, CF
   
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
   
3. Victor Martinez, 1B
   
4. Shin-Soo Choo, RF
   
5. Mark DeRosa, 3B
   
6. David Dellucci, DH
   
7. Ben Francisco, LF
   
8. Luis Valbuena, 2B
   
9. Kelly Shoppach, C
   

P: Cliff Lee

Current Conditions

Progressive Field

Cloudy 73 F

Humidity: 59 %

Wind: from the SSW at 14 mph

Barometer: 29.70 in

last updated: 5/8/09 6:45 PM EDT

Inning 1
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Clete Thomas singles on a ground ball to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera pops out to second baseman Luis Valbuena.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Grady Sizemore strikes out swinging.

B:2 S:2 O:2 - Asdrubal Cabrera singles on a line drive
to left fielder Ryan Raburn. Asdrubal Cabrera out at 2nd, left fielder
Ryan Raburn to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Victor Martinez lines out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

0-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Brandon Inge swinging.

B:2 S:0 O:3 - Ryan Raburn grounds into double play,
shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to second baseman Luis Valbuena to first
baseman Victor Martinez. Magglio Ordonez out at 2nd.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Shin-Soo Choo flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Mark DeRosa on foul tip.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
David Dellucci swinging, catcher Dane Sardinha to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.



0-0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Adam Everett singles on a ground ball to right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Dane Sardinha swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Placido Polanco doubles (13) on a line drive to left fielder Ben Francisco. Adam Everett to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Clete Thomas flies out to left fielder Ben Francisco.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Ben Francisco called out on .

B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Luis Valbuena walks.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Kelly Shoppach swinging.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Grady Sizemore flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

0-0 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, third baseman Mark DeRosa to first baseman Victor Martinez.

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez walks.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Brandon Inge singles on a ground ball to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Ryan Raburn flies out to right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. Magglio Ordonez to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:3 - Adam Everett grounds into a force out,
shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to second baseman Luis Valbuena. Brandon
Inge out at 2nd.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Asdrubal Cabrera grounds out, first baseman Miguel Cabrera to pitcher Justin Verlander.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Victor Martinez swinging.

6 for


B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Shin-Soo Choo grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

0-0 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Dane Sardinha flies out to left fielder Ben Francisco.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Mark DeRosa lines out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
David Dellucci grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Ben Francisco lines out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

Raburn makes great diving catch!

0-0 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Clete Thomas grounds out, second baseman Luis Valbuena to first baseman Victor Martinez.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ben Francisco.

B:3 S:3 O:3 - Magglio Ordonez called out on
and Miguel Cabrera caught stealing 2nd, catcher Kelly Shoppach to
second baseman Luis Valbuena.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Luis Valbuena swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Kelly Shoppach called out on .

8 for for

B:0 S:2 O:3 -
Grady Sizemore flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

Tigers retire 11 in a row!

0-0 after 6 innings

Inning 7
Top Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Brandon Inge flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Ryan Raburn grounds out, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman Victor Martinez.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Adam Everett flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Asdrubal Cabrera swinging.

9 for for

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Victor Martinez doubles (10) on a fly ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:3 S:2 O:3 - Shin-Soo Choo lines into double play,
shortstop Adam Everett to second baseman Placido Polanco. Victor
Martinez doubled off 2nd.

0-0 after 7 innings

Inning 8
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Dane Sardinha called out on .

B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson walks.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
With Placido Polanco batting, Curtis Granderson steals (4) 2nd base.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman Victor Martinez. Curtis Granderson to 3rd.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Clete Thomas singles on a ground ball to second baseman Luis Valbuena. Curtis Granderson scores.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, first baseman Victor Martinez to pitcher Cliff Lee.

1-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Mark DeRosa swinging.

10 for

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
David Dellucci grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Ben Francisco pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

1-0 after 8 innings

Inning 9
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Rafael Betancourt replaces Cliff Lee.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Brandon Inge swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Ryan Raburn pops out to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.

1-0

Bottom Half

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Luis Valbuena walks.

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:0 O:1 - Kelly Shoppach ground bunts into a force
out, pitcher Justin Verlander to shortstop Adam Everett. Luis Valbuena
out at 2nd. Kelly Shoppach to 1st.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Josh Barfield replaces Kelly Shoppach.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Grady Sizemore flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson. TAKES A HOMER AWAY FROM SIZEMORE!!!


B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Asdrubal Cabrera swinging.

#11 FOR

COMPLETE GAME WIN FOR

WIN 1-0