GDT: 4/15/12 - DET (5-3) AT CWS (5-2) - 2:10 p.m. ET 
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Detroit Tigers AT Chicago White SoxSunday, April 15, 2012
U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, IL
Game Time - 2:10 p.m. EDT ______________________________________
Preview White Sox take aim at sweep of TigersSale, Porcello set for intriguing matchup of division rivalsBy Adam Berry / MLB.com | 4/14/2012 9:10 PM ET
For all their recent struggles in their division, the White Sox have gotten off to a good start against the American League Central.
It will be up to left-hander Chris Sale to keep them rolling against Rick Porcello and the Tigers on Sunday, which is Jackie Robinson Day across Major League Baseball, meaning all uniformed personnel at all 15 games will be wearing Robinson's retired No. 42 for the third consecutive year.
The White Sox enter Sunday's game with a chance to sweep their division rivals -- the team analysts almost unanimously predicted will roll over the AL Central competition for a division championship -- and pick up their fifth straight against division opponents. The White Sox went 32-40 against the AL Central last season and haven't posted a winning record in their division since going 44-29 in 2008.
Making his second start after an impressive season debut, Sale will be tasked with silencing the Tigers' potent bats. The 23-year-old southpaw, making the transition from late-inning reliever to frontline starter, allowed just three hits over 6 2/3 innings against the Indians on Monday, striking out five while walking two with 60 of his 100 pitches going for strikes.
"I felt great," Sale said after that outing. "I felt strong the entire time."
"Stuff-wise, that's not really the issue," White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Sale. "People are [wondering] if he can hold up. And we probably could have left him in there. What we got in the bullpen, we felt comfortable just bringing him out after the first start of the year."
The Tigers also feel they have a talented young pitcher in Porcello, who threw seven strong innings in his 2012 debut Tuesday. The right-hander dueled Rays rookie Matt Moore to a draw, and manager Jim Leyland was quick to point out that the 23-year-old Porcello is still loaded with potential.
Porcello showed off his ability Tuesday, easily inducing ground balls to help keep his pitch count to a mere 92 over seven innings. He only gave up one extra-base hit, recorded seven groundouts, and five of the seven hits he allowed were grounders. He also struck out four while walking only one.
"You can tell he's growing up and he's getting that idea what he wants to do," catcher Gerald Laird said Tuesday.
Tigers: Inge activated off DL, expected to start• Fresh off a rehab stint with Triple-A Toledo, Brandon Inge was officially activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday, the first day he was eligible. Inge is expected to work in a three-man platoon at second base with Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago.
The right-handed-hitting Inge, who ended Saturday's game with a groundout as a pinch-hitter, is expected to start Sunday against the lefty Sale. For his career, Inge has posted a .265/.342/.458 batting line against left-handed pitchers, compared to .223/.291/.362 against right-handers.
• Doug Fister has yet to begin a throwing program and is still receiving treatment to ease the soreness caused by his strained left rib-cage muscle. Head athletic trainer Kevin Rand updated Fister's status Saturday, saying he won't begin throwing until he makes further progress in his recovery.
The fact that he hasn't started throwing yet doesn't necessarily mean Fister is due for a long-term absence, but the club won't be able to set any sort of timetable until his soreness subsides.
White Sox: Pierzynski returning to lineup after day off• Catcher A.J. Pierzynski will be back in the starting lineup Sunday after taking off Saturday.
Manager Robin Ventura said the decision to sit Pierzynski on Saturday was mostly about matchups, but he also wants to keep his catcher fresh for the long haul.
"That's important. He's going to be playing most of the games. It's not a platoon or anything like that," Ventura said. "It's more of making sure he stays fresh and I just think he'll be better for that. We'll be better for that."
Pierzynski's backup, Tyler Flowers, hit one of the club's three solo homers on Saturday.
• Ventura also said it will be "a while" before he makes any permanent lineup changes based on his players' numbers or struggles at the plate.
"It's more of their approach than it is what the numbers are," Ventura said.
Worth noting• Following a solo shot in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Tigers, Paul Konerko now has 397 career home runs.
• While the White Sox have won the first two games of the series, the Tigers have still taken 21 of the clubs' last 29 meetings and 11 of their last 16 at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field.
Tigers: RHP Rick Porcello (0-0, 2.57 ERA)Porcello showed command on both sides of the plate in his season debut Tuesday against the Rays, and it resulted in seven solid innings and a chance for the Tigers to outlast Matt Moore. If Porcello can keep that going, he could be in for a big year.
White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (1-0, 1.35 ERA)It was a successful debut for the left-hander, who worked 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the Indians in his first big league start following 79 career appearances out of the bullpen. Sale doubled his previous career high with 100 pitches.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
RECENT RESULTS: The Tigers suffered a 5-1 loss to the White Sox yesterday afternoon. Adam Wilk (0-1) allowed two runs in five innings of work to take the loss for Detroit. Brennan Boesch belted a solo home run for the Tigers, while Austin Jackson finished with three hits. The Tigers continue the club’s first road trip of the season this afternoon with the final game of a three-game series at Chicago. The trip concludes with a three-game series at Kansas City beginning tomorrow evening. Detroit returns home for a seven-game homestand with Texas and Seattle beginning on Thursday.
JACKIE ROBINSON DAY: The Tigers and all major league teams today are celebrating the 65th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the game’s color barrier on this date in 1947. To highlight this special occasion, all players and on-field personnel will once again wear the number 42 in honor of Robinson.
WINNING AGAINST THE WHITE SOX: The Tigers enter this afternoon’s game at Chicago having won 21 of the club’s last 29 games versus the White Sox dating back to August 14, 2010. Detroit has won 11 of the club’s 16 games at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field during that stretch. The Tigers are hitting .304 (318x1047) with 178 runs scored, 56 doubles, seven triples and 38 home runs during the 29-game stretch against Chicago.
DELMON DOES DAMAGE VERSUS CHICAGO: Delmon Young enters today’s game at Chicago hitting .345 (82x238) with 15 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 42 RBI in 65 games during his career against the White Sox. He is fourth among all active major league players with a .345 batting average versus the White Sox, while he is seventh with a .398 on-base percentage and eighth with a .555 slugging percentage.
JACKSON IN ACTION AGAINST THE WHITE SOX: Austin Jackson enters today’s game at Chicago hitting .318 (47x148) with 27 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples, three home runs and 10 RBI in 35 games during his career versus the White Sox. He is eighth among all active major league players with a .395 on-base percentage against Chicago, while he is ninth with a .318 batting average.
MIGGY HEADED TOWARDS 1,000 RBI: Miguel Cabrera enters this afternoon’s game at Chicago with 993 RBI during his major league career, seven RBI shy of 1,000 in his career. He would become the 21st active major league player with at least 1,000 RBI.
CABRERA, FIELDER FORM POWERFUL COMBO: Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder are among the leaders in the major leagues in home runs and RBI since the start of the 2006 season. Fielder is third in the major leagues with 230 home runs during that stretch, while Cabrera is tied for sixth with 202 home runs. Cabrera is third in the major leagues with 703 RBI since the start of the 2006 season, while Fielder is sixth with 650 RBI.
DOTEL CLOSING IN ON HIS 700TH APPEARANCE: Octavio Dotel enters today’s game against the White Sox having appeared in 698 games during his major league career, two appearances shy of 700 in his career. He would become the 93rd pitcher in major league history to appear in at least 700 games.
THOMAS CLAIMED OFF WAIVERS BY TWINS ON SATURDAY: Clete Thomas was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins from the Tigers yesterday. Thomas saw action in three games with Detroit in 2012 after making the club’s Opening Day roster.
PRICE TO MISS NEXT FOUR GAMES, PETRY WILL JOIN CLUB IN KANSAS CITY: Jim Price will not be in the radio booth for the broadcast today in Chicago or for the threegame series in Kansas City due to general health concerns. Dan Petry will join the club in Kansas City and will work all three games of the series to fill in for Price. Petry pitched 11 seasons with the Tigers (1979-87, 1990-91), compiling a 119-93 record and 3.84 ERA (1843.0IP/787ER) in 306 games (274 starts) with the club.
INJURY UPDATE:•
RHP Doug Fister (left costochondral strain,
15-day disabled list on April 7),
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RHP Luis Marte (strained left hamstring,
15-day disabled list on April 4).
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RHP Al Alburquerque (right elbow surgery,
15-day disabled list on April 4).
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C Victor Martinez (left knee surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 12).
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Up next (Probable Pitchers) (RHP
Justin Verlander (0-1, 2.20 ERA))
AT Royals (LHP
Danny Duffy (1-0, 0.00 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD, / WXYT 97.1 FM)• TUESDAY, April 17: Tigers (LHP
Drew Smyly (0-0, 2.25 ERA))
AT Royals (LHP
Bruce Chen (0-0, 1.64 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FSD PLUS HD, / 1270 AM)• WEDNESDAY, April 18: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (0-1, 10.38 ERA))
AT Royals (RHP
TBA (0-0, 0.00 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FSD PLUS HD, / WXYT 97.1 FM)• THURSDAY, April 19: Tigers (LHP
Adam Wilk (0-1, 3.60 ERA))
VS Rangers (LHP
Matt Harrison (2-0, 0.64 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FSD HD, / WXYT 97.1 FM)______________________________________
Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:34 am
out swinging.
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