GDT: 5/17/09 - DET (19-16) VS OAK (13-20) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Armando Galarraga spent extra work after Tuesday's loss at Minnesota trying to get his delivery in line. He's hoping his start Sunday against the A's falls in line with the success he enjoyed early in the season.

It really wasn't that long ago that Galarraga seemed on his way to even more success than he enjoyed last year. Through four April starts, Detroit's breakout starter from 2008 owned a 3-0 record and 1.85 ERA in '09, having struck out 24 batters over 24 1/3 innings with only five runs allowed and a .218 batting average. He had signs of control issues with 11 walks, including five over six innings April 26 at Kansas City, but nothing unique.

Since then, Galarraga's 0-3 with an 8.64 ERA in three May starts. Part of the damage is a .294 batting average against him in that stretch with half of his 20 hits going for extra bases -- five doubles, five homers. The rest is a control issue that led to nine walks and just 61 percent of his pitches going for strikes, including a much lower percentage of swings and misses.

After Galarraga gave up five runs over 5 2/3 innings to the Twins, manager Jim Leyland again cited a problem in approach.

"Galarraga is pitching defensive a little bit," Leyland said. "And I think Galarraga is in a situation right now where he's giving hitters too much credit."

Galarraga turned more towards comfort and mechanics for a solution. His pitches actually felt better in his last start compared with his prevoius two outings, but he never found a rhythm on the mound.

A little work led him to his feet. At some point, Galarraga said, his front foot started pointing him more towards first base when he threw, rather than straight towards the plate.

"When you say you want to come in line, you want to come in straight," Galarraga explained. "When you're in line, you can miss, but you're going to miss [safely]."

Galarraga was in line during his breakout 2008 season, when his location and movement kept hitters from making much solid contact for so long. He doesn't know how he got out of line, except that it happened during the season rather than during Spring Training, when he missed time to represent his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.

"Sometimes, you pick up stuff in your mechanics," Galarraga said. "You're open too much or working too quick, or you have to stay in line. You just want to try to get your rhythm."

That's a more understandable term, especially with Galarraga. When he's on, there's of a pace to his games that lets him feel comfortable without letting hitters feel the same.

But he also thinks Leyland's evaluation has a point.

"Sometimes, maybe I want to be too perfect," Galarraga said. "Maybe I want to give too much credit to the hitters. But when I'm working on that, I feel good. I don't feel that bad. I'm going on the mound and competing for five, six innings."

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (3-3, 4.61 ERA)
After leading Detroit in wins last season and earning Tigers Pitcher of the Month honors in April, Galarraga is encountering the first struggles of his Detroit tenure. He has lost his past three starts with an 8.64 ERA, allowing 16 runs on 20 hits with nine walks over 16 2/3 innings. From a pitch standpoint, his last outing Tuesday at Minnesota was an improvement, with a sharper slider. Two pitches, however, cost him the game, as they were both hit for two-run homers. While he's held right-handed hitters to a .218 average, left-handed batters have hit .286 off him. He'll have a chance to break his struggles against an Oakland lineup that has yet to find its stride.

OAK: RHP Trevor Cahill (2-2, 3.69 ERA)
Cahill, a 21-year-old rookie, went 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in four April starts, getting through the sixth inning once. In May he's gotten through the sixth in all three starts. In his most recent outing, Tuesday against the visiting Royals, he scattered seven hits and two walks while striking out two and allowing two runs over six innings to improve to 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA for the month. Armed with a heavy sinker with late movement, Cahill left the bases loaded in the first inning and stranded three more runners in the next two innings before working a perfect fourth. Coco Crisp broke up the shutout with a homer to open the fifth, and Mike Jacobs homered for Kansas City in the sixth.

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Tidbits

... On Sunday, Brandon Inge is expected to get his first game off this season as Jeff Larish gets the start at third. Inge has played every inning of every game so far in 2009.
... Ramon Santiago is expected to start at second base Sunday, giving Placido Polanco a game off.
... Gerald Laird's three hits Saturday broke an 0-for-26 slump.
... The Tigers are 5-0 on Sundays this season. Add in their perfect 6-0 record on Saturday, and they're 11-0 on weekends.
... Sunday's game will be broadcast only on AM 1270 in Detroit to fit in the Red Wings broadcast of Game 1 of the NHL's Western Conference finals on 97.1 FM. It will also be available via the Internet via MLB.com's Gameday Audio.

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To track MLB play-by-play, to help post GDT outcomes: http://m.mlb.com/scores/

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FS-D HD

On radio
• WXYT 1270 AM

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Tigers (Dontrelle Willis, 0-0, 7.71 ERA) vs. Rangers (Brandon McCarthy, 3-1, 5.92 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 3-2, 4.29 ERA) vs. Rangers (Matt Harrison, 4-2, 4.23 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

Starting Lineups:

TIGERS

1. Granderson, CF
   
2. Anderson, LF
   
3. Thomas, RF
   
4. Cabrera, 1B
   
5. Ordonez, DH
   
6. Larish, 3B
   
7. Laird, C
   
8. Santiago, 2B
   
9. Everett, SS
   

P: Armando Galarraga

ATHLETICS

1. Orlando Cabrera, SS
   
2. Adam Kennedy, 2B
   
3. Jack Cust, RF
   
4. Matt Holliday, LF
   
5. Jason Giambi, DH
   
6. Ryan Sweeney, CF
   
7. Bobby Crosby, 1B
   
8. Landon Powell, C
   
9. Jack Hannahan, 3B
   

P: Trevor Cahill

Inning 1
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Orlando Cabrera grounds out, third baseman Jeff Larish to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Adam Kennedy homers (1) on a fly ball to right field.

B:4 S:1 O:1 -
Jack Cust walks.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Matt Holliday singles on a ground ball to right fielder Clete Thomas. Jack Cust to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Jason Giambi singles on a line drive to right fielder Clete Thomas. Jack Cust to 3rd. Matt Holliday to 2nd.

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Ryan Sweeney out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Josh Anderson. Jack Cust scores.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Bobby Crosby walks. Matt Holliday to 3rd. Jason Giambi to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Landon Powell doubles (4) on a line
drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson. Matt Holliday scores. Jason
Giambi scores. Bobby Crosby scores.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Jack Hannahan walks.

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

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: Zach Miner replaces Armando Galarraga.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Orlando Cabrera swinging.
Bottom Half

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

B:0 S:0 O:1 - Josh Anderson grounds into a force out,
shortstop Orlando Cabrera to second baseman Adam Kennedy. Curtis
Granderson out at 2nd. Josh Anderson to 1st.

B:0 S:1 O:2 - Clete Thomas grounds into a force out,
pitcher Trevor Cahill to shortstop Orlando Cabrera. Josh Anderson out
at 2nd. Clete Thomas to 1st.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, third baseman Jack Hannahan to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

A's 5-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Adam Kennedy singles on a line drive to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Jack Cust grounds out, second baseman Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Adam Kennedy to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Matt Holliday singles on a line drive to left fielder Josh Anderson. Adam Kennedy to 3rd.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Jason Giambi swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Ryan Sweeney singles on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson. Adam Kennedy scores. Matt Holliday to 2nd.

B:2 S:1 O:3 -
Bobby Crosby flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.
Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez flies out to left fielder Matt Holliday.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Jeff Larish singles on a ground ball to center fielder Ryan Sweeney.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Gerald Laird grounds out, third baseman Jack Hannahan to first baseman Bobby Crosby. Jeff Larish to 2nd.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Ramon Santiago triples (1) on a line drive to center fielder Ryan Sweeney. Jeff Larish scores.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Adam Everett singles on a line drive to center fielder Ryan Sweeney. Ramon Santiago scores.

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

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson walks. Adam Everett to 2nd.

B:3 S:1 O:2 -
Josh Anderson triples (2) on a line drive to right fielder Jack Cust. Adam Everett scores. Curtis Granderson scores.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Clete Thomas grounds out to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

A's 6-4 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Landon Powell flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Jack Hannahan swinging.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera singles on a line drive to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Adam Kennedy walks. Orlando Cabrera to 2nd.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Jack Cust called out on .
Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, third baseman Jack Hannahan to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez doubles (5) on a ground ball to left fielder Matt Holliday.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Jeff Larish singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jack Cust. Magglio Ordonez to 3rd.

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


B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Gerald Laird singles on a soft line drive to second baseman Adam Kennedy. Magglio Ordonez scores. Jeff Larish to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Pitcher Change: Santiago Casilla replaces Trevor Cahill.

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

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago homers (3) on a line drive to right center field. Jeff Larish scores. Gerald Laird scores.

8-6

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Adam Everett doubles (6) on a ground ball to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to right fielder Jack Cust.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Josh Anderson lines out to left fielder Matt Holliday.

8-6 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Matt Holliday singles on a soft ground ball to third baseman Jeff Larish.

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Jason Giambi flies out to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:3 S:3 O:2 -
Ryan Sweeney called out on . Matt Holliday steals (1) 2nd base. (he overslid the base and was tagged out, but the ump could not see it, grrrrr)

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Bobby Crosby flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

8-6

Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Clete Thomas flies out to left fielder Matt Holliday.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, shortstop Orlando Cabrera to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez called out on .

8-6 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Landon Powell swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Jack Hannahan flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera homers (1) on a fly ball to left field.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Adam Kennedy singles on a line drive to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:3 S:1 O:3 -
Jack Cust grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

8-7

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Jeff Larish called out on .

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Gerald Laird grounds out, second baseman Adam Kennedy to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Ramon Santiago singles on a line drive to center fielder Ryan Sweeney.

just needs a double for a cycle!


B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Adam Everett doubles (7) on a ground ball to left fielder Matt Holliday. Ramon Santiago to 3rd.


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

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: Russ Springer replaces Santiago Casilla.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson homers (10) on a fly ball to right field. Ramon Santiago scores. Adam Everett scores.

B:0 S:2 O:3 -
Josh Anderson flies out to right fielder Jack Cust.

11-7 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Lucas French replaces Zach Miner.

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Matt Holliday walks.

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Jason Giambi walks. Matt Holliday to 2nd.


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

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Ryan Sweeney lines out sharply to third baseman Jeff Larish.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Bobby Crosby swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Landon Powell swinging.

11-7

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Brad Ziegler replaces Russ Springer.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Clete Thomas grounds out, shortstop Orlando Cabrera to first baseman Bobby Crosby.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera reaches on fielding error by shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Magglio Ordonez grounds into a force
out, second baseman Adam Kennedy to shortstop Orlando Cabrera. Miguel
Cabrera out at 2nd. Magglio Ordonez to 1st.

B:4 S:0 O:2 -
Jeff Larish walks. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Gerald Laird called out on .

11-7 after 6 innings

Inning 7
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Defensive Substitution: Brandon Inge replaces third baseman Jeff Larish, batting 6th, playing third base.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Jack Hannahan flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Orlando Cabrera walks.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Adam Kennedy flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Jack Cust grounds out softly, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

11-7

Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Ramon Santiago singles on a ground ball to center fielder Ryan Sweeney.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Adam Everett out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Brad Ziegler to first baseman Bobby Crosby. Ramon Santiago to 2nd.

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

B:2 S:1 O:3 - Josh Anderson grounds into double play,
second baseman Adam Kennedy to shortstop Orlando Cabrera to third
baseman Jack Hannahan. Ramon Santiago out at 3rd. Curtis Granderson out
at 2nd.

11-7 after 7 innings

Inning 8
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Ryan Perry replaces Lucas French.

B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Matt Holliday singles on a line drive to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:3 S:2 O:2 - Jason Giambi grounds into double play,
shortstop Adam Everett to third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman
Miguel Cabrera. Matt Holliday out at 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Ryan Sweeney grounds out, second baseman Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

11-7

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Andrew Bailey replaces Brad Ziegler.

B:4 S:1 O:0 -
Clete Thomas walks.


B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera pops out to second baseman Adam Kennedy.

B:4 S:1 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez walks. Clete Thomas to 2nd.

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

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Gerald Laird swinging.

11-7 after 8 innings

Inning 9
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Fernando Rodney replaces Ryan Perry.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Bobby Crosby lines out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Landon Powell grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Travis Buck replaces Jack Hannahan.

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Travis Buck lines out to second baseman Ramon Santiago.



WIN 11-7

May 17, 2009

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Oakland	5	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0		7	12	1
Detroit	0	4	4	0	3	0	0	0	X		11	13	0

Oakland AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB -AVG- Cabrera, SS 4 1 2 1 1 1 2 .231 Kennedy, 2B 4 2 3 1 1 0 1 .346 Cust, RF 4 1 0 0 1 1 5 .262 Holliday, LF 4 1 4 0 1 0 0 .267 Giambi, DH 4 1 1 0 1 1 4 .204 Sweeney, R, CF 4 0 1 2 0 1 3 .248 Crosby, 1B 4 1 0 0 1 1 5 .236 Powell, C 5 0 1 3 0 2 2 .200 Hannahan, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 .138 --a-Buck, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .206 Totals 37 7 12 7 7 8 22 a-Lined out for Hannahan in the 9th. BATTING 2B: Powell (4, Galarraga). HR: Kennedy (1, 1st inning off Galarraga, 0 on, 1 out), Cabrera (1, 5th inning off Miner, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Cabrera 5; Kennedy 6; Holliday 4; Giambi; Sweeney, R; Powell 2. RBI: Kennedy (3), Sweeney, R 2 (10), Powell 3 (9), Cabrera (11). 2-out RBI: Powell 3; Sweeney, R; Cabrera. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera; Crosby 2; Cust; Powell. SF: Sweeney, R. GIDP: Giambi. Team RISP: 4-for-12. Team LOB: 11. BASERUNNING SB: Holliday (1, 2nd base off Miner/Laird). FIELDING E: Cabrera (6, fielding). DP: (Kennedy-Cabrera-Hannahan).		Detroit AB- R-- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Granderson, CF 2 2 1 3 3 0 1 .259 Anderson, J, LF 5 0 1 2 0 0 4 .297 Thomas, RF 4 0 0 0 1 0 2 .311 Cabrera, M, 1B 5 0 0 0 0 0 2 .375 Ordonez, DH 4 1 1 0 1 1 1 .256 Larish, 3B 3 2 2 0 1 1 0 .278 --Inge, 3B 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .279 Laird, C 5 1 1 1 0 2 5 .219 Santiago, 2B 4 3 4 4 0 0 0 .352 Everett, SS 3 2 3 1 0 0 0 .306 Totals 36 11 13 11 6 5 17 BATTING 2B: Ordonez (5, Cahill), Everett 2 (7, Casilla, Casilla). 3B: Santiago (1, Cahill), Anderson, J (2, Cahill). HR: Santiago (3, 3rd inning off Casilla, 2 on, 1 out), Granderson (10, 5th inning off Springer, 2 on, 2 out). TB: Granderson 4; Anderson, J 3; Ordonez 2; Larish 2; Laird; Santiago 9; Everett 5. RBI: Santiago 4 (19), Everett (16), Anderson, J 2 (9), Laird (9), Granderson 3 (24). 2-out RBI: Santiago; Everett; Anderson, J 2; Granderson 3. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Thomas; Anderson, J; Laird 2. S: Everett. Team RISP: 7-for-14. Team LOB: 8. FIELDING DP: (Everett-Inge-Cabrera, M).
Oakland IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Cahill (L, 2-3) 2.1 7 7 7 2 0 0 5.01 Casilla 2.1 4 3 3 0 2 1 3.07 Springer 0.1 1 1 1 0 0 1 2.76 Ziegler 2.0 1 0 0 2 1 0 3.86 Bailey 1.0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1.54		Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Galarraga 0.2 4 5 5 3 0 1 5.62 Miner (W, 3-1) 4.1 7 2 2 1 6 1 4.61 French 2.0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0.00 Perry 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.76 Rodney 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.20
IBB: Granderson (by Ziegler). Pitches-strikes: Cahill 60-34, Casilla 35-20, Springer 5-5, Ziegler 29-14, Bailey 20-11, Galarraga 41-23, Miner 82-48, French 37-18, Perry 15-9, Rodney 10-7. Groundouts-flyouts: Cahill 6-1, Casilla 2-3, Springer 0-1, Ziegler 4-0, Bailey 0-1, Galarraga 1-1, Miner 2-5, French 1-3, Perry 3-0, Rodney 1-2. Batters faced: Cahill 16, Casilla 11, Springer 2, Ziegler 9, Bailey 5, Galarraga 9, Miner 21, French 9, Perry 3, Rodney 3. Inherited runners-scored: Casilla 2-2, Springer 2-2, Miner 2-0. Umpires: HP: Todd Tichenor. 1B: Tom Hallion. 2B: Jerry Crawford. 3B: Phil Cuzzi. Weather: 56 degrees, sunny. Wind: 10 mph, Out to LF. T: 2:57. Att: 27,535. May 17, 2009