GDT20: 4/25/13 - DET (10-9) VS KC (10-8) - 1:08 p.m. ET

Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, 2.13 ERA)

Verlander's history of slow April starts usually has more to do with pitch command than run support. He now has two losses, though, in which the Tigers have been shut out, including Thursday's 2-0 blanking to the Mariners.



Royals: RHP James Shields (1-2, 3.00 ERA)

Shields wasn't at his sharpest on Saturday but got through six innings, giving up only one run on four hits. His pitch count reached 106, with eight strikeouts and three walks. In his previous start, he lost to Toronto despite a complete-game effort.








Shields, Verlander ace of an AL Central matchup

By Doug Miller / MLB.com | 4/25/2013 12:05 AM ET

The Royals traded for James Shields because of games like this. The Tigers have Justin Verlander ready for games like this.

The end result of a meeting between two of the true No. 1 starters in the American League should be a treat for fans of great pitching.

So when Kansas City meets Detroit on Thursday afternoon in the finale of this brief AL Central series, expect high intensity and high expectations from each pitcher.

For Shields, who came over from Tampa Bay in the offseason, it's always been a challenge to face Verlander, but it doesn't change his game plan.

"Obviously, there are a lot of good pitchers in and around the league and he's one of the premier pitchers in the league, no doubt about it," Shields said.

"I go in there with same mindset as I do every single start; I feel like if I pitch my game and pitch well, I think I'm going to do fine. Obviously, when you're facing a guy like him, you can't make too many mistakes, but I know that going in. I know that going in on any start, really. But I don't really try to change too much."

Royals manager Ned Yost seems to agree with that approach.

"Everybody wants to make a big deal out of the matchup, but we just want to win the game," Yost said. "We think we have a chance to compete in the game against Verlander with Shields."

So does Tigers skipper Jim Leyland.

Leyland has watched as the Royals' pitching has steadied their team in the early stages of the 2013 campaign, and he's aware of the challenge his team will face in Shields.

"They've added some veteran pitching," Leyland said. "They've had a good bullpen with some pretty good arms the last couple years. They've been getting experience and they're better. It's pretty good when you've got a successful pitcher like [Bruce] Chen all of a sudden in the bullpen, obviously, because they've got [Ervin] Santana and Shields now.

"That's pretty good. You can tell that they focused on getting some starting pitching because their young players are really good. They've got some more experience now."

Royals: Hot Holland
Reliever Greg Holland has struck out eight of the last nine batters he has faced, dating to a 1-2-3 ninth on Wednesday in Atlanta. Holland has 13 strikeouts through his first six innings in 2013, an average of 19.5 per nine, and is averaging 11.93 strikeouts per nine innings for his career (201 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings), the highest ratio in franchise history among pitchers with at least 100 innings.

• Shortstop Alcides Escboar struck out twice on Wednesday night, but he has only struck out six times in 73 at-bats this year, a rate of one every 12.2 at-bats.

• Shields has worked at least six innings in 18 straight starts, dating to last July 20 vs. Seattle. The stretch includes 15 quality starts and four complete games.

Tigers: Focused Fielder
Prince Fielder is hitting .384 (68-for-177) with 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 51 RBIs over his last 54 games at Comerica Park dating to June 21, 2012. His .384 batting average at home during that span is tops among all Major League players with at least 150 plate appearances at home in the same period.

• Tigers pitchers struck out nine Royals on Wednesday and the staff is now two strikeouts shy of matching the 2011 club for the most strikeouts by a Tigers team in April since at least 1921.

• Torii Hunter enters Thursday's game against Kansas City two home runs shy of 300 in his Major League career. Hunter would become the 17th active player with 300 or more homers.

Worth noting
• Royals outfielder Alex Gordon has hit safely in 15 of the 18 games played to this point of 2013 and has reached base safely in 17 of the 18.

• Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera is hitting .379 (131-for-346) with runners in scoring position since the start of the 2011 season, tops in the AL during that stretch.

Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.






INJURY UPDATE:

• RF Avisail Garcia (Right heel contusion, 15-day DL retroactive to March 22, 2013).

• RHP Octavio Dotel (Right elbow inflammation, 15-day DL retroactive to April 20, 2013).








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• FRI, April 26:
TIGERS: (RHP Anibal Sanchez (2-1, 1.75 ERA)) VS
BRAVES: (LHP Paul Maholm (3-1, 1.03 ERA))
7:08 p.m. ET (FS-D, MLBN / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)


• SAT, April 27:
TIGERS: (RHP Rick Porcello (0-2, 11.08 ERA)) VS
BRAVES: (RHP Kris Medlen (1-2, 2.16 ERA))
1:05 p.m. ET (FOX / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)


• SUN, April 28:
TIGERS: (RHP tba (0-0, -.-- ERA)) VS
BRAVES: (LHP Mike Minor (3-1, 1.80 ERA))
8:05 p.m. ET (ESPN / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)

STARTING LINEUPS:

TIGERS

Austin Jackson, CF (5-for-13, 3 K’s off James Shields)
Torii Hunter, RF (10-for-32, 8 K’s off Shields)
Miguel Cabrera, 3B (13-for-26, HR, 2 walks, 4 K’s off Shields)
Prince Fielder, 1B (1-for-6, walk off Shields)
Victor Martinez, DH (7-for-19, 6 K’s off Shields)
Jhonny Peralta, SS (10-for-22, 3 HR, 2 walks, 5 K’s off Shields)
Don Kelly, LF (1-for-3 off Shields)
Alex Avila, C (4-for-15, HR, walk, 7 K’s off Shields)
Omar Infante, 2B (2-for-16, 5 K’s off Shields)

P: Justin Verlander


ROYALS

Alex Gordon, LF (10-for-47, 2 HR, 4 walks, 17 K’s off Verlander)
Alcides Escobar, SS (5-for-22, walk, 4 K’s off Verlander)
Billy Butler, DH (21-for-53, 2 HR, 4 walks, 7 K’s off Verlander)
Eric Hosmer, 1B (2-for-20, 3 walks, 4 K’s off Verlander)
Lorenzo Cain, CF
Mike Moustakas, 3B (3-for-18, walk, 5 K’s off Verlander)
Jeff Francoeur, RF (6-for-26, HR, 7 K’s off Verlander)
Salvador Perez, C (3-for-8 off Verlander)
Chris Getz, 2B (6-for-22, walk, 3 K’s off Verlander)

P: James Shields

KC - Top 1st
B:0 S:0 O:1
Alex Gordon grounds out to first baseman Prince Fielder.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Alcides Escobar lines out to first baseman Prince Fielder.

B:4 S:2 O:2
Billy Butler walks.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Eric Hosmer doubles (3) on a line drive to left fielder Don Kelly. Billy Butler to 3rd.

B:1 S:1 O:3
Lorenzo Cain grounds out, third baseman Miguel Cabrera to first baseman Prince Fielder.


DET - Bot 1st
B:1 S:2 O:0
Austin Jackson doubles (4) on a line drive to right fielder Jeff Francoeur.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Torii Hunter grounds out, third baseman Mike Moustakas to first baseman Eric Hosmer.

B:0 S:0 O:1
Miguel Cabrera singles on a ground ball to left fielder Alex Gordon. Austin Jackson scores.
1 - 0

B:0 S:0 O:3
Prince Fielder grounds into a double play, second baseman Chris Getz to shortstop Alcides Escobar to first baseman Eric Hosmer. Miguel Cabrera out at 2nd.

1 - 0 AFTER 1 INNING

KC - Top 2nd
B:0 S:2 O:1
Mike Moustakas pops out to third baseman Miguel Cabrera in foul territory.

B:1 S:0 O:2
Jeff Francoeur flies out to right fielder Torii Hunter.

B:0 S:3 O:3
Salvador Perez called out on strikes.


DET - Bot 2nd
B:0 S:3 O:1
Victor Martinez strikes out swinging.

B:2 S:2 O:2
Jhonny Peralta pops out to first baseman Eric Hosmer in foul territory.

B:1 S:3 O:3
Don Kelly strikes out swinging.

1 - 0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

KC - Top 3rd
B:2 S:1 O:1
Chris Getz grounds out, second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Prince Fielder.

B:2 S:3 O:2
Alex Gordon strikes out on a foul tip.

B:0 S:2 O:2
Alcides Escobar singles on a ground ball to pitcher Justin Verlander.

With Billy Butler batting, Alcides Escobar steals (4) 2nd base.

B:2 S:1 O:2
Billy Butler singles on a line drive to right fielder Torii Hunter. Alcides Escobar scores.
TIED 1 - 1

B:1 S:3 O:3
Eric Hosmer strikes out swinging.


DET - Bot 3rd
B:2 S:3 O:1
Alex Avila called out on strikes.

B:4 S:0 O:1
Omar Infante walks.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Austin Jackson grounds out, shortstop Alcides Escobar to first baseman Eric Hosmer. Omar Infante to 2nd.

B:1 S:1 O:2
Torii Hunter singles on a ground ball to shortstop Alcides Escobar. Omar Infante to 3rd.

B:2 S:2 O:3
Miguel Cabrera pops out to second baseman Chris Getz.

TIED 1 - 1 AFTER 3 INNINGS

KC - Top 4th
B:0 S:1 O:0
Lorenzo Cain singles on a ground ball to third baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:1 O:1
Mike Moustakas flies out to right fielder Torii Hunter.

B:0 S:1 O:1
Jeff Francoeur singles on a ground ball to second baseman Omar Infante. Lorenzo Cain advances to 3rd, on a fielding error by second baseman Omar Infante.

B:2 S:1 O:2
Salvador Perez out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Torii Hunter. Lorenzo Cain scores.
KC 2 - 1

B:0 S:0 O:3
Chris Getz flies out to center fielder Austin Jackson.


DET - Bot 4th
B:4 S:1 O:0
Prince Fielder walks.

With Victor Martinez batting, wild pitch by James Shields, Prince Fielder to 2nd.

With Victor Martinez batting, wild pitch by James Shields, Prince Fielder to 3rd.

B:3 S:2 O:1
Victor Martinez flies out to left fielder Alex Gordon in foul territory.

B:0 S:0 O:2
Jhonny Peralta out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Prince Fielder scores.
TIED 2 - 2

Injury Delay.

B:0 S:0 O:3
Don Kelly grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Eric Hosmer.

TIED 2 - 2 AFTER 4 INNINGS

KC - Top 5th
B:1 S:3 O:1
Alex Gordon strikes out on a foul tip.

B:2 S:2 O:2
Alcides Escobar lines out to second baseman Omar Infante.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Billy Butler singles on a line drive to left fielder Don Kelly.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Eric Hosmer singles on a ground ball to left fielder Don Kelly. Billy Butler to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Lorenzo Cain grounds out, second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Prince Fielder.


DET - Bot 5th
B:1 S:1 O:1
Alex Avila grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Eric Hosmer.

B:0 S:1 O:1
Omar Infante singles on a line drive to left fielder Alex Gordon.

With Austin Jackson batting, wild pitch by James Shields, Omar Infante to 2nd.

B:4 S:2 O:1
Austin Jackson walks.

B:1 S:0 O:1
Torii Hunter singles on a ground ball to left fielder Alex Gordon. Omar Infante scores. Austin Jackson to 2nd.
3 - 2

B:0 S:1 O:3
Miguel Cabrera lines into a double play, third baseman Mike Moustakas to second baseman Chris Getz. Austin Jackson doubled off 2nd.

3 - 2 AFTER 5 INNINGS

KC - Top 6th
B:0 S:2 O:1
Mike Moustakas lines out to third baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:2 O:2
Jeff Francoeur grounds out, third baseman Miguel Cabrera to first baseman Prince Fielder.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Salvador Perez grounds out, shortstop Jhonny Peralta to first baseman Prince Fielder.


DET - Bot 6th
B:2 S:2 O:1
Prince Fielder flies out to left fielder Alex Gordon.

B:2 S:1 O:2
Victor Martinez flies out to left fielder Alex Gordon.

B:1 S:2 O:3
Jhonny Peralta grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Eric Hosmer.

3 - 2 AFTER 6 INNINGS

KC - Top 7th
B:3 S:2 O:1
Chris Getz flies out to left fielder Don Kelly.

B:0 S:0 O:1
Alex Gordon singles on a line drive to center fielder Austin Jackson.

B:0 S:0 O:3
Alcides Escobar grounds into a double play, pitcher Justin Verlander to shortstop Jhonny Peralta to first baseman Prince Fielder. Alex Gordon out at 2nd.


DET - Bot 7th
B:1 S:1 O:1
Don Kelly flies out to right fielder Jeff Francoeur.

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

B:0 S:0 O:3
Omar Infante flies out to right fielder Jeff Francoeur.

3 - 2 AFTER 7 INNINGS

KC - Top 8th
Pitching Change: Bruce Rondon replaces Justin Verlander.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander left the game due to an injured hand.

B:2 S:0 O:0
Billy Butler singles on a line drive to right fielder Torii Hunter.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson replaces Billy Butler.

With Eric Hosmer batting, Jarrod Dyson steals (4) 2nd base.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Eric Hosmer grounds out, pitcher Bruce Rondon to second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Prince Fielder. Jarrod Dyson to 3rd.

B:1 S:2 O:2
Lorenzo Cain out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Austin Jackson. Jarrod Dyson scores.
TIED 3 - 3

B:1 S:1 O:2
Mike Moustakas doubles (3) on a line drive to right fielder Torii Hunter.

With Jeff Francoeur batting, Mike Moustakas steals (1) 3rd base.

B:0 S:1 O:3
Jeff Francoeur pops out to first baseman Prince Fielder.


DET - Bot 8th
Jarrod Dyson remains in the game as the designated hitter.

B:2 S:2 O:1
Austin Jackson grounds out, shortstop Alcides Escobar to first baseman Eric Hosmer.

B:1 S:0 O:2
Torii Hunter flies out to center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

B:1 S:1 O:3
Miguel Cabrera flies out to center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

TIED 3 - 3 AFTER 8 INNINGS

KC - Top 9th
B:1 S:0 O:0
Salvador Perez singles on a ground ball to center fielder Austin Jackson.

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitching Change: Phil Coke replaces Bruce Rondon.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Elliot Johnson replaces Salvador Perez.

B:0 S:0 O:1
Chris Getz out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Phil Coke to first baseman Prince Fielder. Elliot Johnson to 2nd.

B:0 S:3 O:2
Alex Gordon strikes out swinging.

B:4 S:0 O:2
Phil Coke intentionally walks Alcides Escobar.

B:1 S:2 O:3
Jarrod Dyson flies out to left fielder Don Kelly.


DET - Bot 9th
Defensive Substitution: George Kottaras replaces Elliot Johnson, batting 8th, playing catcher.

Pitching Change: Tim Collins replaces James Shields.

B:3 S:3 O:1
Prince Fielder called out on strikes.

B:3 S:2 O:2
Victor Martinez grounds out, third baseman Mike Moustakas to first baseman Eric Hosmer.

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

TIED 3 - 3 AFTER 9 INNINGS

KC - Top 10th
B:1 S:1 O:1
Eric Hosmer grounds out, second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Prince Fielder.

B:1 S:2 O:1
Lorenzo Cain doubles (6) on a line drive to center fielder Austin Jackson.

B:4 S:1 O:1
Mike Moustakas walks.

With Jeff Francoeur batting, wild pitch by Phil Coke, Lorenzo Cain to 3rd. Mike Moustakas to 2nd.

B:4 S:0 O:1
Phil Coke intentionally walks Jeff Francoeur.

Coaching visit to mound.

B:4 S:1 O:1
George Kottaras walks. Lorenzo Cain scores. Mike Moustakas to 3rd. Jeff Francoeur to 2nd.
KC 4 - 3

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitching Change: Darin Downs replaces Phil Coke.

B:1 S:1 O:2
Chris Getz grounds into a force out, second baseman Omar Infante to catcher Alex Avila. Mike Moustakas out at home. Jeff Francoeur to 3rd. George Kottaras to 2nd. Chris Getz to 1st.

B:2 S:0 O:2
Alex Gordon hits a grand slam (2) to center field. Jeff Francoeur scores. George Kottaras scores. Chris Getz scores.
KC 8 - 3

B:1 S:2 O:2
Alcides Escobar doubles (5) on a ground ball to left fielder Don Kelly.

B:0 S:0 O:3
Jarrod Dyson grounds out, second baseman Omar Infante to first baseman Prince Fielder.


DET - Bot 10th
Pitching Change: Greg Holland replaces Tim Collins.

B:1 S:3 O:1
Don Kelly called out on strikes.

B:2 S:2 O:2
Alex Avila flies out to left fielder Alex Gordon.

B:1 S:2 O:3
Omar Infante pops out to second baseman Chris Getz.


TIGERS LOSE 3-8 IN 10 INNINGS

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE


W: Collins
L: Coke


Game Info

Rondon, B pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

WP: Shields 3, Coke.
IBB: Escobar, A (by Coke), Francoeur (by Coke).
Pitches-strikes: Shields 108-67, Collins 19-10, Holland, G 15-11, Verlander 96-69, Rondon, B 19-12, Coke 33-14, Downs, D 12-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Shields 7-8, Collins 1-0, Holland, G 0-1, Verlander 7-5, Rondon, B 1-1, Coke 2-1, Downs, D 2-0.
Batters faced: Shields 30, Collins 3, Holland, G 3, Verlander 29, Rondon, B 6, Coke 9, Downs, D 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Coke 1-0, Downs, D 3-3.
Umpires: HP: Bill Welke. 1B: Brian O'Nora. 2B: Adrian Johnson. 3B: Fieldin Culbreth.
Weather: 43 degrees, drizzle.
Wind: 18 mph, R to L.
T: 3:08 (:30 delay).
Att: 30,321.

Game 20: Two ways to attack a Moose
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on April 25, 2013 at 8:02 pm

Jim Leyland took a chance on Wednesday when he brought in right-handed setup man Joaquin Benoit to face Mike Moustakas with the tying run on base, opting against left-hander Phil Coke. It went against the lefty-lefty matchup Leyland usually prefers, but the combination of Moustakas’ success against Coke (3-for-7 lifetime) and Benoit’s ability to retire left-handers (including Moustakas, who’s 1-for-7 against him) convinced him to do it.

The other problem Leyland cited was that the matchups became difficult if Coke couldn’t retire him, with right-handed hitter Jeff Francoeur following him. He would need different pitchers to get out of the inning. On Thursday, that difficulty became evident following a different decision and a walk that changed the complexion of the 10th and final inning.

This time, with Lorenzo Cain on second and one out, Leyland kept Phil Coke in the game to face Moustakas. It was a slightly different situation Thursday in that the go-ahead run was on base with less than two outs, and it was a speedster in Cain. Considering the Angels just stole three bases in as many tries off Benoit and Brayan Pena in the 10th inning on Sunday, running on Benoit and Alex Avila and producing a sacrifice fly, as they did off Bruce Rondon in the eighth inning to tie the game, could’ve been a bigger threat than hitting off Benoit.

Instead, Cain came around on Coke’s struggles. Five pitches later, Moustakas was on first with a walk. A first-pitch ball in the dirt to Francoeur for a wild pitch moved both runners up, and made Leyland’s decision simple to walk him and load the bases, trying to set up a force play at the plate or a double play to end the inning.

It wasn’t necessarily that Moustakas had beaten Coke. He didn’t get a chance. As Leyland put it afterwards, Coke lost the strike zone. He didn’t find it in the favorable matchup that followed, a bases-loaded showdown with left-handed hitting backup catcher George Kottaras that ended in a walk, driving in the go-ahead run.

Up came Alex Gordon, whose grand slam off Darin Downs’ 2-0 pitch put it away.

“We lost command of the strike one there late in the game,” Leyland said. “We had some left-handed hitters there and the conditions were a little rough and rain. Not making excuses, obviously, but we just didn’t throw the ball over the plate, and it killed us.”

Play of the game: Though the game turned on Detroit’s bullpen, the Tigers had a chance to break it open in the fifth after Torii Hunter had singled in Omar Infante to make it a 3-2 game. Cabrera had runners on first and second with one out and hit a sharp liner. Moustakas snared it, leaving Austin Jackson in no-man’s land between second and third for an easy inning-ending double play. Detroit didn’t get another hit the rest of the afternoon.

Line of the day: Coke was charged with four runs on one hit over 1 1/3 innings thanks to four walks, two of which were intentional.

Stats of the day: 37 — Walks allowed by Tigers relievers in 66 2/3 innings this season. That leads all Major League bullpens, as do the 80 strikeouts from Tigers relievers this season. All of that comes over 66 2/3 innings of relief, 13th among Major League clubs.