GDT: 6/8/09 GM 1 - DET (30-25) AT CWS (26-30) - 2:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Marcus Thames saw the 81-mph fastballs blow by him and knew he needed some work.

A couple of games into a Minor League rehab assignment while he recovered from a strained rib cage, Thames found himself completely out of sync at the plate. He started the assignment 3-for-25 in his first six games.

"I was like, 'No, no, no, that's not me,'" said Thames, the Tigers' power-hitting outfielder. "I needed some more at-bats, and once I started getting it going, I was eager to get back and help the ballclub."

After not playing for a good portion of Spring Training, along with more than a month while he nursed his ribcage, there was more than a bit of rust in Thames' swing. It was mostly his timing, Thames said, which would explain why he couldn't catch up to an 81-mph fastball.

But that changed quickly. Thames finished the final six games of the rehab stint 11-for-24 (.458), and found himself back with the Tigers on Sunday for the first time since April 19. Thames flew to Detroit from North Carolina on Sunday morning, getting to the park around 11:30 a.m. ET. He batted fifth in the lineup, and hit two of the first three pitches he saw into the outfield for singles. He finished the game 2-for-5 with a run scored.

"It helped me out a lot," Thames said of his rehab stint. "I knew I was going to need some at-bats because of how much time I missed during Spring Training and how much time I missed during the season, so it was good for me to go down and get that many at-bats."

Manager Jim Leyland said Thames' return will be helpful for a few reasons: The Tigers are scheduled to face three left-handed starters in five games against Chicago this week, making Thames' right-handed power bat even more necessary. And Detroit id currently in a bit of a power drought: one home run, six doubles and two triples in the last six games. Thames, who hit 25 home runs in 316 at-bats last year, should help with that.

The other new but familiar face with the Tigers in Chicago will be starting pitcher Jeremy Bonderman, who will pitch for Detroit for the first time in over a year after recovering from surgery to fix a blood clot. Bonderman is scheduled to pitch the second game of the doubleheader. His role on the Tigers' staff after Monday isn't set in stone, and he will be judged Monday, as any pitcher is, on "his ability to get big league hitters out," Leyland said.

Bonderman's return means room will have to be made on the roster, meaning either a member of Detroit's pitching staff, which currently leads the AL in ERA, will have to go, or the team will part with another position player. The team will likely not announce the roster move, Leyland said, until between games of Monday's doubleheader.

"We've got a little bit of a dilemma," Leyland said. "Hopefully it's a good dilemma."

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (3-6, 5.31 ERA)
It's still unseen whether Galarraga has officially turned the corner on the 2009 season, but his last two starts have been encouraging. He went seven innings and gave up three earned runs in his start Wednesday, coming off a similar performance in his previous outing in Baltimore. He hasn't returned to the form of his rookie season, when he went 13-7 with a 3.73 ERA, but it's an improvement from the month of May, when Galarraga compiled five losses in six starts. For now, Leyland will take that as improvement.

CWS: LHP Clayton Richard (2-1, 3.97)
Richard encountered his first rough outing in four starts on Wednesday in a 5-3 loss against the A's. He lasted 5 1/3 innings and surrendered five runs on seven hits -- including three solo home runs -- while striking out four and walking four. His ERA rose from 3.38 to 3.97. Richard had posted a 2.70 ERA in four starts since becoming the White Sox fifth starter on May 12. Richard appeared in relief on April 15 against the Tigers, allowing two hits and no runs in one-third of an inning.

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Tidbits

... Leyland said he's unsure whether first baseman Miguel Cabrera will be available to start during Monday's doubleheader. Cabrera had missed two days with a strained hamstring. He started Sunday, but was pulled from the game in the fourth inning after Leyland sensed he wasn't 100 percent.
... Placido Polanco is hitting .406 (13-for-32) against Mark Buehrle.
... Paul Konerko is 3-for-5 with two doubles against Galarraga.
... The last time the Tigers' played a five-game regular season series was also at U.S. Cellular Field, from July 23-26, 2007. The Tigers went 2-3.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Monday: Tigers (Jeremy Bonderman, 2009 debut) at White Sox (Clayton Richard, 2-1, 3.97 ERA), 8:11 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Tigers (Dontrelle Willis, 1-3, 6.84 ERA) at White Sox (Mark Buehrle, 6-2, 2.91 ERA), 8:11 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 6-2, 3.26 ERA) at White Sox (John Danks, 4-4, 5.10 ERA), 8:11 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 6-3, 2.16 ERA) at White Sox (Gavin Floyd, 4-5, 5.35 ERA), 2:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .264
Polanco, 2B .252
Ordonez, RF .280
Cabrera, M, 1B .352
Thames, DH .261
Inge, 3B .277
Raburn, LF .250
Everett, SS .264
Sardinha, D, C .115


Chi White Sox AVG
Podsednik, LF .299
Ramirez, SS .247
Dye, RF .273
Thome, DH .242
Konerko, 1B .295
Pierzynski, C .303
Getz, 2B .248
Fields, 3B .242
Wise, CF .167

75 degrees this afternoon in Chicago

South Winds 10-20mph


60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms

Rainfall totals possibly one quarter to a half inch

Inning 1
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco singles on a ground ball to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a line drive to center fielder Dewayne Wise. Placido Polanco to 2nd.

B:2 S:2 O:3 - Miguel Cabrera grounds into double play,
second baseman Chris Getz to shortstop Alexei Ramirez to first baseman
Paul Konerko. Magglio Ordonez out at 2nd.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:0 -
Scott Podsednik singles on a ground ball to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Scott Podsednik to 2nd.

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Jermaine Dye walks.

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

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Jim Thome walks. Scott Podsednik to 3rd. Jermaine Dye to 2nd.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Paul Konerko out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Curtis Granderson. Scott Podsednik scores. Jermaine Dye to 3rd.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
A. J. Pierzynski grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

CWS 1-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Marcus Thames flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.(that would have been a home run )


B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Brandon Inge doubles (9) on a sharp fly ball to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Ryan Raburn walks. Wild pitch by pitcher Clayton Richard. Brandon Inge to 3rd.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Adam Everett singles on a line drive to right fielder Jermaine Dye. Brandon Inge scores. Ryan Raburn to 3rd.

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

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Dane Sardinha out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Dewayne Wise. Ryan Raburn scores.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Paul Konerko.

2-1 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

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

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Josh Fields flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Dewayne Wise flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

2-1 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Placido Polanco reaches on throwing error by shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
With Magglio Ordonez batting, Placido Polanco advances to 2nd on a balk.

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
With Miguel Cabrera batting, Placido Polanco steals (2) 3rd base.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera called out on .

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Marcus Thames walks.

B:3 S:0 O:3 -
Brandon Inge pops out to second baseman Chris Getz.

2-1 after 2.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:0 -
Scott Podsednik singles on a ground ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson, deflected by pitcher Armando Galarraga.

B:1 S:1 O:2 - Alexei Ramirez grounds into double play,
third baseman Brandon Inge to second baseman Placido Polanco to first
baseman Miguel Cabrera. Scott Podsednik out at 2nd.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Jermaine Dye singles on a ground ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Jim Thome singles on a ground ball to right fielder Magglio Ordonez. Jermaine Dye to 3rd.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Paul Konerko swinging.

2-1 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Ryan Raburn swinging.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Adam Everett grounds out, pitcher Clayton Richard to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Dane Sardinha flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye in foul territory.

2-1 after 3.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
A. J. Pierzynski lines out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Chris Getz triples (2) on a fly ball to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Josh Fields grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Dewayne Wise flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

2-1 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a ground ball to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera walks. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd.


B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Marcus Thames walks. Magglio Ordonez to 3rd. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Brandon Inge walks. Magglio Ordonez scores. Miguel Cabrera to 3rd. Marcus Thames to 2nd.


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


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: D. J. Carrasco replaces Clayton Richard.

B:3 S:1 O:3 -
Ryan Raburn grounds out, third baseman Josh Fields to first baseman Paul Konerko.

3-1 after 4.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Scott Podsednik flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez singles on a soft fly ball to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Jermaine Dye homers (15) on a fly ball to left field. Alexei Ramirez scores.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Jim Thome grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Paul Konerko walks.


B:1 S:0 O:3 -
A. J. Pierzynski grounds out sharply to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

tied 3-3 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Adam Everett singles on a line drive to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Dane Sardinha out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher D. J. Carrasco to second baseman Chris Getz. Adam Everett to 2nd.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a fly ball to right fielder Jermaine Dye. Adam Everett scores.

B:1 S:2 O:1 - Placido Polanco reaches on catcher
interference by A. J. Pierzynski. Curtis Granderson to 2nd. Placido
Polanco to 1st.


B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez called out on .

B:0 S:0 O:3 - Miguel Cabrera grounds into a force out,
shortstop Alexei Ramirez to second baseman Chris Getz. Placido Polanco
out at 2nd.

4-3 after 5.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Chris Getz grounds out, pitcher Armando Galarraga to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Josh Fields swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Dewayne Wise called out on .

4-3 after 6 innings

Inning 7
Top Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Marcus Thames swinging.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Brandon Inge called out on .

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Ryan Raburn doubles (3) on a fly ball to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Adam Everett swinging.

4-3 after 6.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Scott Podsednik walks.

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

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn in foul territory.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Jermaine Dye flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

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

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: Bobby Seay replaces Armando Galarraga.


B:1 S:0 O:2 -
With Jim Thome batting, wild pitch by Bobby Seay, Scott Podsednik to 2nd.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Jim Thome swinging.

4-3 after 7 innings

Inning 8
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Dane Sardinha swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

4-3 after 7.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Joel Zumaya replaces Bobby Seay.

B:2 S:0 O:0 -
Paul Konerko homers (8) on a line drive to left field.

B:4 S:0 O:0 -
A. J. Pierzynski walks.

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

B:1 S:0 O:1 - Chris Getz ground bunts into a force
out, pitcher Joel Zumaya to shortstop Adam Everett. A. Pierzynski out
at 2nd. Chris Getz to 1st.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Josh Fields swinging.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
With Dewayne Wise batting, Chris Getz steals (6) 2nd base.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Dewayne Wise flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

tied 4-4 after 8 innings

Inning 9
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Scott Linebrink replaces D. J. Carrasco.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez grounds out, shortstop Alexei Ramirez to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera reaches on fielding error by third baseman Josh Fields.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Josh Anderson replaces Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Marcus Thames singles on a ground ball to shortstop Alexei Ramirez. Josh Anderson to 2nd.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Brandon Inge singles on a ground ball to left fielder Scott Podsednik. Josh Anderson scores. Marcus Thames to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Ryan Raburn flies out to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Adam Everett grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Paul Konerko.

5-4 after 8.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Josh Anderson remains in the game as the left fielder.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Defensive switch from left field to first base for Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Fernando Rodney replaces Joel Zumaya.


B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Scott Podsednik grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:0 O:3 - Jermaine Dye grounds into double play,
third baseman Brandon Inge to second baseman Placido Polanco to first
baseman Ryan Raburn. Alexei Ramirez out at 2nd.

Tigers Win 5-4

June 8, 2009

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Detroit	0	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	1		5	10	0
Chi White Sox	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0		4	9	3

Detroit AB- R- H-- RBI- BB- SO- LOB -AVG- Granderson, CF 5 0 1 1 0 2 1 .262 Polanco, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .252 Ordonez, RF 5 1 2 0 0 1 3 .284 Cabrera, M, 1B 4 0 0 0 1 1 5 .345 --1-Anderson, J, PR-LF 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .269 Thames, DH 3 0 1 0 2 1 0 .269 Inge, 3B 4 1 2 2 1 1 2 .282 Raburn, LF-1B 4 1 1 0 1 1 5 .250 Everett, SS 5 1 2 1 0 1 3 .270 Sardinha, D, C 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 .107 Totals 36 5 10 5 5 9 19 1-Ran for Cabrera, M in the 9th. BATTING 2B: Inge (9, Richard), Raburn (3, Carrasco). TB: Granderson; Polanco; Ordonez 2; Thames; Inge 3; Raburn 2; Everett 2. RBI: Everett (21), Sardinha, D (3), Inge 2 (39), Granderson (35). 2-out RBI: Inge. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Inge; Raburn 2; Cabrera, M; Everett 2. S: Sardinha, D. SF: Sardinha, D. GIDP: Cabrera, M. Team RISP: 3-for-13. Team LOB: 12. BASERUNNING SB: Polanco (2, 3rd base off Richard/Pierzynski). FIELDING DP: 2 (Inge-Polanco-Cabrera, M, Inge-Polanco-Raburn).		Chi White Sox AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Podsednik, LF 4 1 2 0 1 0 0 .305 Ramirez, SS 5 1 2 0 0 0 3 .251 Dye, RF 4 1 2 2 1 0 2 .278 Thome, DH 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 .243 Konerko, 1B 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 .297 Pierzynski, C 3 0 0 0 1 0 3 .298 Getz, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .248 Fields, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 .237 Wise, CF 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .150 Totals 33 4 9 4 5 5 16 BATTING 3B: Getz (2, Galarraga). HR: Dye (15, 5th inning off Galarraga, 1 on, 1 out), Konerko (8, 8th inning off Zumaya, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Podsednik 2; Ramirez 2; Dye 5; Thome; Konerko 4; Getz 3. RBI: Konerko 2 (36), Dye 2 (39). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pierzynski; Konerko; Wise 2; Thome. SF: Konerko. GIDP: Ramirez; Dye. Team RISP: 0-for-6. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Getz (6, 2nd base off Zumaya/Sardinha, D). FIELDING E: Ramirez (5, throw), Pierzynski (3, catcher interference), Fields (8, fielding). DP: (Getz-Ramirez-Konerko).
Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Galarraga 6.2 7 3 3 4 3 1 5.19 Seay (H, 11) 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.96 Zumaya (BS, 2)(W, 3-0) 1.0 1 1 1 1 1 1 3.20 Rodney (S, 11) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3.60		Chi White Sox IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Richard 4.2 5 3 3 5 4 0 4.14 Carrasco 3.1 3 1 1 0 5 0 2.18 Linebrink (L, 2-3) 1.0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1.74
WP: Seay, Richard. Balk: Richard. Pitches-strikes: Galarraga 118-70, Seay 6-3, Zumaya 18-8, Rodney 8-6, Richard 100-57, Carrasco 43-31, Linebrink 17-13. Groundouts-flyouts: Galarraga 9-8, Seay 0-0, Zumaya 1-1, Rodney 3-0, Richard 5-5, Carrasco 3-2, Linebrink 2-1. Batters faced: Galarraga 30, Seay 1, Zumaya 5, Rodney 3, Richard 24, Carrasco 14, Linebrink 6. Inherited runners-scored: Seay 1-0, Carrasco 3-0. Umpires: HP: Bill Miller. 1B: Jim Joyce. 2B: Brian Runge. 3B: Derryl Cousins. Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, In from RF. T: 3:01. Att: 24,408. June 8, 2009