GDT: 6/10/09 - DET (32-26) AT CWS (27-32) - 8:11 p.m. ET

CHICAGO -- Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp has seen starters Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson post dominant numbers the first half of the season. And what's really gotten Knapp's attention is the look of determination and focus the two starters are bringing to the mound every fifth day.

The "Eye of the Tiger," if you will.

"You gain confidence by executing," Knapp said. "They both have a look in their eye ... like a killer instinct. They're very prepared when they take the field."

Verlander struggled through a 1-2 mark with a 6.75 ERA in April. But since then, he's a perfect 5-0 in seven starts with a 1.27 ERA and has a 63/15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 49 1/3 innings.

Jackson has just 19 walks in 83 1/3 innings this season and is also seeing his strikeout rate increase.

"With Justin, we did some really small tweaking [with his mechanics]," Knapp said. "Eddie's delivery is very simple. Their mentality is attacking, and their mentality is to throw their really good stuff over the plate.

"They learned very early in the season that their stuff is dominating at times. I've never had the impression that velocity is the element of success as it is being the element of domination. We've never really emphasized velocity; we've emphasized putting the ball in the strike zone, and when you need more, get more."

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (6-2, 3.26 ERA))
Manager Jim Leyland said after Verlander's Friday start that the right-hander is now at the best Leyland's seen him during his three-year career with the Tigers, and it's hard to argue otherwise. The 26-year-old won American League Pitcher of the Month honors for May, and started off his June with eight innings of shutout ball against the Angels. That game marked the fourth time this year Verlander has thrown seven or more innings of shutout ball. Verlander now has a 1.12 ERA in his last eight starts, and has officially turned the corner after a subpar 2008 and a slow start to 2009.

CWS: LHP John Danks (4-4, 5.10 ERA)
Danks labored through 5 2/3 innings in his last start on Friday against the Indians, a 6-0 loss. He struck out four, walked two and allowed six hits, but three of those hits were home runs, including back-to-back dingers in the sixth inning which knocked him from the game. Against the Tigers, Danks is 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA in six career starts. He has struck out 32 in those starts while walking seven.

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Tidbits

... Verlander is 0-6 with a 5.92 ERA in eight career starts at U.S. Cellular Field. Overall, he's 2-9 against Chicago in 14 starts. His last victory was a complete-game effort in Detroit on June 11 of last year.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Thursday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 6-3, 2.16 ERA) at White Sox (Gavin Floyd, 4-5, 5.35 ERA), 2:05 p.m. ET
• Friday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 6-4, 3.98 ERA) at Pirates (Ian Snell, 1-6, 5.54 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (TBD) at Pirates (Zach Duke, 6-4, 3.07 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .259
Polanco, 2B .252
Ordonez, RF .279
Cabrera, M, 1B .337
Thames, DH .281
Inge, 3B .281
Raburn, LF .238
Everett, SS .267
Sardinha, D, C .107

Chi White Sox AVG
Podsednik, LF .302
Ramirez, SS .262
Dye, RF .282
Thome, DH .248
Konerko, 1B .295
Pierzynski, C .291
Beckham, 3B .059
Getz, 2B .239
Anderson, B, CF .234

62 degrees at Game Time

40 percent chance of showers

Otherwise Mostly Cloudy

East Winds 10-15mph

Low 52 degrees

You are Welcome


Tigers need to win tonight and on Thursday Afternoon

That would silence the people that claim the Tigers can't win in Chicago

gs78 wrote:

That would silence the people that claim the Tigers can't win in Chicago

for sure!

Current Conditions

U.S. Cellular Field

Partly Cloudy 61 F

Humidity: 63 %

Wind: from the NNE at 9 mph

Barometer: 29.87 in

last updated: 6/10/09 6:05 PM CDT

Wind is blowing 9 mph out to rf.... hope we can get some home runs!

Inning 1
Top Half

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

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

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez swinging.

0-0

Bottom Half

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

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Alexei Ramirez called out on strikes.

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

Verlander only needed 13 pitches.

0-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out sharply, shortstop Alexei Ramirez to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Marcus Thames doubles (3) on a ground ball to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

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

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Ryan Raburn grounds out, shortstop Alexei Ramirez to first baseman Paul Konerko.

0-0 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:4 S:0 O:0 -
Jim Thome walks.

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Paul Konerko grounds into double play,
third baseman Brandon Inge to second baseman Placido Polanco to first
baseman Miguel Cabrera. Jim Thome out at 2nd.
B:1 S:2 O:3 -
A. J. Pierzynski grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

0-0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Adam Everett swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Dane Sardinha flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a bunt ground ball to first baseman Paul Konerko.


B:1 S:1 O:3 - With Placido Polanco batting, Curtis
Granderson picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher John Danks
to first baseman Paul Konerko to shortstop Alexei Ramirez.


0-0 after 2.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Gordon Beckham grounds out sharply, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Chris Getz singles on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
With Brian Anderson batting, Chris Getz steals (7) 2nd base.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Brian Anderson pops out to third baseman Brandon Inge.

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

Verlander at 36 pitches - 35 for strikes

0-0 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, shortstop Alexei Ramirez to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez grounds out sharply, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Paul Konerko.

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


0-0 after 3.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Jermaine Dye swinging.
4 for Verlander on 47 pitches!


0-0 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Marcus Thames grounds out, third baseman Gordon Beckham to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Brandon Inge grounds out, third baseman Gordon Beckham to first baseman Paul Konerko.

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

0-0 after 4.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Paul Konerko called out on .

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
A. J. Pierzynski singles on a sharp ground ball to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Gordon Beckham flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Chris Getz flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

0-0 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Adam Everett homers (2) on a fly ball to left field.


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


B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.


B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Paul Konerko.

1-0 after 5.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Brian Anderson doubles (5) on a line drive to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Scott Podsednik out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Justin Verlander to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Brian Anderson to 3rd.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Alexei Ramirez pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Jermaine Dye called out on .

1-0 after 6 innings

Inning 7
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a line drive to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a line drive to center fielder Brian Anderson. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Marcus Thames flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson. Magglio Ordonez to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Brandon Inge hit by pitch. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.


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

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

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Adam Everett swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Dane Sardinha called out on .

2-0 after 6.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Jim Thome homers (11) on a fly ball to right field.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Paul Konerko grounds out softly, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
A. J. Pierzynski swinging.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Gordon Beckham singles on a line drive to right fielder Magglio Ordonez. ( Miggy too slow being hurt)

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
With Chris Getz batting, Gordon Beckham caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Dane Sardinha to shortstop Adam Everett.

2-1 after 7 innings

Inning 8
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Defensive Substitution: Josh Fields replaces first baseman Paul Konerko, batting 5th, playing first base.

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

B:4 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco walks.

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

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Pitcher Change: Octavio Dotel replaces John Danks.

B:0 S:1 O:3 - Magglio Ordonez grounds into double
play, shortstop Alexei Ramirez to second baseman Chris Getz to first
baseman Josh Fields. Placido Polanco out at 2nd.

2-1 after 7.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Defensive Substitution: Clete Thomas replaces right fielder Magglio Ordonez, batting 3rd, playing right field.

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Chris Getz singles on a line drive to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Brian Anderson out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Justin Verlander to second baseman Placido Polanco. Chris Getz to 2nd.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Scott Podsednik grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Chris Getz to 3rd.

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

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Alexei Ramirez swinging.

Verlander at 109 pitches, 81 for strikes

2-1 after 8 innings