NewsTigers return to comforts of Comerica
Detroit (54-49) vs. Baltimore (44-60), 7:05 p.m. ET
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
08/02/09 6:40 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- If the Tigers started a postseason series Monday, their upcoming pitching trio would make them a potential force in October. In August, by contrast, they've lined up Justin Verlander, Jarrod Washburn and Edwin Jackson looking for the momentum to get there. With a skid of five losses in their past seven games, a bullpen that has pitched 14 1/3 innings over the past three days and an offense that struggled to score runs for most of the just-finished road trip to Texas and Cleveland, the Tigers return to Comerica Park with a slim lead of a game and a half atop the American League Central and a road-weary feel to them. That's how a lot of their road trips have gone lately, considering they haven't won a series away from Comerica Park in almost two full months. Home, however, has been a remedy for them, and they have a long stretch of time there coming up. No team in baseball has had fewer home games than the Tigers, but that's about to even out. Fourteen of the their next 17 games are at Comerica Park, starting with this four-game series against the Orioles. Add in a scheduled off-day between home series in a couple of weeks, and the homestand feels even longer.If Detroit is going to make a late-season drive to establish command for September, now is the time to do it.
"When we go back to our place, we always seem to play better there," third baseman Brandon Inge said. "And even if we're not playing better, the other team usually gets a little intimidated by our ballpark. It definitely is to our advantage. It's just one of the things where it's working out good, everything's aligned for us to bear down and start acting like a first-place team." That last statement was particularly pointed, unusually so. But the way Inge explained it sounded like a reference to swagger, something manager Jim Leyland has talked in past years about winning teams needing it. "I'm just saying when you step into that ballpark, in between those lines, you need to act like you're going to beat any team that you're playing against," Inge said. "That's what teams that are good do. And right now, I think we've been analyzing a little bit too much, playing a little bit too tight. It's no one's fault. I'm not blaming anyone, and obviously, I'm saying I'm guilty, as well. Everyone's together in this whole thing. "I know personally, if we get our mind-set right and we go out and we step on that field like we're a first-place team, we can do anything we put our mind to. We will be good." Pitching matchupBAL: RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 5.79 ERA)
Tillman added his name to the ever-growing list of Orioles pitchers to make their big league debuts this season. The rookie went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. All three runs came on solo home runs, however, but Tillman was able to avoid the loss as the Orioles won, 7-3. DET: RHP Justin Verlander (12-5, 3.16 ERA)
With wins in three of his past four starts, including Wednesday at Texas, Verlander is now jostling among the Major League leaders in victories, as well as his AL lead in strikeouts. He fanned 13 Rangers over seven innings Wednesday, tying the career high he set against the Twins in May. Now he'll get another shot at an Orioles lineup he has tended to own over the past few years. His quality start May 30 at Camden Yards improved his record to 4-0 in five starts against the O's, with a 1.85 ERA. Tidbits
Monday is Autism Awareness Night at Comerica Park. About 400 children and family members affected by autism will be in attendance, and several kids will be part of a pregame ceremony thanks to the Tigers and Jack's Place for Autism. ... Placido Polanco and Verlander were voted Tigers Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively. Polanco hit .278 (27-for-97) with six doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs in 23 July games. Verlander went 4-2 with a 2.57 ERA over six starts for the month, striking out 48 batters over 42 innings. Tickets
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• Tuesday: Tigers (Jarrod Washburn, 8-6, 2.64) vs. Orioles (Brian Matusz, 0-0, -.--), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 7-5, 2.64) vs. Orioles (Jeremy Guthrie, 7-10, 5.37), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 9-7, 4.36) vs. Orioles (David Hernandez, 3-3, 3.28), 1:05 p.m. ET
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
