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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
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		<description>RUWT? News for Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins 7/4/2009</description>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:36:49 GMT</pubDate>
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			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Three-run 16th gives Tigers victory over Twins]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MINNEAPOLIS(AP) -- Placido Polanco might have been the grittiest
player on a night where several were in contention after 16
innings.

The Detroit Tigers second basemen fouled a ball off his
protective cup in the 14th inning, only to follow it up on the
next pitch with an RBI single. He hit another run-scoring single
in the 16th inning that put his team up for good in an 11-9
victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

After fouling a pitch from R.A. Dickey into the dirt, Polanco
went down when the ball bounced back and hit him. He needed
several minutes to recover and was visited by manager Jim
Leyland and a team trainer behind the plate.

"It took an inning or two to finally be over it, for me to start
feeling like 100 percent," Polanco said.

With runners on second and third in the 16th, Polanco lined a
single through the left side of a drawn-in infield, scoring
Ramon Santiago with the go-ahead run. Ryan Raburn and Magglio
Ordonez added insurance runs for the Tigers.

The game lasted 5 hours and 7 minutes.

"We were here for so long that we really wanted to win the
game," Polanco said. "So, you don't really think how tired you
are."

Freddy Dolsi (1-0) blew a save in the 14th and allowed an
unearned run in the bottom of the 16th, but held on for his
second career win, ending Minnesota's attempt at a third
comeback.

"It's a really good win because it could have been a really
tough loss," Leyland said. "The guys hung in there. We kept
battling, and so did they."

Dickey (1-1) took the loss for Minnesota, its first in four home
games against the Tigers, and the Twins dropped four games back
of Detroit in the AL Central. But the game wasn't Minnesota's
only loss of the night.

Starter Kevin Slowey, who lasted just three innings for a second
consecutive start, was placed on the 15-day DL after the game
with a wrist strain. Anthony Swarzak was recalled to take
Slowey's spot in the rotation, but will first pitch out of the
bullpen.

Slowey allowed a season-high six runs in his worst outing since
giving up six runs against the Tigers in Detroit on July 10,
2007. The right-hander has allowed at least three earned runs in
four of his last five starts with a 7.54 ERA during that
stretch.

But the Twins rebounded from a 7-2 deficit with a five-run sixth
inning, highlighted by Denard Span's two-run triple. Span
finished with a career-high five hits.

Joe Crede led off the big sixth frame with a solo home run off
Zach Miner, the 25th of his career against Detroit - his most
against any team. Following a single, fielder's choice and walk,
Span and Brendan Harris hit consecutive triples to chase Miner.
Joe Mauer added a sacrifice fly against Fu-Te Ni, giving Miner
five earned runs allowed on four hits in two-thirds of an inning
- his worst outing since allowing four runs in one-third of an
inning on June 3 against Boston.

From there, both bullpens stood tall.

Neither team scored a run until Polanco pushed a single up the
middle off Dickey in the top of the 14th to give the Tigers an
8-7 advantage. But the Twins came right back with a run in the
bottom half of the frame on Cuddyer's RBI single. Minnesota
could've had runners on the corners with no outs following
Cuddyer's hit, but Justin Morneau was thrown out at third base
trying to advance when the ball ricocheted up the left-field
line off third basemen Brandon Inge's glove. Instead, Minnesota
had a runner on second with one out and Dolsi retired the next
two batters.

"He thought he could get there and just got thrown out," Twins
manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Turns out, yeah, it's not a great
baserunning play because he got thrown out."

Dolsi - the last pitcher left in Detroit's bullpen - worked a
season-high three innings in his fourth appearance of the year.

"He went out there in a tough situation," catcher Gerald Laird
said. "He gave up one and was able to settle down. He pitched
through the heart of their lineup pretty much the whole time he
was in."

Minnesota also emptied its bullpen, with just-recalled Brian
Duensing throwing a team-high 3 2-3 innings. He allowed Laird's
solo home run in the fourth before retiring nine straight.

Luke French was solid in his major league starting debut for
Detroit with two runs allowed on six hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Marcus Thames snapped an 11-game home run drought with a two-run
shot off Slowey in the third inning, and Josh Anderson hit a
two-run triple in the second frame for the Tigers.

NOTES: Minnesota's Delmon Young was the designated hitter for
the fifth time this season and finished with three hits,
including a home run. Gardenhire said that usual DH Jason Kubel
was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game
because of his .185 batting average against left-handers. ...
French had been solid for Triple-A Toledo before his recall,
going 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA in his previous six starts. French
went 4-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 13 starts overall for the Mud Hens.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105406-Three-run-16th-gives-Tigers-victory-over-Twins</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105406-Three-run-16th-gives-Tigers-victory-over-Twins</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:07:11 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Tigers-Twins Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

Detroit (43-35) at Minnesota (41-39), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Kevin Slowey's first attempt at becoming the major leagues'
first 11-game winner wound up matching his shortest outing of
the season. He hopes his second chance produces a longer - and
better - performance.

The right-hander again seeks his 11th win of the season Friday
night when he takes the mound for Minnesota Twins to open a
three-game home series against the AL Central-leading Detroit
Tigers.

Slowey (10-3, 4.41 ERA) is tied with four other pitchers for the
wins lead in the majors. Two of the others - Kansas City's Zack
Greinke and Tim Wakefield of Boston - are also starting Friday.

Slowey struggled in his first attempt for win No. 11 on
Saturday, surrendering five runs and six hits - including a pair
of homers to Albert Pujols - and getting pulled after three
innings of a 5-3 loss at St. Louis. He had been 6-1 with a 3.04
ERA in eight starts since lasting three innings in a 4-1 defeat
at Baltimore on May 6.

"Slowey probably has as good a control as anybody on our team
and he missed out over the plate," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire
told the team's official Web site. "You just can't miss out over
the plate. We saw it two times (Saturday) and it ends up killing
you."

Slowey will try to help the Twins (41-39) win a third
consecutive game after beating Kansas City 5-1 on Wednesday to
complete a 6-3 road trip. He's 3-0 with a 4.57 ERA in four
career starts against the Tigers (43-35), whom he defeated May
12 at the Metrodome by allowing one run and scattering eight
hits in six innings of a 6-2 victory.

Minnesota swept that three-game set, improving to 4-1 in the
season series. The Twins are also 9-3 in the last 12 meetings
between these clubs at the Metrodome.

Continuing that success would tighten the division race. The
Twins are third in the Central, three games back of the Tigers.

Joe Mauer, who went 3 for 3 with an RBI on Wednesday, could play
a key role if Minnesota is going to close that gap. The catcher
is hitting .488 (21 for 43) with a homer and 13 RBIs in his last
11 home games against Detroit.

Mauer is hitting .392 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 55 games on
the season, but doesn't currently qualify for the AL batting
title after missing the first 22 games while recovering from
offseason kidney surgery.

"If I have anything to do with it, he'll qualify," Gardenhire
said. "I don't mind writing his name in there. He'll get plenty
of at-bats."

The Tigers are 2-4 heading into the final series of their
10-game road trip, having cooled off after a season high-tying
seven-game winning streak.

Detroit lost again Wednesday, falling 5-1 at Oakland - the last
place club in the AL West.

"I thought we looked a little sluggish and a little tired,"
Tigers manager Jim Leyland said after watching his team get six
hits against the Athletics. "We didn't do too much. Hopefully a
day off will perk them up a bit."

Leyland will give rookie Lucas French (0-0, 0.00) his first
career start. The Tigers recalled the 23-year-old left-hander
from Triple-A Toledo on Saturday to replaced Alfredo Figaro in
the rotation.

French, who was 4-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 13 starts for Toledo,
made two relief appearances for Detroit earlier this season,
throwing three no-hit innings while striking out three and
walking three. He has never faced the Twins.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105167-Tigers-Twins-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105167-Tigers-Twins-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:44:53 GMT</pubDate>
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