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		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins 7/4/2009</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
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		<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:23:11 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:23:11 GMT</pubDate>
		<generator>RUWT?</generator>

		
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				<title><![CDATA[Morneau leads Twins in 4-3 comeback win vs. Tigers]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS(AP) -- The ball sprung from Magglio Ordonez's bat and
landed in the seats to give the Tigers the lead, and Francisco
Liriano's head and shoulders dropped as fast as one of his 88
mph sliders.

Liriano fought to finish that seventh inning, though, just as
the Twins did following a draining 16-inning defeat the night
before.

Justin Morneau had four hits, including a homer and the tying
single in the seventh, and Minnesota beat Detroit 4-3 on
Saturday.

"You play that many innings, it's a great bounce back to come
and win this ballgame," manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Ordonez's three-run homer spoiled an otherwise stellar start by
Liriano, but Morneau capped the rally with his hit in the bottom
of the inning. Then in the eighth against Brandon Lyon (3-4),
Nick Punto poked a soft single over the outstretched glove of
shortstop Adam Everett to allow pinch-runner Matt Tolbert time
to score on a head-first slide just ahead of the relay throw.

"The guy's fast," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He read the
ball well, got a good break on it."

Matt Guerrier (4-0) pitched one inning for the win, and Joe
Nathan wrapped it up with his 22nd save to pull the Twins within
three games of the first-place Tigers.

Their relievers exhausted, the Twins needed the old Liriano more
than ever. Despite the devastating seventh, he did deliver the
kind of performance that has been there only sporadically since
his sensational rookie season and subsequent elbow surgery in
2006.

"He's getting there," Gardenhire said, adding: "That's the
Liriano we need."

Liriano struck out eight and recorded 13 straight outs during
the middle innings he's had so much trouble with this year and
took a 2-0 advantage into the seventh. After two quick singles
to start the frame, however, he lost the lead.

The unfamiliarly shorn Ordonez, in a season-long slump that has
worsened on this road trip, crushed a first-pitch fastball over
the center-field wall to make it 3-2. Liriano immediately hung
his head and stared at the turf for several seconds, hands on
his knees.

"Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself, trying to do too
much instead of throwing nice and easy and making one pitch at a
time," Liriano said.

Because the bullpen threw a combined 13 innings the game before,
Liriano knew it was imperative he stay on the mound later than
he has been. He intentionally threw a lot of first-pitch
strikes, which ultimately hurt him in the seventh. Changing his
approach when the situation dictates it remains his biggest
challenge.

"That's when he needs to step back and make an adjustment and
use some other pitches," Gardenhire said.

Tigers starter Edwin Jackson, who brought the league's
second-best earned run average into the game, also gave up a
home run to Michael Cuddyer in the fourth and got one out in the
seventh before being removed. He got an animated pat on the
shoulder from Leyland after striking out Brendan Harris
following a leadoff walk drawn by Denard Span, but the late
lapse in control was costly.

Span scored after back-to-back singles by Joe Mauer and Morneau
against Bobby Seay, negating Jackson's effort that also helped
preserve a depleted relief corps after the marathon 11-9
victory.

"That's a pesky team. That's a team that when you go out, you
now you're going to have to battle against them. Those two guys,
they're great hitters," Jackson said.

Jackson threw 122 pitches.

"It was one of those games where you have to go out there and
gut when you don't really have your best stuff," Jackson
said.

NOTES: Jackson has four no-decisions and one loss in his last
five starts, but he has allowed more than three earned runs just
twice in 17 starts this year - the last time in early May. ...
Twins starter Kevin Slowey will see a doctor in Baltimore on
Monday about his strained right wrist, which sent him to the DL
after Friday's game. Slowey has experienced some pain during
activities like opening doors since being struck on the wrist by
a batted ball last September, but never when he pitches until
now. ... Leyland praised the poise of Luke French, who made his
first major league start on Friday, and said he will remain in
the rotation.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105497-Morneau-leads-Twins-in-4-3-comeback-win-vs-Tigers</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105497-Morneau-leads-Twins-in-4-3-comeback-win-vs-Tigers</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:18:46 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Tigers-Twins Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ALAN FERGUSON
STATS Writer

Detroit (44-35) at Minnesota (41-40), 4:10 p.m. EDT

In most of his starts this season, the Detroit Tigers' Edwin
Jackson has shown why he's one of the AL's most effective
pitchers.

His previous meeting with the Minnesota Twins wasn't one of
those.

Jackson gets another crack at the Twins on Saturday and will try
to help Detroit increase its lead over one of its pursuers in
the AL Central in the second of a three-game series at the
Metrodome.

After finishing 14-11 last year during Tampa Bay's run to its
first AL pennant, Jackson was acquired by the Tigers on Dec. 11
for outfielder Matt Joyce.

This season, he's been one of the reasons why Detroit has been
in contention. The right-hander has held opponents to one run or
fewer in five of his victories, is second in the AL with a 2.49
ERA and tied for fifth with 12 quality starts.

Lack of run support has kept Jackson (6-4) from vying for the
lead in wins. The 3.5 runs per game the Tigers have given him is
third lowest among AL starters.

Against Minnesota on May 4, he allowed one run over six innings
but was charged with four during a five-run seventh while
failing to record an out. The five earned runs in the 7-2 loss
were a season high and dropped him to 1-3 with a 7.00 ERA in
four career starts versus the Twins.

The right-hander comes into Saturday's contest searching for his
first win since June 6. He gave up three runs over seven innings
Sunday before the Tigers rallied for a 4-3 victory in Houston.

On Friday, Detroit (44-35) opened this series with an 11-9
victory in 16 innings as Placido Polanco singled in the go-ahead
run for one of his three hits, improving his career average
against Minnesota to .315.

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

The Tigers' second victory in six games this season against
Minnesota kept them 2 1/2 games ahead of the White Sox in the
Central. The Twins (41-40) trail Detroit by four games.

Minnesota's Francisco Liriano (4-8, 5.62) searches for a
season-high third straight victory and third straight against
the Tigers.

While Jackson struggled on May 4, Liriano earned his first
victory this season by tossing a season-high 7 1-3 innings and
allowing two runs. With the win, Liriano improved to 3-1 versus
Detroit and has a 4.50 ERA in eight appearances with six starts.

The left-hander has received more consistent run support with 12
in his consecutive wins. Liriano gave up two runs over seven
innings in Sunday's 6-2 win in St. Louis.

"I haven't changed anything, just being more consistent, hitting
my spots," Liriano said.

Minnesota outfielder Denard Span had a career-best five hits
Friday to improve his batting average to .408 (29 for 71) in 18
career games against Detroit. Joe Crede also hit his third homer
this season against the Tigers and 25th of his career - the most
he's had against any team.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105420-Tigers-Twins-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105420-Tigers-Twins-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:27:08 GMT</pubDate>
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