Final
Tigers-Indians Preview
Sep 10, 2015 - 5:17 AM It's basically a foregone conclusion that Miguel Cabrera will win his fourth batting title. A few more games against the Cleveland Indians should only help his cause.Progressive Field has been an extremely friendly place to Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers lately, and they'll try to keep it that way Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Batting titles have become commonplace for Cabrera, who won three straight from 2011-2013 before hitting .313 last season for his lowest average since 2008.
The Detroit slugger is putting the competition to shame this season with a .351 mark, 33 points ahead of his closest pursuer - Cleveland's Michael Brantley.
A good portion of Cabrera's success this year has come against the Indians. He's batting .509 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 14 meetings, and is 15 for 22 (.682) with two home runs and seven RBIs at Cleveland.
Cabrera has hit safely in 12 straight games at Progressive Field, batting .566 with five homers and 14 RBIs. He's been a big part of Detroit's 20-6 record there since the start of 2013, including five wins in six games in 2015.
The Tigers (64-75) settled for a split of their six-game homestand with Wednesday's 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay.
It was the 14th defeat in 19 contests for last-place Detroit, which has seen its starting pitchers compile a 6.15 ERA during that span.
The Tigers have used 14 pitchers the past two games, including all 12 relievers.
''A lot of guys are getting a shot right now, and we'll see which ones take it,'' catcher Alex Avila said. ''They all have the talent to be here, but they have to hone it if they want to stay.''
Alfredo Simon (12-9, 4.86 ERA) provided one of the few recent quality starts for Detroit, limiting the Indians to two hits over seven innings in a 6-0 victory Saturday.
He is 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four matchups this season.
"He's done very well against us," Indians manager Terry Francona told MLB's official website. "And I'm sure confidence plays a part in it. ... We certainly follow how guys are doing, but guys with that kind of stuff, if they're commanding on that night, it doesn't matter what he did last week."
This season has been quite a roller-coaster ride for Simon, who allowed 14 runs over 9 1-3 innings in his previous two starts before Saturday's gem. He began this year 7-3 with a 2.58 ERA but went 3-4 with an 8.19 ERA in his next 10 outings and followed that ugly stretch with a one-hitter against Texas on Aug. 20.
Brantley has hit Simon well, going 11 for 20 with five doubles lifetime.
Cleveland (68-70) continued its push to reach .500 for the first time since the season's first week, beating the Chicago White Sox 6-4 on Wednesday.
Francisco Lindor finished a double shy of the cycle for the Indians, winners in nine of 10 at home.
Danny Salazar (12-8, 3.54) hopes for a better performance as he pitches opposite Simon again. After posting a 2.03 ERA in his previous six starts, the right-hander was roughed up for six runs and eight hits over 3 2-3 innings in Saturday's loss.
That was the second consecutive poor start against the Tigers for Salazar, who is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in the last two meetings after going 1-1 with a 2.57 mark in the first two this season.
Cabrera is 8 for 23 with two homers against him.
- DETROIT: 5
CLEVELAND: 7
Final
Sep 10 10:22 PM - Brantley homered to right on a full count, Lindor scored.
Tigers 5, Guardians 7 Bot 8, 2 OutsSep 10 10:15 PM - Michael Brantley homers to right field. Francisco Lindor scores.
Tigers 9, Guardians 7 Bot 8, 2 OutsSep 10 10:14 PM - Romine singled to left, V.Martinez scored, Castellanos to third.
Tigers 5, Guardians 5 Top 8, 2 OutsSep 10 9:58 PM - Andrew Romine singles to shallow center field. Nick Castellanos to third. Victor Martinez scores.
Tigers 9, Guardians 5 Top 8, 2 OutsSep 10 9:57 PM - Castellanos doubled to center, J.Martinez scored, V.Martinez to third.
Tigers 4, Guardians 5 Top 8, 1 OutSep 10 9:50 PM - Nick Castellanos doubles to deep left center field. Victor Martinez to third. J.D. Martinez scores.
Tigers 8, Guardians 5 Top 8, 1 OutSep 10 9:49 PM - Yan Gomes singles to deep left field. Lonnie Chisenhall scores.
Tigers 7, Guardians 5 Bot 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:37 PM - Kinsler singled to right, Romine scored, Gose to third.
Tigers 3, Guardians 3 Top 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:30 PM - Ian Kinsler singles to right center field. Anthony Gose out at home. Andrew Romine scores.
Tigers 7, Guardians 3 Top 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:29 PM - Kinsler singled to right, Romine scored, Gose scored.
Tigers 4, Guardians 3 Top 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:26 PM - Rajai Davis pops out to shallow right field to Jose Ramirez.
Tigers 4, Guardians 3 Top 7, 1 OutSep 10 9:25 PM - On B.Shaw's wild pitch, J.McCann scored, Romine to third, Gose to second.
Tigers 2, Guardians 3 Top 7, 1 OutSep 10 9:23 PM - Urshela doubled to center, A.Almonte scored, J.Ramirez scored.
Tigers 1, Guardians 3 Bot 6, 1 OutSep 10 9:07 PM - Giovanny Urshela doubles to deep left center field. Jose Ramirez scores. Abraham Almonte scores.
Tigers 3, Guardians 3 Bot 6, 1 OutSep 10 9:06 PM - Gose singled to right, J.McCann scored, Romine to third.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutSep 10 7:54 PM - Gose singled to right, J.McCann scored, Romine to third.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutSep 10 7:52 PM - Anthony Gose singles to shallow center field, tagged out at second, Lonnie Chisenhall to Carlos Santana to Francisco Lindor to Jose Ramirez to Lonnie Chisenhall. Andrew Romine out at home. James McCann scores.
Tigers 3, Guardians 0 Top 2, 2 OutsSep 10 7:48 PM - Gose was out advancing, right fielder Chisenhall to first baseman C.Santana to shortstop Lindor to right fielder Chisenhall, Romine scored, Gose out.
Tigers 2, Guardians 0 Top 2, 2 OutsSep 10 7:46 PM - Gose singled to right, J.McCann scored, Romine to third.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutSep 10 7:46 PM
Sep 10 7:14 PM- DETROIT: 0
CLEVELAND: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Sep 10 7:12 PM
Related News
- Breaking down the Tigers offensive projections for 2024 Dec 26
- A note from the front while awaiting news of anything resembling a baseball thing at all Dec 25
- Analysis of the ZiPS Projections for the 2024 Guardians Dec 24
- Copy of Happy Holidays From the CTC Team: Tell us your Guardians’ Christmas Wish Dec 24
- N&N: Padres ink Yuki Matsui for 5 years Dec 24
- Tigers sign RHP Shelby Miller to a one-year contract Dec 22
- Where Are They Now? - Your Favorite Forgotten Players From 2016 - 2023 Dec 22
- Friday Open Thread: Your Tigers Christmas wish Dec 22
- News and Notes: Is MLB's Hot Stove About to Burst Into Flame? Dec 22
- 75 Years and Counting: The story of the 1983 Cleveland Indians Dec 21
- News and Notes: Guardians ZiPS Projections Releasing Soon on FanGraphs Dec 21
- 75 Years and Counting: The Story of the 1982 Cleveland Indians Dec 20