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Cubs-Tigers Preview

Jun 23, 2009 - 4:34 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (34-31) at Detroit (38-31), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Detroit Tigers fared well over the last four games with struggling star Magglio Ordonez on the bench.

With the six-time All-Star possibly set to return, the first-place Tigers look for a fifth straight victory in the opener of a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

Brandon Inge's three-run homer in the sixth inning gave Detroit (38-31) a 3-2 win over Milwaukee on Sunday to conclude a three-game sweep of the Brewers.

While the Tigers have hit .333 and scored 28 runs during their four-game winning streak, it's come with Ordonez watching from the dugout. The right fielder hasn't played since Wednesday after manager Jim Leyland decided to bench him due to a lack of production.

Ordonez, who hasn't hit worse than .282 in any of his previous 12 seasons, is batting .273 in 57 games. He has also two homers and 22 RBIs after averaging 24 homers and 115 RBIs over the last three seasons with the Tigers.

Leyland said Sunday that Ordonez could return to the lineup as early as Tuesday against Chicago's Carlos Zambrano, but may not make a decision until closer to the first pitch.

"I was thinking about Tuesday, and I'm going to continue to think about it," Leyland told the Tigers' official Web site. "The one thing is, it's going to be a pretty tough pitcher to come back against, so I'm thinking about that.

"Somewhere along the line, my gut just has to take over, to play him Tuesday or wait another day or two."

Ordonez, who spent his first eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox, is a lifetime .314 hitter versus the Cubs. His only hit in five at-bats versus Zambrano is a double.

Making his first appearance against the AL Central-leading Tigers, Zambrano (4-2, 3.44 ERA) is 7-5 with a 4.81 ERA in 17 interleague starts. He allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings, but didn't factor in a 6-5 win over the White Sox on Thursday.

The right-hander, who is 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA in five starts since coming off the disabled list with a hamstring strain, will try to contain a Detroit club that's won five in a row at home.

Inge is batting .381 (8 for 21) with two homers and six RBIs in his last six contests. He's 4 for 11 (.364) with two homers versus the Cubs.

Detroit's Edwin Jackson (6-4, 2.39) takes the ball after allowing three runs and seven hits while striking out seven in six innings of a 4-3 loss at St. Louis on Wednesday.

"You have to go out there with the intent on keeping it close," said the right-hander, who'll make his first appearance versus the Cubs.

Chicago (34-32) returns to interleague play after losing 2-0 at Atlanta on Monday in the makeup of a June 4 contest postponed by rain.

Derrek Lee singled to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 19 games, but the Cubs stranded 19 runners and had their four-game winning streak snapped.

"We got enough hits," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose team is 5-3 versus the AL this season, but in a stretch of playing 22 straight days."We just didn't get them with men on base."

Lee is batting .359 (28 for 78) with six homers and 17 RBIs during his hitting streak.

This is the teams' first meeting since Detroit swept a three-game set at Chicago in 2006. The Tigers lead 8-3 in the all-time interleague series.