Final
Tigers-Astros Preview
Jun 28, 2009 - 3:56 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS WriterDetroit (41-32) at Houston (34-37), 2:05 p.m. EDT
Over the past four seasons, the Detroit Tigers have been one of the major league's best teams in interleague play. They haven't looked like it so far against the Houston Astros.
With one of the AL's ERA leaders going to the mound, the Tigers will try to earn their first win in Houston in six tries, avoid a sweep of the three-game road series and deny the Astros a season high-tying fourth straight win Sunday.
Since 2006, Detroit is 51-20 against the National League, trailing only Minnesota (52-19). With a 9-8 record against NL opponents this season, the Tigers (41-33) will fall well short of their 14-win average in the three previous seasons.
Their performances in this series haven't helped.
After coming into this weekend on a seven-game winning streak, Detroit (41-33) has been outscored 13-5 in the first two games following Saturday's 8-1 defeat. Alfredo Figaro gave up seven runs in the first three innings, and Ramon Santiago accounted for the offense with a homer.
"Sometimes you are going to have a bad game," Figaro said. "These things are going to happen."
The Tigers will try to bounce back and give right-hander Edwin Jackson (6-4, 2.40 ERA) some rare support. Despite having the AL's second-best ERA and 11 quality starts, Jackson hasn't benefited as much because Detroit has scored an average of 3.55 runs during his outings, including 1.83 in his last six starts.
Only Oakland's Dallas Braden (3.35) and Seattle's Jarrod Washburn (3.53) have received fewer runs per game.
The Tigers will try to give Jackson his first win since June 6 and third in four starts versus Houston. He allowed two runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-3 win last season for Tampa Bay but was not a part of the decision.
The Astros (35-37), meanwhile, will try for their second sweep against the Tigers in as many home meetings and first since July 15-17, 1999, in their final season in the Astrodome.
"We've been playing pretty good ball lately," outfielder Michael Bourn told the Astros' official Web site. "Our focus has been pretty good, and we'll try to come out (Sunday) and complete the series."
Houston can move within one game of .500 for the first time since being 1-2 on April 8, and its improved pitching has keyed that resurgence. The Astros are 17-10 with a 3.46 team ERA since ending a seven-game losing streak May 29.
Russ Ortiz (3-3, 3.47), who is winless since June 2 and has not won as a starter since April 26, will try to lead the Astros to their first sweep since taking three games from San Diego from May 8-10.
Ortiz is 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA in six starts this year, but since returning to the rotation June 11 after Felipe Paulino strained his groin, he is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA. He suffered the loss in Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat against visiting Kansas City despite yielding two runs over seven innings.
Ortiz hasn't started against the Tigers since 2004 but pitched 1 1-3 innings of relief versus Detroit in 2006.
Paulino earned the win in his return Saturday as six teammates each had an RBI.
Even with a victory, the Astros - 6-8 versus the AL this season - are assured of their fourth losing record in interleague play the last five years.
- ML
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
DETROIT 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 4 7 0
HOUSTON 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 6 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: DET - EDWIN JACKSON, BOBBY SEAY (8TH), FERNANDO RODNEY (9TH) AND
GERALD LAIRD
HOU - RUSS ORTIZ, TIM BYRDAK (8TH), JOSE VALVERDE (9TH)
AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
HOME RUN
Jun 28 4:36 PM - ML
AT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY BRANDON INGE (18) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 9TH OFF JOSE VALVERDE SCORED JOSH ANDERSON.
CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 4, HOUSTON 3
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.266, 0-FOR-3)
Tigers 4, Astros 3 Top 9, 0 OutsJun 28 4:21 PM - ML
AT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY KAZUO MATSUI SCORED GEOFF BLUM.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K MATSUI ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 2
HOUSTON 3 BOTTOM, 7TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: R ORTIZ (.211, 0-FOR-2)
Tigers 2, Astros 3 Bot 7, 0 OutsJun 28 3:52 PM - ML
AT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY CURTIS GRANDERSON (18) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF RUSS ORTIZ.
CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 2, HOUSTON 2
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: P POLANCO (.261, 1-FOR-2)
Tigers 2, Astros 2 Top 6, 0 OutsJun 28 3:27 PM - ML
AT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY GERALD LAIRD SCORED BRANDON INGE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G LAIRD ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 1
HOUSTON 2 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: A EVERETT (.265, 0-FOR-1)
Tigers 1, Astros 2 Top 5, 0 OutsJun 28 3:14 PM - ML
AT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY HUNTER PENCE SCORED JEFF KEPPINGER AND CARLOS
LEE.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, H PENCE ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 0
HOUSTON 3 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: I RODRIGUEZ (.252, 0-FOR-1)
Tigers 0, Astros 3 Bot 4, 0 OutsJun 28 3:04 PM - ML
AT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY LANCE BERKMAN SCORED MICHAEL BOURN.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KEPPINGER ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 0
HOUSTON 1 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C LEE (.297, 0-FOR-1)
Tigers 0, Astros 1 Bot 4, 0 OutsJun 28 2:59 PM
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