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Indians-Tigers Preview

Jul 12, 2009 - 4:22 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Cleveland (34-53) at Detroit (47-38), 1:05 p.m. EDT

Justin Verlander wasn't overwhelming in his last start, but just like he's done nearly every time he's stepped on the mound at Comerica Park this season, the Detroit right-hander earned the victory.

Verlander looks to improve to 6-0 at home Sunday afternoon when the AL Central-leading Tigers try to take two of three in their series against the last-place Cleveland Indians.

Verlander (9-4, 3.59 ERA) allowed five runs and seven hits over six innings in Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Kansas City Royals. It was the most runs and hits the 26-year-old right-hander has yielded in seven starts at Comerica Park this season.

"He was shaky early, but he settled in," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Verlander, who has a major league-best 1.54 ERA at home. "I was pretty nervous after the first couple of innings."

Verlander, though, struck out 11 to improve his season total to an AL-leading 141. It's the most strikeouts by a Detroit pitcher before the All-Star break since 1972, when Mickey Lolich had 152.

"I don't try to strike everybody out," said Verlander, who is looking for his fourth straight 10-plus win season.

He is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two starts against Cleveland this season, including a two-hitter in a 1-0 victory at Progressive Field on May 8.

Detroit (47-39) had won three straight overall and six in a row over Cleveland prior to Saturday's 5-4 loss. The Tigers led 2-1 in the second inning following RBIs from Ryan Raburn and Brandon Inge, but Detroit starter Armando Galarraga gave up back-to-back two-out walks before a two-run single to Travis Hafner in the third.

"(Galarraga) may have cost himself the game, because he got two quick outs and then he pitched like a solo home run was going to win the game," Leyland said. "It's the third inning, and you walk two guys - there's no excuse for that. You can't pitch like that up here. It won't work."

Cleveland (35-53), meanwhile, snapped its three-game slide at Comerica Park with one of its best performances of the season.

"We pitched well, we made some nice plays, and we hit the ball well," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera continues to hit the ball well. He extended his hitting streak to 11 on Saturday with a two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Cabrera is 14 for 30 with seven doubles, triple and a homer lifetime against Sunday's scheduled starter Tomo Ohka (0-2, 5.65), who gets the spot start after left-hander Jeremy Sowers was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Ohka, who pitched 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief in Tuesday's 10-6 loss to Chicago White Sox, makes his first start since June 27, when he walked four and allowed six runs over four innings of a 7-3 loss to Cincinnati.

Ohka, 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in three starts, is looking for his first victory since April 29, 2007, while with Toronto.

He is 0-2 with a 9.28 ERA in two starts versus Detroit.

Indians first baseman Ryan Garko had his 10-game hitting streak snapped Saturday. He is batting .133 (2 for 15) against the Tigers in 2009.

Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez went 0 for 2 Saturday, but he drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first then walked and scored on Hafner's single. Martinez has four home runs in 36 lifetime at-bats versus Verlander.