Final
  for this game

Tigers-Rangers Preview

Jul 29, 2009 - 4:56 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Detroit (52-46) at Texas (55-42), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The Detroit Tigers have struggled scoring runs recently, but fortunately for them Justin Verlander hasn't needed much support when he's been on the mound.

Verlander goes for his 12th win Wednesday when the Tigers try to avoid being swept in a three-game series by the Texas Rangers at Arlington for the first time in more than seven years.

Detroit (52-47) has a two-game lead over Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central, but the Tigers haven't looked like a division-leading team against Texas (56-42) this week.

After winning the first three games of a series against Chicago last weekend, Detroit has dropped three in a row, scoring just six runs. The Tigers lost 7-3 to the Rangers on Tuesday, committing three errors. Detroit took a 3-0 lead in the second, but proceeded to give up four runs in the bottom of that inning.

The Tigers fell to 4-8 since the All-Star break, and have scored more than three runs in only four of those 12 games. The top three hitters in Detroit's order (Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco and Clete Thomas) went 0 for 12 on Tuesday.

"I've got a lot of confidence in our offense," manager Jim Leyland said. "It's sputtered most of the year, to be honest with you. I still have confidence in 'em based on the track records, but at some point you've got to do it."

While Detroit hasn't had much success at quieting the Rangers, who have scored 19 runs in their last three games, the Tigers have good reason to feel optimistic about avoiding the sweep with Verlander (11-5, 3.12 ERA) on the mound.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 0.78 ERA in his last three starts. He pitched his third complete game of the season Friday against the White Sox, allowing an unearned run and six hits in the 5-1 victory.

The Tigers have won both of Verlander's starts against the Rangers this season. He is 1-0 in those outings with a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings pitched, improving to 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in his last five starts versus Texas.

Texas will try to defy that history, continue its hot hitting and win its fourth straight. Fifteen of the Rangers' 30 hits over the three-game winning streak have gone for extra bases. Elvis Andrus had three hits including a home run Tuesday, while Ian Kinsler hit a two-run triple and finished with three RBIs, though he left the game with a mildly strained left hamstring. The second baseman will be evaluated Wednesday.

The Rangers are going for their first three-game home sweep of Detroit since May 10-12, 2002, and will look to Scott Feldman (9-3, 3.59) to help make it happen. The right-hander has compiled a 2.48 ERA while winning four of his last five starts. He pitched eight innings against Kansas City last Friday, allowing four hits in a 2-0 victory.

Feldman has no career decisions against the Tigers. He has given up 10 runs in 14 innings over one start and five relief appearances versus Detroit.








  • ** CONFIRMED **
    AL
    DETROIT 13
    TEXAS 5 FINAL

    Jul 29 11:21 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY ANDRUW JONES (17) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
    9TH OFF CASEY FIEN.
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 13, TEXAS 5
    DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J HAMILTON (.226, 1-FOR-3)

    Tigers 13, Rangers 5  Bot 9, 0 OutsJul 29 11:05 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY ADAM EVERETT SCORED CLETE THOMAS
    SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, A EVERETT ON FIRST, G LAIRD ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 13
    TEXAS 4 TOP,7TH
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSON (.260, 2-FOR-4, BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

    Tigers 13, Rangers 4  Top 7, 0 OutsJul 29 10:33 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY MIGUEL CABRERA (20) TO RIGHT CENTER
    WITH 0 OUT IN THE 7TH OFF EDDIE GUARDADO SCORED CARLOS
    GUILLEN AND PLACIDO POLANCO.
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 12, TEXAS 4
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.259, 0-FOR-3, BB)

    Tigers 12, Rangers 4  Top 7, 0 OutsJul 29 10:23 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SACRIFICE FLY BY ADAM EVERETT SCORED GERALD LAIRD
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 9
    TEXAS 4 TOP,6TH
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSON (.260, 2-FOR-3, BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

    Tigers 9, Rangers 4  Top 6, 0 OutsJul 29 10:08 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY MICHAEL YOUNG SCORED ELVIS ANDRUS AND JOSH
    HAMILTON
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, M YOUNG ON SECOND, O VIZQUEL ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 8
    TEXAS 4 BOTTOM,5TH
    DUE UP FOR TEXAS: D MURPHY (.278, 0-FOR-2)

    Tigers 8, Rangers 4  Bot 5, 0 OutsJul 29 9:56 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY OMAR VIZQUEL SCORED ANDRUW JONES
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, O VIZQUEL ON FIRST, E ANDRUS ON SECOND, J
    HAMILTON ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 8
    TEXAS 2 BOTTOM,5TH
    DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.320, 0-FOR-2)

    Tigers 8, Rangers 2  Bot 5, 0 OutsJul 29 9:52 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY MIGUEL CABRERA SCORED CARLOS GUILLEN
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M CABRERA ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 8
    TEXAS 1 TOP,5TH
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.259, 0-FOR-2, BB)

    Tigers 8, Rangers 1  Top 5, 0 OutsJul 29 9:41 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY MARCUS THAMES (11) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 1
    OUT IN THE 4TH OFF GUILLERMO MOSCOSO.
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 7, TEXAS 1
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R RABURN (.247, 1-FOR-2, RBI)

    Tigers 7, Rangers 1  Top 4, 0 OutsJul 29 9:21 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    BASES LOADED WALK TO CARLOS GUILLEN SCORED RYAN RABURN
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C GUILLEN ON FIRST, C GRANDERSON ON SECOND, A
    EVERETT ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 6
    TEXAS 1 TOP,3RD
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M CABRERA (.332, 2-FOR-2)

    Tigers 6, Rangers 1  Top 3, 0 OutsJul 29 9:06 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY RYAN RABURN SCORED MARCUS THAMES
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R RABURN ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 5
    TEXAS 1 TOP,3RD
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: G LAIRD (.232, 0-FOR-1)

    Tigers 5, Rangers 1  Top 3, 0 OutsJul 29 8:53 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY ANDRUW JONES (16) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2 OUT
    IN THE 2ND OFF JUSTIN VERLANDER.
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 4, TEXAS 1
    DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J HAMILTON (.224, 7 HR, 29 RBI)

    Tigers 4, Rangers 1  Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 29 8:45 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY CARLOS GUILLEN SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, C GUILLEN ON FIRST, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 4
    TEXAS 0 TOP,2ND
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M CABRERA (.330, 1-FOR-1)

    Tigers 4, Rangers 0  Top 2, 0 OutsJul 29 8:36 PM


  • AL
    AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
    TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY CURTIS GRANDERSON (22) TO RIGHT CENTER
    WITH 1 OUT IN THE 2ND OFF SCOTT FELDMAN SCORED ADAM
    EVERETT.
    CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 3, TEXAS 0
    DUE UP FOR DETROIT: P POLANCO (.259, 0-FOR-1)

    Tigers 3, Rangers 0  Top 2, 0 OutsJul 29 8:35 PM


  • AL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    DETROIT 1 1 2 0
    TEXAS 0 0 0 (BOT 1)


    CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER
    TEX - SCOTT FELDMAN

    DUE UP FOR TEXAS: O VIZQUEL (.274, 0 HR, 7 RBI)
    M YOUNG (.321, 14 HR, 43 RBI)
    D MURPHY (.280, 8 HR, 27 RBI)

    Tigers 1, Rangers 0  Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 29 8:23 PM
  • 5
    roots
    GREGnKY Added 5 roots

    Tigers vs. RangersJul 29 3:43 PM