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Twins-Tigers Preview

Aug 9, 2009 - 4:55 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Minnesota (53-56) at Detroit (58-50), 1:05 p.m. EDT

Detroit manager Jim Leyland is confident Jarrod Washburn's tenure with the Tigers will go much better than his debut with the club. Facing the Minnesota Twins could provide a good start in that direction for the veteran left-hander.

Washburn looks to bounce back from losing his first start with his new team as the Tigers conclude a three-game series with the Twins on Sunday at Comerica Park.

Four days after Detroit (58-51) traded a pair of pitching prospects to Seattle for Washburn (8-7, 2.93 ERA), the 12-year veteran matched a season high by allowing six runs in 5 1-3 innings of an 8-2 home loss to Baltimore on Tuesday.

Washburn, who was 4-0 with a 0.74 ERA in his final five starts for the Mariners, wasn't going to cite the fact he was nervous and pitching on six days' rest as reasons for his rough debut.

"No excuses," said Washburn, who turns 35 on Thursday.

Leyland, whose team has a two-game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, isn't worried about Washburn based on that one outing.

"He was rusty." Leyland said. "He's not going to be an issue for us. He's going to be good for us."

Washburn has been good against Minnesota, going 7-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 17 starts and 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two this season.

The Twins (54-56), however, look to build off their 11-0 win over the Tigers on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak and move within 4 1/2 games of Detroit in the Central.

Recently acquired Carl Pavano threw seven strong innings, Denard Span went 5-for-5 and Joe Mauer hit his 20th homer while driving in three runs as Minnesota roughed up Detroit ace Justin Verlander to win for the second time in eight games.

Span, who's two career five-hit games have come against Detroit, is 9 for 11 in the series and batting .440 in 22 career games against the Tigers.

"I'm at a loss for words, there's really no reason for it." Span said of his success against the Tigers.

Mauer, batting .366, is 6 for 9 with two homers and six RBIs in the series, but 2 for 13 lifetime against Washburn.

Scott Baker (9-7, 4.59) tries for a fourth straight victory when he takes the ball for Minnesota. The right-hander allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings of a 10-1 win at Cleveland on Tuesday.

"Seven innings was a step in the right direction," said Baker, who has a 1.38 ERA in his last four starts, but completed seven innings for the second time in nine outings.

Baker is 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA in 13 starts against the Tigers. He allowed five runs in six innings, but didn't receive a decision in a 6-5 win over them on May 14.

Magglio Ordonez is batting .419 with two home runs and five RBIs lifetime against Baker, and had two of the six hits Saturday for the Tigers, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Detroit, which won 10-8 in Friday's series opener, is 4-2 on a seven-game homestand.