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Blue Jays-Tigers Preview

Sep 13, 2009 - 11:12 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Toronto (65-77) at Detroit (75-66), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Detroit Tigers relied on the youngest player in their rotation to snap their longest losing streak of the season.

Looking to build on that victory, the team now turns to the staff ace.

Justin Verlander and the AL Central-leading Tigers try to earn a split of their four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park on Monday night.

Detroit (76-66) has been atop the Central since May 10, but it hasn't been playing like a team vying for a postseason berth lately.

The Tigers suffered a three-game sweep by lowly Kansas City last week and dropped the first two games of this series before Sunday's 7-2 win. Detroit remained 5 1/2 games ahead of second-place Minnesota with 20 games remaining.

The Tigers finally stepped up with some key hits Sunday after floundering in such situations during the five-game skid.

Detroit got two RBIs apiece from Gerald Laird and Brandon Inge and went 6 for 16 (.375) with runners in scoring position. The Tigers went 11 for 43 (.256) in those situations during the losing streak.

"It was big for us to come out and put an end to that," said winning pitcher Rick Porcello, the 20-year-old rookie who became the first pitcher with 13 victories before turning 21 since Dwight Gooden in 1985.

Verlander (16-8, 3.24 ERA) would welcome a similar offensive performance from his teammates Monday.

The right-hander gave up one run with eight strikeouts in six innings Wednesday against the Royals, but suffered a 5-1 loss. He had won his previous three starts.

Verlander, who leads the AL with 230 strikeouts while ranking second in victories and sixth in ERA, has been instrumental in Detroit's rise to the top of the division. That dominant form, however, has been absent against the Blue Jays.

Verlander has posted a 15.75 ERA in losing both of his starts versus Toronto. He hasn't faced the Blue Jays since opening day April 6, when he gave up eight runs in 3 2-3 innings of a 12-5 defeat.

Toronto's three-game winning streak ended Sunday, but it can capture its first road series since July 31-Aug. 2 at Oakland.

David Purcey (0-2, 7.01) will take the ball for the Blue Jays in his first start in 4 1/2 months.

Purcey made his season debut against the Tigers on April 7 and yielded three runs in seven innings of a 5-4 win, although he didn't receive a decision. The left-hander didn't do nearly as well after that, going 0-2 with an 8.68 ERA in his next four starts before being demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Purcey went 9-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 24 starts in the minors, and will be making his first appearance with the Blue Jays since April 27.

He likely won't be intimidated by facing the Tigers, as he has gone 1-0 with a 1.56 ERA in three starts against them. Purcey has a 2-8 mark and a 7.00 ERA in his 14 other career starts.