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Tigers-Mariners Preview

Apr 17, 2010 - 6:35 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Detroit (6-4) at Seattle (5-6), 9:10 p.m. EDT

Justin Verlander finds himself in almost the exact spot he was in last year. The way last season turned out for the Detroit Tigers ace, that might not be a bad position.

Looking for his first victory of the season, Velander tries to give the Tigers a solid start Saturday night after they were routed by the host Seattle Mariners in the series opener.

Verlander was 0-1 with a 9.35 ERA in his first two starts of 2009 before allowing six runs in 7 1/3 innings of a 6-3 loss at Safeco Field on April 17.

The veteran right-hander, though, shook off last season's slow start and went 7-0 with a 1.10 ERA during a nine-game stretch beginning in late-April. He finished tied for the major league lead with 19 victories.

Verlander (0-2, 9.00 ERA), though, has yet to show that form in 2010. In Sunday's 9-8 victory over Cleveland, he gave up five runs in a 43-pitch first inning and finished his five-inning outing with three walks and six runs allowed.

"I think guys go up there geared for his fastball," Tigers catcher Gerald Laird told the team's official website. " ... he wasn't throwing his curveball or anything for a strike. So guys see that spin out of his hand, and they immediately let it go."

If Verlander can't find the zone Saturday, he could be in for a rough outing the way the Mariners (5-6) are hitting. Sparked by a six-run fifth inning, Seattle pounded out a season high-tying 12 hits and won 11-3 over Detroit (6-4) on Friday.

Franklin Gutierrez went 3 for 5 with a season-high three RBIs, Ichiro Suzuki, Jose Lopez and Ken Griffey Jr. each had two hits and the Mariners scored their most runs since an 11-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Aug. 9.

"I was trying to stay with my pitch and stay in the middle of the field," said Gutierrez, batting a team-best .409. "We just started scoring some runs. ... That's what we're looking for."

While Seattle is batting .323 during its three-game win streak, opponents are hitting just .167 against Mariners' starters during this stretch.

Seattle left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1, 5.25) will look to keep that going.

The 27-year-old Australian was perfect through three innings in his last start, but he walked a career-high five and gave up four runs in seven innings of Monday's 4-0 loss to Oakland.

"The first three innings, I was in sync and I was in a rhythm, and all of a sudden I was trying to do a little bit extra and I was nibbling," Rowland-Smith told the Mariners' official website. "The five walks aren't acceptable. It doesn't matter how good of a game you pitch or how many hits you give up."

In his last start versus the Tigers, Rowland-Smith walked four and gave up five runs in a 7-6 loss at Detroit on Aug. 20.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a two-run double Friday and is batting .383 in 11 career games in Seattle.

Ryan Raburn was a defensive replacement in the seventh inning Friday, but he could get the start Saturday with two homers in five career at-bats against Rowland-Smith.

Verlander had a 2.43 ERA while winning his first five starts versus the Mariners, but he is 1-3 with a 4.45 ERA in this matchup since then.