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Tigers-Angels Preview

Apr 22, 2010 - 6:42 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Detroit (8-7) at Los Angeles (8-8), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Detroit's Justin Verlander and Los Angeles' Joe Saunders have combined for 63 wins over the last two seasons.

After the first three weeks after the season, they have totaled just one.

Verlander takes the mound Thursday night for the Tigers while Saunders goes for the Angels as the teams close out their four-game series.

Verlander (0-1, 2.12 ERA) and Saunders (1-2, 4.26) are two of the AL's winningest pitchers over the last two years. Saunders is second with 33 victories in that span while Verlander is fifth with 30.

Both have started slowly, but Verlander also struggled early last year, going 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA over his first four starts, including one against the Angels (8-8) in which he gave up seven runs in five innings. He ended up leading Detroit (8-7) with 19 victories.

Verlander showed signs of regaining that form against Seattle on Saturday, giving up three runs and seven hits while striking out six in a 4-2 loss.

"I kind of need to combine where I've been; tonight my breaking ball and changeup were a lot better than it has been but my fastball was not very good," he said.

The right-hander could have used the kind of support Miguel Cabrera provided Wednesday in a 4-3 win. The first baseman hit a ninth inning, game-tying home run and Ramon Santiago drove in the go-ahead run off Angels closer Brian Fuentes.

"Miggy's been swinging the bat really good," catcher Gerald Laird said. "He's the beat of the drum for us. We depend on him to get big hits, and there's none bigger than that one."

Cabrera has driven in 18 this year, and is hitting .412 with six extra-base hits in four games since going 0 for 4 on Saturday.

Verlander is 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA in six starts against the Angels. While the Tigers have won both his starts in Anaheim, he has allowed 11 runs and 19 hits in 10 2-3 innings.

The Angels will be trying to bounce back after having their five-game winning streak snapped. Fuentes, who led the majors with 48 saves last year and just off the disabled list after missing 14 games with a back strain, was charged with the blown save and suffered his first loss of 2010.

Kendry Morales hit a two-run homer during a three-run first inning as the Angels lost for only the fifth time in 16 home games to the Tigers.

Saunders will try to help them avoid settling for a series split after he recorded his first win Saturday, pitching a season-high eight innings while giving up two unearned runs and five hits in a 6-3 win at Toronto.

The left-hander is 1-1 with a 5.18 ERA in seven starts against the Tigers.