Tigers 1 - 3 Athletics
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Red-hot Inge, A's resume set vs. Tigers

May 12, 2012 - 3:20 PM

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(Sports Network) - A change of scenery may have been the answer for Brandon Inge.

The long-time Tiger will try again to lead the Oakland Athletics as they host Detroit for the third of a four-game series. The first two games of the series has been all offense as 31 runs have been scored as the teams split the opening pair of bouts.

Oakland is currently in second place in the AL West and will be looking to improve its record at home to 9-9.

The veteran Inge homered and drove in four runs to propel Oakland to an 11-4 victory over his former team on Friday night. In the process, Inge became the first player with four games and four or more runs batted in during a five- game stretch since Lou Gehrig in 1931.

The 34-year-old Inge was a second-round pick of the Tigers in 1998 and spent his first 11-plus seasons with the club before being released after batting a mere .100 in nine games this season.

He signed with the A's four days later and is hitting .234 with four homers and 17 RBI in just 10 games. Inge also made franchise history in his brief stint in the Golden State as he became just the second player in A's history to hit a pair of grand slams in a three-day span, joining Jimmie Foxx, who did so on Sept. 22-24, 1932.

Inge's new teammate Josh Reddick, who homered twice and drove in a career-high five RBI on Friday, seems to be gelling well with his new teammate.

"What else can he do?" Reddick said of Inge. "He's been great. I don't know what those guys across the way were thinking when they let him go."

The Athletics hope pitcher Brandon McCarthy (2-3) can help slow down Detroit in the third game of this series. McCarthy is ranked 16th in the American League with a 2.96 ERA. The Oakland pitcher has not seen action in nine days after being scratched from his last scheduled start due to soreness in his throwing shoulder.

Detroit will send Doug Fister out to the mound to slow down Inge and the A's. Fister has not allowed a run in 10 2/3 innings this season after throwing seven shutout innings versus the Mariners on Monday.

"It was vintage Fister, really," said manager Jim Leyland after the game. "You can't ask for any more than what he did."

Fister is 5-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 10 starts versus Oakland. McCarthy is 2-3 with a 3.93 ERA in 15 appearances and eight starts lifetime against Detroit.

The Tigers, who are second in the AL Central, will try to improve their 7-7 record away from home.

Austin Jackson doubled and scored two runs and Miguel Cabrera drove in two runs in Friday's 11-4 loss. Prince Fielder will look to bounce back after going hitless and striking out in two of his four plate appearances.






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