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Tigers face White Sox in final series of season

Sep 28, 2007 - 1:26 PM Detroit (87-72) at Chi White Sox (70-89), 8:11 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Magglio Ordonez and the Detroit Tigers will try to end their season on a high note when they open a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday.

The Tigers were officially eliminated from the playoff race on Wednesday when the New York Yankees (92-67) beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. After winning the American League Pennant last season as the a wild card, Detroit was decimated by injuries this season and has gone 35-35 against teams in the AL Central Division.

Despite not making a return trip to the postseason, Ordonez is in line to win the AL batting title. The 33-year-old Venezuelan is hitting .359 on the season and holds a nine-point lead over the Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, who is hitting .350.

Ordonez will have to improve upon his career performance against White Sox starter Javier Vazquez if he wants to stay ahead of Ichiro. The Tigers slugger is hitting just .125 (2-for-16) lifetime against the righthander.

Vazquez (14-8, 3.79 ERA) has been a bright spot for the White Sox during their disappointing season and is 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA over his last three starts.

During his last outing, Vazquez allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings against the Minnesota Twins. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican struck out 11 batters, eclipsing the 200-strike out plateau for only the third time in his nine-year career.

The Tigers will counter with Kenny Rogers (3-3, 4.26), who surrendered five runs - three earned - and eight hits in six innings, suffering the loss in his last outing against the Kansas City Royals.

Rogers, whose two-year contract with the Tigers expires at season's end, will be looking for his first win since July 4.