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Tigers host Blue Jays in series opener

Aug 11, 2008 - 1:27 PM Toronto (59-59) at Detroit (58-59) 7:05 p.m. EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers continue a 10-game homestand when they open a four-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.

Detroit took two of three from the Oakland Athletics over the weekend, bouncing back from a season-long ten-game road trip that saw them go 3-7.

The Tigers send 2006 Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander (8-12, 4.56) to the mound, in search of the form that won him the award three seasons ago. He has lost three straight starts, allowing 18 runs in 17 1/3 innings. The three-game skid follows a personal six-game winning streak that saw the righthander drop his ERA over a point, from 5.05 to 3.95.

The Blue Jays, who lost three straight against Cleveland following a four-game sweep of the A's, will counter Shaun Marcum (6-5, 3.44) in the series opener. The righthander won his last start, his first victory in four starts since returning from the disabled list, throwing seven innings of one-run ball to lead Toronto over Oakland, 5-1.

The 26-year-old missed over a month with strained ligaments in his pitching arm.

Toronto will be without Scott Rolen, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with soreness in his left shoulder. The slugger was hitting .252 with seven homers and 38 RBI in 88 games this season.

The Blue Jays will look to Vernon Wells to fill the void. The outfielder returned to the lineup in the cleanup spot, as a designated hitter for now, and went 0-for-4 on Sunday. Wells was out of action for a month with a strained left hamstring.