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Tigers look to snap five-game skid

Sep 16, 2008 - 1:16 PM Detroit (70-79) at Texas (74-77) 8:05 p.m. EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- For the Detroit Tigers, finishing around the .500 mark this season is a major disappointment. For the Texas Rangers, it's a reasonable accomplishment.

The two clubs, both trying to even up their records by the end of the year, will face off on Tuesday in the second-game of a three-game set.

After entering the year with lofty expectations, the Tigers' chances of finishing at .500 have become less and less likely over the last week. They have lost five in a row, capped by the Rangers' 11-8 victory on Friday night, during which reliever Kyle Farnsworth blew a one-run lead, allowing four runs in the eighth inning.

The Tigers bullpen has blown 23 saves this season - third-most in the American League.

For the Rangers, however, a .500 record would be the franchise's best finish since 2004, when they went 89-73.

Their chances to get to within two games of the mark will lie on veteran righthander Kevin Millwood (9-9, 5.15 ERA), who has given up 11 runs and 20 hits over his last two outings, both losses. That isn't much different from his opponent, Detroit's Zach Miner (8-4, 4.29), who has taken no-decisions in his last two starts but has combined to give up 13 runs and 19 hits.