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Tigers aim to keep rolling at home

Apr 12, 2009 - 11:26 PM By Matt Becker Stats Senior Writer

Chi White Sox (3-3) at Detroit (4-3), 1:05 p.m. EDT

DETROIT (AP) -- A slow start at home set the tone for a disappointing 2008 season for the Detroit Tigers. They're not letting that happen again.

After an impressive sweep at Comerica Park, the Tigers look to extend their best home start in 16 years when they open a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday.

Detroit was considered a World Series contender before the start of last season but never could recover from an 0-7 start, which included six home losses, and finished last in the AL Central.

The Tigers opened this season losing three of four in Toronto but have looked solid since returning home.

Detroit swept a three-game weekend series against Texas, outscoring the Rangers 25-9. In Sunday's finale, Brandon Inge homered and hit a two-run single during a six-run eighth inning as the Tigers rallied to overcome a four-run deficit and win 6-4.

Detroit is off to its best home start since winning its first five games at Tiger Stadium in 1993.

Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-3 Sunday, raising his batting average to .520 (13-for-25) with three homers and 10 RBIs.

"No one wants to face Cabrera the way he is hitting right now," said Carlos Guillen, who hit a two-run double to tie the score at 4 after Cabrera was intentionally walked.

Cabrera may have trouble keeping up his hot start considering he was 3-for-14 last season against Gavin Floyd (0-1, 2.57 ERA), who will start Monday for Chicago.

Floyd led the White Sox with 17 wins in 2008 and looked sharp in his season debut. The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits and struck out nine in seven innings of a 2-0 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday.

"Just look at the positives," Floyd told the team's official Web site. "I felt good and pretty confident with everything I was throwing. I felt like I was getting stronger and stronger as the game went on. So, I'm going to put this behind me and move on to the next start."

Floyd had little trouble beating the Tigers last season, going 3-0 with a 3.68 ERA in five games with the White Sox winning each contest. He is 4-0 with a 3.23 ERA in nine career starts versus Detroit and is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four games at Comerica Park.

The White Sox went 12-6 versus the Tigers last season and open a 10-game road trip in Detroit following Sunday's 6-1 win over Minnesota.

"It's all about confidence," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I've got guys, they're all veteran players and they know what they're doing. They're not going to panic."

Jermaine Dye hit a solo homer Sunday, while Jim Thome hit a two-run home run - his second of the season.

Dye is 5-for-12 with two homers and two doubles in his career versus Monday's scheduled starter, Zach Miner (1-0, 1.59), while Thome is 1-for-11 against him.

Miner allowed one run and six hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-1 win at Toronto on Wednesday, and is set to make his first appearance of the season at Comerica Park, where he hasn't had much success.

The right-hander went 2-1 with a 6.26 ERA in eight home starts last season, compared to 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA in five road starts.

One of his best home starts came against the White Sox, though. Miner, who went 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in five games - two starts - versus Chicago last season, allowed two runs and five hits in six innings of a 6-4 home victory over the Sox on July 27.