GDT: 6/27/08 - DET (38-40) VS COL (32-47) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Eddie Bonine learned a lesson in his first two Major League starts: don't leave the ball up.

The recent callup could get away with losing pitches high in the strike zone earlier this season at Triple-A Toledo. Not in the Majors, though. In the big leagues, they make you pay for such mistakes.

Bonine found out the hard way.

"I made a few mistakes in my last two starts with keeping the ball up," he said. "Up here, they can hit that, so I'm going to have to pitch down in the strike zone."

The right-hander makes his third Major League start on Friday night at Comerica Park in the Tigers' opener of a three-game set with defending National League champion Colorado, a team once managed by current Tigers skipper Jim Leyland. The Rockies have lost five of their last six games.

Friday marks the return of reliever Jason Grilli, whom the Tigers traded to Colorado in late April.

Grilli sparked mild controversy in May when he told USA Today that the Tigers' clubhouse had chemistry issues. Leyland responded with a long, expletive-laden tirade. Grilli said he meant nothing negative and his words were blown out of proportion.

The Tigers will aim for their sixth straight series win. A sweep would boost their record over .500 for the first time this season.

Another good outing by Bonine would help. He earned the win in his Major League debut, despite giving up six runs, and allowed two runs in seven innings his second time out.

The Tigers need him to bolster the final spot in the rotation. Leyland has admitted the system lacks depth in starting pitching, and the team already optioned reliever Aquilino Lopez to become a starter at Toledo.

Consistent success from Bonine would solidify an improved rotation as the Tigers creep into the American League Central race.

"I'm thankful for the opportunity," Bonine said. "Every start you can get up here is great, I try to have fun. I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable, and I have to continue to build on some of the positives of the outings before."

Interleague record: 110-98 overall, 10-5 in 2008

2008 Interleague schedule
• May 16 at Diamondbacks: Lost, 4-3
• May 17 at Diamondbacks: Won, 3-2
• May 18 at Diamondbacks: Lost, 4-0
• June 13 vs. Dodgers: Won, 5-0
• June 14 vs. Dodgers: Won, 12-7 SWEPT SERIES
• June 15 vs. Dodgers: Won, 5-4
• June 16 at Giants: Lost, 8-6
• June 17 at Giants: Won, 5-1
• June 18 at Giants: Won, 7-2 WIN SERIES
• June 20 at Padres: Lost 2-6
• June 20 at Padres: Won 7-5
• June 22 at Padres: Won, 5-3 WIN SERIES
• June 24 vs. Cardinals: Lost 4-8
• June 24 vs. Cardinals: WON 8-7
• June 24 vs. Cardinals: WON 3-2 WIN SERIES
• June 27 vs. Rockies
• June 28 vs. Rockies
• June 29 vs. Rockies

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Eddie Bonine (1-0, 5.84 ERA)
Bonine earned a no-decision for his trouble in his second Major League start last Friday at San Diego, but with seven innings of two-run ball, he had a better performance than the win he recorded in his debut. He has an even ratio of ground balls to fly balls, but he has taken advantage of the defense behind him to throw strikes and mix pitches. His knuckleball remains an X-factor in future starts, should he need it.

COL: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (2-7, 4.52 ERA)
Jimenez had been pitching well, without run support or wins, for a month and a half. He was finally rewarded Saturday night, when he used his fastball and slider as out pitches and mixed in good off-speed stuff while holding the Mets to two hits over eight innings in a win at Coors Field on Saturday night. Jimenez, who earned his first win since April 8, has a 1.35 ERA over his last 20 innings.



Tidbits

The Tigers won their first extra-inning game this season on Thursday and improved to 8-10 in one-run games. Meanwhile, their record scoring four runs or fewer inched to 3-36. ... Michael Hollimon recorded his first Major League hit on Thursday with a bloop single to center. He later added a double. ... Gary Sheffield secured sole possession of 32nd place on the all-time RBI list with his ninth-inning home run. He is batting .462 since returning from the disabled list. ... Curtis Granderson's double in the first inning extended his hitting streak to 14 games, a new career high. ... The Tigers have smashed 23 home runs in their last 14 games, which ties them for the American League lead during that span.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Sat., June 28: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (4-9, 4.49 ERA)) vs Rockies (LHP Jeff Francis (3-7, 5.65 ERA)) 7:05 p.m. ET

• Sun., June 29: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (5-5, 4.60 ERA)) vs Rockies ( RHP Greg Reynolds (2-5, 5.68 ERA)) 1:05 p.m. ET

• Mon., June 30: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga, (7-2, 3.32 ERA)) at Twins (LHP Glen Perkins (4-2, 4.47 ERA)), 8:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

Colorado AVG
Taveras, CF .242
Podsednik, DH .235
Holliday, LF .328
Hawpe, RF .263
Atkins, 3B .307
Baker, 1B .281
Iannetta, C .269
Tulowitzki, SS .152
Barmes, 2B .331


Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .282
:placido: Polanco, 2B .316
Guillen, 3B .302
Ordonez, RF .306
Cabrera, 1B .273
Thomas, LF .297
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .235
:pudge: Rodriguez, C .274
:hollimon: Hollimon, M, SS .167

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81 degrees at game time [ unless a storm blows through]


Chance of showers and severe storms later this afternoon and evening!


GO TIGERS!


Win all three games this weekend!

GO TIGERS!!!!!

I haven't done a stat in a while

Stat of the day: Jason Grilli's ERA since leaving the Tigers...2.82.

Yeah, I know, that one was pretty obvious.

Blog is open. Blog away!

June 27, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Colorado	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0		1	6	0
Detroit	2	0	1	1	0	1	0	2	X		7	15	0

Colorado AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Taveras, CF 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .242 Podsednik, DH 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .225 Holliday, LF 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 .328 Hawpe, RF 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 .263 Atkins, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 .306 Baker, 1B 4 0 1 1 0 1 2 .280 Iannetta, C 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 .271 Tulowitzki, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .148 Barmes, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 .324 Totals 32 1 6 1 0 3 10 BATTING 2B: Hawpe (10, Bonine), Holliday (20, Zumaya). TB: Taveras; Holliday 2; Hawpe 2; Atkins; Baker; Iannetta. RBI: Baker (23). 2-out RBI: Baker. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Iannetta; Podsednik; Baker. GIDP: Tulowitzki. Team LOB: 5. BASERUNNING SB: Taveras (36, 2nd base off Bonine/Rodriguez). FIELDING DP: 2 (Tulowitzki-Barmes-Baker, Barmes-Tulowitzki-Baker).		Detroit AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Granderson, CF 5 3 4 1 0 1 0 .294 Polanco, 2B 4 1 2 1 0 0 2 .319 Guillen, 3B 4 1 1 1 1 0 2 .301 Ordonez, RF 5 0 1 1 0 0 3 .304 - Raburn, RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .205 Cabrera, 1B 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .276 Thomas, LF 3 0 3 0 1 0 0 .325 Sheffield, DH 3 0 0 0 1 1 4 .230 Rodriguez, C 4 0 1 1 0 0 5 .274 Hollimon, M, SS 4 1 1 0 0 2 2 .188 Totals 36 7 15 6 3 5 19 BATTING 2B: Guillen (21, Jimenez), Thomas (7, Speier). 3B: Granderson 2 (4, Jimenez, Vizcaino), Hollimon, M (1, Vizcaino). TB: Granderson 8; Polanco 2; Guillen 2; Ordonez; Cabrera 2; Thomas 4; Rodriguez; Hollimon, M 3. RBI: Guillen (41), Cabrera (45), Rodriguez (25), Ordonez (50), Granderson (27), Polanco (28). 2-out RBI: Cabrera; Rodriguez; Ordonez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez 2; Ordonez; Hollimon, M. SF: Polanco. GIDP: Sheffield; Guillen. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING SB: Granderson (5, 2nd base off Jimenez/Iannetta). FIELDING DP: (Guillen-Polanco-Cabrera).
Colorado IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Jimenez (L, 2-8) 4.0 9 4 4 3 4 0 4.71 Speier 3.0 4 1 1 0 1 0 3.49 Vizcaino 1.0 2 2 2 0 0 0 8.00		Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Bonine (W, 2-0) 8.0 5 1 1 0 2 0 3.98 Zumaya 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4.91
WP: Jimenez 2, Zumaya. HBP: Holliday (by Bonine). Pitches-strikes: Jimenez 103-64, Speier 26-20, Vizcaino 13-13, Bonine 99-69, Zumaya 16-9. Ground outs-fly outs: Jimenez 6-2, Speier 5-3, Vizcaino 1-2, Bonine 17-5, Zumaya 2-0. Batters faced: Jimenez 23, Speier 12, Vizcaino 5, Bonine 29, Zumaya 4. Umpires: HP: Marty Foster. 1B: Derryl Cousins. 2B: Angel Hernandez. 3B: Eric Cooper. Weather: 70 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, L to R. T: 2:31. Att: 40,842.

TWO TRIPLES for Granderson

GRANDERSON

BONINE

THOMAS

POLANCO

GO TIGERS!!!

I had to watch the game at my dad's friend's house so I couldn't
talk about it...

Good Job Tigers!!!

It felt warmer than 70 degrees at game time


In Fact; it was 72 when the game ended

Tigers will sweep em!

Zoom seems to have his stuff back. Go Zoom, lets get Rodney back to himself now!!!

He hit 100 mph on the Comerica board