GDT: 6/30/08 - DET (41-40) AT Minn (45-37) - 8:10 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Two of the hottest teams in the Major Leagues will collide at the Metrodome.

The Tigers and Twins will meet for a three-game series, starting Monday. The Tigers, who trail the second-place Twins by 3 1/2 games in the American League Central standings, have had an impressive month. In earning a winning record for the first time this season, Detroit has won six straight series and nine of its last 10 games.

Meanwhile, the Twins have won 11 of their last 12, including a dominating 10-game winning streak that was ended Saturday.

The Twins represent one of the teams in baseball that wins consistently. They lose players. They trade players. It doesn't seem to matter. Last offseason, Minnesota traded Johan Santana and lost Torii Hunter to free agency, and yet again, the Twins are in the thick of the division race.

"They're really good. They got an MVP, a batting champion," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, referring to 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau and 2006 batting champion Joe Mauer. "They do things right. They have a great organization. They've done it for years. Nobody ever talks about the Twins. They're there every single year, in the hunt. This is a good team, a real good team."

But the Tigers feel they have a good team, too.

"It's a matter of playing good and putting it all together," Leyland said.

The Tigers come into Monday's series opener with a 41-40 record at the midpoint of the season. Leyland took time Sunday to reflect on the ups and downs of the first half of 2008.

"It's been interesting," he said. "I haven't wavered from day one. I wasn't getting all excited about everything. I wasn't happy about it, but you just have to stay the course. Three weeks ago, we could have been 14 games out ... 15-16 games under .500. But it's a nice little comeback if we continue to play good and go about our business. There's a lot of baseball left."


Interleague record: 113-98 overall, 13-5 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: WON 7-1
• June 28 vs. Rockies: WON 7-6
• June 29 vs. Rockies: WON 4-3 SWEEP SERIES !

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (7-2, 3.32 ERA)
Galarraga gave up five runs over 4 2/3 innings, including three solo home runs, on Wednesday against the Cardinals before a rain delay knocked him out of the game. Now he'll get back to American League competition with his third matchup against the Twins this season. Both of his previous meetings were losses, as he allowed seven earned runs on 13 hits and seven walks over 12 innings. Galarraga had won three straight starts before his last outing.

MIN: LHP Glen Perkins (4-2, 4.47 ERA)
In his previous start, Perkins had to work to get through five innings against the Padres, despite giving up only three runs. The left-hander threw a total of 91 pitches while scattering six hits, walking two and striking out two. A strong night defensively behind Perkins aided the pitcher. Perkins won his only other start against Detroit earlier this season, allowing just one run on seven hits over 7 2/3 frames.


Tidbits

The Tigers have sent injured utility outfielder Ramon Santiago (separated shoulder) on a Minor League rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Toledo. They have no timetable for his return. ... Curtis Granderson is batting .405 in his last 19 games. He recently had a career-high 15-game hitting streak snapped. Clete Thomas now owns the longest hitting streak on the team at six games. ... Dane Sardinha became the first Tigers player to have a triple for his first Major League hit since Andres Torres in 2002. ... Leyland recently spoke about young infielder Michael Hollimon. "He's OK. He's a little rough around the edges," Leyland said. "But he has all the ingredients, all the tools, to do just fine once he learns how to concentrate. If he can concentrate and relax, he'll do fine."

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Tue., July 1: Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson (6-6, 5.23) ERA)) at Twins (RHP Scott Baker (4-2, 3.57 ERA)), 8:10 p.m. ET

• Wed., July 2: Tigers (RHP Eddie Bonine (2-0, 3.98 ERA)) at Twins (TBA), 1:10 p.m. ET

• Thurs., July 3: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (4-9, 4.42 ERA)) at Mariners (RHP Carlos Silva (4-9, 5.69 ERA)), 10:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

Detroit AVG
:edgar: Renteria, SS .275
:placido: Polanco, 2B .320
Guillen, 3B .292
Cabrera, 1B .281
:thames: Thames, LF .280
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .219
:pudge: Rodriguez, C .278
:ryan: Raburn, RF .224
:curtis: Granderson, CF .293


Minnesota AVG
Gomez, CF .263
Casilla, 2B .313
Mauer, C .321
Morneau, 1B .306
Kubel, DH .267
Young, LF .281
Buscher, 3B .352
Harris, SS .249
Span, RF .258

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WIN THIS SERIES FOR MAGGS, INGE AND BONDO!

70 degrees; Indoors;

Twins will lose all three games!


And four more at Comerica July 10-13;



Tigers will be in first place soon!

GO TIGERS!!!!! They Will Win Tonight!

WIN 5-4

Yay Tigers!

June 30, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Detroit	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	2	0		5	12	3
Minnesota	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0		4	13	0

Detroit AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Renteria, SS 4 1 0 0 1 0 4 .271 Polanco, 2B 5 0 2 1 0 0 1 .322 Guillen, 3B 4 0 1 1 1 1 1 .292 Cabrera, 1B 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .281 - a-Thomas, PH-LF 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .329 Thames, LF-1B 5 1 1 1 0 4 4 .277 Sheffield, DH 4 1 2 0 0 1 2 .226 Rodriguez, C 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .277 Raburn, RF 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .215 - b-Joyce, PH-RF 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .222 Granderson, CF 4 1 3 1 0 1 1 .301 Totals 39 5 12 5 2 10 20 a-Doubled for Cabrera in the 3rd. b-Tripled for Raburn in the 8th. BATTING 2B: Thomas (8, Perkins). 3B: Joyce (1, Guerrier). HR: Thames (15, 2nd inning off Perkins, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Polanco 2; Guillen; Thomas 2; Thames 4; Sheffield 2; Rodriguez; Joyce 3; Granderson 3. RBI: Thames (33), Polanco (29), Guillen (42), Joyce (11), Granderson (28). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Renteria; Sheffield 2; Thames; Polanco. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING SB: Granderson (6, 2nd base off Guerrier/Mauer). FIELDING E: Polanco (4, throw), Cabrera (11, missed catch), Thomas (3, fielding). DP: 3 (Galarraga-Renteria-Cabrera, Renteria-Thames, Renteria). Minnesota AB- R-- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Gomez, CF 5 1 2 0 0 1 2 .265 Casilla, 2B 5 1 2 0 0 0 3 .316 Mauer, C 4 1 2 2 1 0 3 .323 Morneau, 1B 4 0 2 0 0 1 1 .308 Kubel, DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .263 Young, LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 .281 Buscher, 3B 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 .345 Harris, SS 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .249 Span, RF 4 0 2 1 0 0 1 .286 Totals 38 4 13 3 1 4 16 BATTING 2B: Mauer (22, Galarraga), Gomez (13, Galarraga), Span (1, Galarraga). TB: Gomez 3; Casilla 2; Mauer 3; Morneau 2; Young; Buscher; Harris; Span 3. RBI: Mauer 2 (34), Span (3). 2-out RBI: Mauer; Span. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Young; Kubel; Gomez 2; Mauer. GIDP: Span; Mauer. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Gomez (21, 3rd base off Galarraga/Rodriguez). Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Galarraga 6.0 9 4 3 1 3 0 3.40 Fossum (W, 1-0) 1.1 1 0 0 0 1 0 12.00 Zumaya (S, 1) 1.2 3 0 0 0 0 0 3.38 Minnesota IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Perkins 6.1 7 2 2 1 7 1 4.31 Crain 0.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 2.97 Reyes (H, 8) 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.28 Guerrier (BS, 2)(L, 4-3) 1.1 3 2 2 0 1 0 3.27 Breslow 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.42 Bass 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.50 Crain pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. Pitches-strikes: Galarraga 101-64, Fossum 19-13, Zumaya 24-16, Perkins 91-65, Crain 6-2, Reyes 5-3, Guerrier 30-17, Breslow 6-5, Bass 4-3. Ground outs-fly outs: Galarraga 7-8, Fossum 3-0, Zumaya 2-2, Perkins 5-7, Crain 0-0, Reyes 1-0, Guerrier 2-1, Breslow 1-0, Bass 0-0. Batters faced: Galarraga 28, Fossum 4, Zumaya 7, Perkins 27, Crain 2, Reyes 2, Guerrier 7, Breslow 2, Bass 1. Inherited runners-scored: Crain 1-1, Reyes 2-1, Guerrier 2-0. Ejections Minnesota Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire ejected by HP umpire James Hoye. (3rd). Umpires: HP: James Hoye. 1B: Chris Guccione. 2B: Tim Welke. 3B: Chuck Meriwether. Weather: 70 degrees, dome. Wind: Indoors. T: 3:09. Att: 22,196.

Maybe we'll see a brawl

According to our polls, here's the starting lineup for the AL for the All-Star Game...

C Joe Mauer
1B Justin Morneau
2B Placido Polanco
3B A-Rod
SS Derek Jeter/Michael Young/Orlando Cabrera
DH Hideki Matsui
OF Coco Crisp
OF Josh Hamilton
OF Magglio Ordonez/Grady Sizemore
P Justin Duchscherer/C.C. Sabathia

6 Game winning streak!

Tigers June record...19-8. Best in MLB.

:fossum: and pitch great tonight!!!!!!

bobrob2004 wrote:

According to our polls, here's the starting lineup for the AL for the All-Star Game...

C Joe Mauer
1B Justin Morneau
2B Placido Polanco
3B A-Rod
SS Derek Jeter/Michael Young/Orlando Cabrera
DH Hideki Matsui
OF Coco Crisp
OF Josh Hamilton
OF Magglio Ordonez/Grady Sizemore
P Justin Duchscherer/C.C. Sabathia

Sabathia?!?!?!? He's pitching much better after that atrocious start, but the fact remains his ERA+ is just 110.

We win!

catbox_9 wrote:

bobrob2004 wrote:

According to our polls, here's the starting lineup for the AL for the All-Star Game...

C Joe Mauer
1B Justin Morneau
2B Placido Polanco
3B A-Rod
SS Derek Jeter/Michael Young/Orlando Cabrera
DH Hideki Matsui
OF Coco Crisp
OF Josh Hamilton
OF Magglio Ordonez/Grady Sizemore
P Justin Duchscherer/C.C. Sabathia

Sabathia?!?!?!? He's pitching much better after that atrocious start, but the fact remains his ERA+ is just 110.

Yeah, I can't believe someone voted for him. I think there was only two of us and I went with Duchscherer. I only included Sabathia because I needed a 5th choice and he is 1st in K's and 3rd in IP.