GDT: 7/13/08 - DET (46-47) VS MINN (53-41) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- The Tigers' final game before the All-Star break features a noteworthy matchup.

Fans won't wait long, as it'll occur during the first at-bat.

Detroit righty Justin Verlander will face Minnesota's Carlos Gomez for the first time since the young leadoff man made eyebrow-raising comments about the Tigers' ace after a game in late May.

Gomez told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he and teammate Alexi Casilla faked bunts to get under Verlander's skin.

Verlander "is a great pitcher," Gomez told the Press. "But his mind is no good.

"He'll be [angry] and then he tries to throw too hard and then he throws a ball. He throws many pitches and gets [mad] and makes a mistake for [Joe] Mauer or [Justin] Morneau. That's what I told Casilla -- 'Me and you got to go to work on this guy and [mess] up his mind and then Justin and Mauer get good opportunities to hit.'"

According to Gomez, Verlander glared at him when he walked to the plate in the fifth inning. Gomez said he enjoyed the moment because to him, it confirmed his plan's effectiveness.

Gomez added he would continue faking bunts to agitate Verlander the next time they faced.

Verlander has kindly declined comment.

The game's box score shows the tactic did little to knock Verlander off his game. Irritated or not, Verlander had one of his best performances this season, allowing one run on five hits in seven innings -- holding Mauer and Morneau to a combined 1-for-7.

However, the Tigers lost that game. They hope for a different result in Sunday's series finale.

A loss would complete a four-game sweep, and send the Tigers into the break trailing the second-place Twins by 7 1/2 games.



Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (6-9, 4.24 ERA)
Verlander yielded two runs on two hits in the first inning of his past start, but followed with six hitless frames. Only one batter reached in that span on a walk. In his past four starts, the righty has looked every bit the ace most predicted before this season. He won three of those starts, allowing eight earned runs in 24 innings. He has not lost since June 6. In two starts this season against Minnesota, he's 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA.


MIN: RHP Nick Blackburn (7-4, 3.72 ERA)
Blackburn more than made up for his rough relief outing at Fenway last season, when he gave up four runs in an inning. In his return to the famed ballpark, Blackburn pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed just two runs on six hits to the Red Sox. Blackburn even retired a stretch of 10 straight batters during the outing. The right-hander has continued to make adjustments in each one of his starts, and he'll have to do so again when he faces the Tigers for the third time this season. He is 1-0 with a 2.24 ERA in those first two starts against Detroit.


Tidbits

Injured outfielder Magglio Ordonez (pulled oblique) took batting practice in the cage before Saturday's game. Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Ordonez could play in a Minor League rehab game at Class A West Michigan next week, but "it's nothing set in stone." ... Leyland has talked with team trainers about slumping designated hitter Gary Sheffield. "They told me he's healthier than at any point last year," Leyland said. So if it's not health, why the slump? "I don't know," Leyland said. "I'm befuddled by it. I can't figure it out." ... Leyland said he doesn't expect the Tigers to make much noise at the Trade Deadline but, as he pointed out, they also went into the Winter Meetings expecting a quiet time -- when they landed Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. ... In his first game since coming off the disabled list Thursday, Brandon Inge finished 2-for-3 with a walk.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• July 13
• Taco Bell All-Star Sunday featuring:
• XM All-Star Futures Game, 12:37 p.m. ET live on MLB.com and XM Satellite radio ALSO Monday evening following the big league Home Run Derby broadcast on ESPN2.
• Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, 4:00 p.m. ET
• Monday-Wednesday, July 14-16: All-Star break

• July 14
• Gatorade All-Star Workout Day featuring:
• MLB All-Star Batting Practice, 5:30 p.m. ET (AL) and 6:25 p.m. ET (NL)
• State Farm Home Run Derby, 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

• July 15
• MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet, 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET
• 79th MLB All-Star Game, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX

STARTING LINEUPS:

Minnesota
Gomez, CF
Casilla, 2B
Mauer, C
Morneau, 1B
Kubel, LF
Harris, SS
Buscher, 3B
Lamb, DH
Span, RF

Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Guillen, 3B
Cabrera, 1B
Joyce, RF
Thames, DH
Thomas, LF
Inge, C
Santiago, SS

BLOG

81 degrees and less humid!



GO TIGERS GO

Bee YOU tiful day. Now how 'bout a W, guys?

OK IF WE GET SWEPT THAT WILL BE THE END OF ME. WE DESERVED THE FIRST 2 GAMES!!!! COME ON TIGERS!! LETS BLOW THESE TWINS AWAY TODAY!!!

Sooo...
Top of the third. Tigers up 2-0 on a two-run homer from Clete Thomas in the second.

Cletes first homer!!!!

that was awesome for Clete! Glad they didn't give him the silent treatment in the dugout right after!

I wish I had updates, or MLB Extra Innings.

Twins have tied it up in the top of the fourth.

2-2

3 - 2 tigers.

top of the 6th
Verlander just got his 7th k

2 outs.

number 8

1,2,3 inning.

and out # 3

:thames: pops out

grounds out

1 out.
Come on Clete!
2 outs.
Come on Inge!
3 outs.

Verlander pitching the 7th

1 out - 100 pitches

single

flies out - 2 down

Span grounds out - 3 outs

More runs please, Tigers!

pops out

:curtis: single

:placido: pops out