GDT: 7/20/08 - DET (48-49) AT BAL (47-49) - 1:35 p.m. ET

BALTIMORE -- Justin Verlander's torrid second half played a major role in keeping the Tigers in the playoff chase last summer. If the Tigers are going to make another home-stretch run again, they'll need Verlander as a driving force behind it.

It starts Sunday afternoon with the finale of their four-game series against the Orioles. When Verlander takes the mound for the bottom of the first, he'll be pitching for the first time in a week, but his team behind him will be taking the field little more than 14 hours after Luke Scott's 10th-inning walk-off homer sent them to an 11-10 loss.

Detroit needs this win to salvage a four-game split. Just as important, the Tigers need Verlander to determine their course. If momentum is only as good as the next day's starting pitcher, as manager Jim Leyland likes to say, then Verlander is huge in this one.

As it is, Leyland doesn't expect Saturday's loss to leave an aftertaste.

"I think if you try to hide behind it, act phony about it and act calm and cool about it, I think you're being phony," Leyland said Saturday night. "I'm upset about it, but the fact of the matter is, I'll be able to turn the page and be there for tomorrow's game. That's what this business is all about."

Verlander heads into the second half having won his last three outings, all of them on quality starts with six or seven innings' worth of two-run ball. He hasn't taken a loss since June 6 against Cleveland, and Detroit hasn't lost with him on the mound since June 16 at San Francisco.

The combined effect of that roll has taken him from a share of the American League lead in losses to within two games of a .500 record. A win on Sunday would give him the team lead in victories. From a team standpoint, Detroit's five straight victories with him on the mound are part of a larger roll that allowed the Tigers to head into the All-Star break with a .500 record. Detroit went 11-8 from June 22 into the break, but just 6-8 without him starting.

Their back-to-back losses the last two nights in Baltimore have dropped them to a game under .500.

Not only did Verlander go 8-3 with a 4.27 ERA after the All-Star break last year, he averaged about 6 1/3 innings per start in that span. He had just one outing in which he didn't pitch into at least the sixth. Much of that success came in August and September, but at 7 1/2 games back in the AL Central, Detroit probably can't afford to wait that long.

A quality start on Sunday would be help in itself. The Tigers used five relievers -- four of them for at least four outs apiece -- in Saturday's loss. Freddy Dolsi and Joel Zumaya are expected to be rested on Sunday, leaving Fernando Rodney as the likely setup option following 1 1/3 innings Saturday. Moreover, the Tigers go directly from Baltimore on Sunday night to Kansas City, where they'll begin a three-game series against the Royals on Monday.


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (7-9, 4.15 ERA)
After struggling early this season, Verlander looks like the pitcher everyone expected. He battled through a 38-pitch fourth inning in his last start to allow two runs on four hits in seven innings, while striking out eight. He has allowed two runs or fewer in his last six starts dating back to June 11. In two career starts against Baltimore, he has allowed 10 combined hits and three earned runs.

BAL: LHP Brian Burres (7-5, 5.02 ERA)
Burres has lost just once in his last 10 outings, a statistic that even he attributes to a hyperactive offense behind him. The southpaw has been highly erratic at times, but became the first Orioles pitcher to register seven victories with his last start before the break. Burres has gone 4-2 with a 6.02 ERA at home and 3-3 with a 4.01 mark on the road this season.

Tidbits

Ryan Raburn is expected to give Placido Polanco a day off at second on Sunday. Marcus Thames is expected to be back in the outfield against the left-handed starter. ... Carlos Guillen remains in Detroit while his wife is hospitalized following complications from the birth of their daughter earlier this month. ... The Tigers are expected to make a roster move following Sunday's game to make room for right-hander Zach Miner, who will join the rotation and start Monday at Kansas City.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Mon., July 21: Tigers (Zach Miner, 3-3, 4.23) at Royals (Luke Hochevar, 6-7, 5.10), 8:10 p.m. ET

• Tue., July 22: Tigers (Kenny Rogers, 7-6, 4.62) at Royals (Kyle Davies, 3-1, 4.59), 8:10 p.m. ET

• Wed., July 23: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 7-4, 3.41) at Royals (Zack Greinke, 7-6, 3.90), 2:10 p.m. ET

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STARTING LINEUPS

LET's DO THE SPLIT GUYS!

Win. Just win.

2 on. 2 out. top of the first. 0 - 0.

Bases loaded. Thames at bat.

I'm here. Review for 12 Angry Men is posted.

C'mon Thames!

Thames.

Bottom of the 1st.

catbox_9 wrote:

I'm here. Review for 12 Angry Men is posted.

we watched that during class in 7th grade.....

Inning over.

TigersGirl wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

I'm here. Review for 12 Angry Men is posted.

we watched that during class in 7th grade.....

and.....

Spoiler:

omg I can't believe Marcus left em all hanging!

2 down.

catbox_9 wrote:

TigersGirl wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

I'm here. Review for 12 Angry Men is posted.

we watched that during class in 7th grade.....

and.....

Spoiler:

it was okay. Not great, but alright. Of course the fact that we had to take notes the whole time didn't help anyone enjoy it....

inning over.

bring on the Mojito commercial! Seriously, I wish my butt looked that good!

TigersGirl wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

TigersGirl wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

I'm here. Review for 12 Angry Men is posted.

we watched that during class in 7th grade.....

and.....

Spoiler:

it was okay. Not great, but alright. Of course the fact that we had to take notes the whole time didn't help anyone enjoy it....

I liked it

I tried to take notes on a movie once (2001: A Space Odyssey) but halfway through the movie I stopped as the note taking seemed superfluous.

Inge

Raburn at bat.

catbox_9 wrote:

I tried to take notes on a movie once (2001: A Space Odyssey) but halfway through the movie I stopped as the note taking seemed superfluous.

I hate taking notes. So usually I don't and during our discussions on a book or whatever in class I just make stuff up that i remember.

Inning over.

I don't feel good

walk.

Go Verlander!!

1 out.

Yeah, taking notes on movies sucks. I thought it might be interesting to read my impressions later on but it wouldn't be. I write a review afterwards and that's good enough.

Bad throw. 1-0 O's.

Scottwalker doubles of Vaderlander

catbox_9 wrote:

Scottwalker doubles of Vaderlander

They gave him a triple, I don't believe it! How can you not give him an error?