GDT: 7/29/08 - DET (53-52) AT CLEV (46-58) - 7:05 p.m. ET

CLEVELAND -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland saw a flat team in Detroit uniforms on Monday night. Immediately after the game, he was trying his best to ward off that sense of fatigue for Tuesday.

The Tigers will not take regular batting practice on Tuesday, instead hitting on their own in the cage if they choose. They won't have to be at the ballpark and dressed until later than usual. It's unusual for a night game in the middle of a series, but from what Leyland saw in Monday's 5-0 loss to the Indians to open this four-game set, they could use the break.

He took a few moments after that game to talk to his club, but it wasn't to bury them. It was to help them move on from the loss.

"We looked a little blah," Leyland said, "and I understand that. We come out of the break, we played on a Thursday and you're traveling, and then you go home for a big, emotional series and then you lose two out of three. Not that I like it, but it didn't necessarily surprise me."

Because the Tigers' only homestand since the All-Star break was last weekend's three-game series, they've basically been traveling for the fourth series in a row. They won't get home again for another week and a half after stops in Tampa Bay and Chicago, the latter of which will be a rematch of the weekend clash.

In some ways, Monday's opener against the Indians seemed like the fourth game of that disappointing series with the White Sox. The Tigers' challenge on Tuesday is make sure it doesn't go into a fifth day. They're struggling to stay in the American League Central race after not making up the ground they wanted over the weekend, but Leyland pointed out that they have two months left to play and a deficit of 6 1/2 games.

"I think you have to make sure that you don't get caught up in it," he said. "There's so much baseball left to be played yet. Six games or whatever it is sounds like a lot, but that's no more than somebody losing five in a row and you winning five in a row, and all of a sudden you're [back in it]. I think this club knows what's at stake."

Third baseman Carlos Guillen wasn't sure if there was a carryover effect from the White Sox series.

"Maybe," he said. "Who knows? We have a lot of guys with experience on this club, so I don't think you have to carry that. We have to play game by game. We know we have to win the game every day. We know what happens with the division, but we have to keep our head up and forget about the past, be ready for tomorrow.

"We have a long way to go. A lot of things can happen in this game."

If the Tigers can get a lead on Tuesday and take it into the later innings, they'll get a boost from their bullpen, which should be back at full strength. Joel Zumaya, who left Sunday's game with a tight right triceps, was available to pitch if needed on Monday and is expected to be ready on Tuesday. Fernando Rodney could be as well, though Leyland cautioned that he wouldn't mind giving him another day of rest after throwing 42 pitches on Sunday.

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (8-4, 3.27 ERA)
Galarraga pitched six perfect innings against Kansas City last Wednesday and still thought he had thrown better before. He talked about his 8 1/3-innings performance against Anaheim in late May as his best of the season. Maybe so, but Galarraga sure was good. He gave up just one run and three hits in seven innings, while striking out a career-high seven. It was also his first win since June 18 against San Francisco. In his last three starts, Galarraga has given up a combined seven runs.

CLE: RHP Matt Ginter (1-1, 2.45 ERA)
The Tigers last saw Ginter as part of their bullpen down the stretch in 2005. This is his first Major League stint since then, and it could last the rest of the season for the retooling Tribe. He'll make his third start of the season after allowing three runs over 11 innings in his first two.

Tidbits

Leyland said the team believes that Zumaya's tightness resulted from his motion when throwing his curveball. He played catch on Monday and felt fine. "We don't know if it's nothing yet," Zumaya cautioned. ... Curtis Granderson has hit safely in his last seven games, during which he's 11-for-32. ... Brandon Inge is expected to catch on Tuesday as he and Ivan Rodriguez alternate starts for this series.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Tue., July 29: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (8-4, 3.27 ERA)) at Indians (LHP Aaron Laffey, (5-7, 4.23 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Wed., July 30: Tigers (Nate Robertson (6-8, 5.63 ERA)) at Indians (Cliff Lee (14-2, 2.29 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Thurs., July 31: Tigers (Justin Verlander (8-10, 4.29 ERA)) at Indians (Fausto Carmona (4-3, 4.33 ERA)), 12:05 p.m. ET

• Fri., Aug. 1: Tigers (Zach Miner, 5-3, 3.65) at Rays (Scott Kazmir, 8-5, 2.84), 7:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Guillen, 3B
Ordonez, RF
Cabrera, 1B
Joyce, LF
Sheffield, DH
Renteria, SS
Inge, C


Cleveland
Sizemore, CF
Dellucci, DH
Francisco, LF
Peralta, SS
Choo, RF
Shoppach, C
Marte, 3B
Garko, 1B
Cabrera, 2B

BLOG IF USED

Game Day Weather


Sunny 82 degrees at Game Time;


Winds 5-10 out of the ESE



GO TIGERS



BEAT CLEVELAND

GOGETEM

please?

83 degrees; Sunny


Winds NE at 9


GO TIGERS GO

After 3 innings

1-0 on a Cabrera homer

Gala has set down the 1st 9 batters

top of the 4th

Maggs singled

Miggy pops out

Joyce doubled - Maggs on 3rd

:sheff: batting

Hello everyone!

I'm so happy to be home.

:sheff: on a check swing

hi cdurb

:edgar: doubles - 2 runs score!

3-0

rbi double

4-0

:curtis: walks

:placido: grounds out for 3rd out

4-0

Sizemore doubles

I guess I can post now since I won't be jinxing anything.

Cleveland scores !

Dellucci - doubles

run scores

4-1

hi brob

1 out, finally.

Francisco pops out

Flyout, 2 out.

61 pitches for Gala

Peralta flies out to cf

3 out.

Choo - out!

After 4

4-1