GDT: 8/6/08 - DET (55-57) AT CWS (62-49) - 8:11 p.m. ET

CHICAGO -- Justin Verlander had no shortage of energy the last time he faced the White Sox and ended up out of sync. Now, the Tigers need him to be in sync Wednesday to avoid having the team expend a ton of energy after a 14-inning game Tuesday night.

Too much energy was one theory behind Verlander's rough outing against the White Sox two starts ago at Comerica Park. Leyland said afterwards that he could tell from the first inning that Verlander wasn't himself, certainly pitching-wise, and the adrenaline from a matchup with the team that has led the American League Central for much of the season could've played a role.

Verlander said that wasn't an issue for him, that his extra energy and ensuing struggles came out of his early pitches.

"It was a situation where I really felt good," Verlander said. "I felt good, I was working good. That's why I was throwing hard. I wasn't really amped for any other reason."

Whatever it was, he wasn't feeling good by the time it was over. Back-to-back homers from Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye paced a four-run third inning before three more tallies knocked him out of the game in the fifth. The White Sox made Verlander use 110 pitches over his four-plus innings.

That loss dropped Verlander to 2-7 for his career against the White Sox, including 1-3 this season. He's 0-4 with a 6.19 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Tigers could desperately use a deep start from Verlander after using their entire bullpen in Tuesday's game. The only reliever who didn't go an inning or close to it was Casey Fossum, who retired the only batter he faced on three pitches.

Leyland said he didn't expect to need to call up another reliever for the game, a sign that he's counting on a rebound from his young ace.

Just as important will be how the team as a whole rebounds from Tuesday's 10-8 loss in which it couldn't hold onto two separate leads in the late innings. "You have to try to put it behind you," said Placido Polanco, who homered twice Tuesday. "Because if you really keep thinking about that it's going to keep happening. Whatever the situation might be, just try to do your job. Keep grinding. Keep playing hard."

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (8-11, 4.49 ERA)
Verlander took the loss on Thursday night after a strong start went awry. The right-hander's pitch selection was a major frustration for manager Jim Leyland who called the fifth inning "disastrous" and was visibly upset about a walk to Cleveland's No. 9 batter Asdrubal Cabrera, which was followed by a three-run homer from Grady Sizemore. Despite nine strikeouts, Verlander surrendered six runs off five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He has not fared well against the White Sox previously this season -- going 1-3 with a 6.15 ERA -- but he will look to get back on track against the Tigers' AL Central rival.

CWS: LHP John Danks (8-4, 3.31 ERA)
Danks still has not suffered a loss since May 24 but he picked up his second no-decision in three second-half starts on Thursday at the Metrodome and his 10th no-decision of the season. The left-hander was cruising along through four innings, before Justin Morneau touched him up for a three-run blast in the fifth. Danks exited after six innings and one batter in the seventh, allowing four runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked two. Danks has a 1-0 record this season against Detroit and has a 3-3 mark with a 4.04 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field. Danks has a career record of 1-1 against the Tigers.


Tidbits

Magglio Ordonez is 8-for-11 with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs off Danks. ... Dontrelle Willis stretched out to 6 1/3 innings Tuesday night in his fifth outing for Class A Lakeland. He allowed five runs, four earned, on 10 hits against Clearwater, but just two of those hits went for extra bases. More importantly, he didn't walk a batter while striking out six.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSND

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Thurs., Aug 7: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner (5-4, 3.77 ERA)) at White Sox (RHP Javier Vazquez (8-9, 4.66 ERA)), 8:11 p.m. ET

• Fri., Aug 8: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (8-8, 4.98 ERA)) vs Athletics (LHP Dallas Braden (2-2, 5.10 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Sat., Aug 9: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (9-4, 3.23 ERA)) vs. Athletics (RHP Sean Gallagher (4-5, 4.39 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

starting lineups:

Detroit AVG
:ryan: Raburn, CF .259
:placido: Polanco, 2B .313
Guillen, 3B .282
Ordonez, RF .320
Cabrera, 1B .293
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .226
:thames: Thames, LF .246
:edgar: Renteria, SS .257
:dane: Sardinha, C .130


Chi White Sox AVG
O. Cabrera, SS .268
Swisher, CF .231
Quentin, LF .285
Dye, RF .304
Thome, DH .257
Konerko, 1B .213
Ramirez, 2B .312
Hall, C .287
Uribe, 3B .218

Live Blog if used

just gotta keep goin'.....

I'm not watching...

I'll be working for the entire game anyway.

80 degrees at Game Time


North Wind at 8 mph


GO TIGERS GO

STAT OF THE DAY:

Number of wins Verlander has at U.S. Cellular Field...0.

The White S*x mascot was having fun with Ryan Field in the pregame show!

Top of the 1st

2 outs and runners on the corners

Thome hits a 3 run homer

Chi 3-0

and here we go again!

After 1 inning

3-0 Sox

flies out

singles on a bloop hit

Should we give up now?

or have we already?

:sheff:

laprimamirala wrote:

or have we already?

I give them 5 innings then if they are behind by at least 2, the heck with them

wild pith and Miggy gets to 2nd

BUT

:thames: then

Hall - grounds out

Uribe -

O. Cabrera - lines out
1-2-3
3 outs

Top of 3rd

:edgar: grounds out

Hey guys!
Havent been on in forever! Sorry about that, my internet got shut off at home and Im hoping it will be back on soon.

Score?

I don't really want to watch this.

Sardinha

:dane: - swung at a ball !

gdennis59 wrote:

Hey guys!
Havent been on in forever! Sorry about that, my internet got shut off at home and Im hoping it will be back on soon.

Score?

3-0 Sox

:ryan:

gdennis59 wrote:

Score?

3 - 0. We suck. (and I'm in a bad mood)

Damn. GO TIGERS!!!!