GDT: 8/20/08 - DET (62-64) AT TEX (62-65) - 8:05 p.m. ET

ARLINGTON -- The Tigers' recent play might not result in the season ending they wanted, one with a postseason berth. Yet, it's backing up the talk manager Jim Leyland had with his team about how he wanted it to play down the stretch.

Leyland wanted his players to compete their tail off, just as he would as a manager. So far, he's getting it. With a chance at a three-game sweep over the Rangers looming in Wednesday night's series finale, it's paying dividends.

"There's only one way to play the game," Leyland said. "Play it hard. I'm proud of them."

Much of the offense in Tuesday's 11-3 win revolved around Matt Joyce's first career two-homer game. Two important baserunning plays, however, helped lead to add-on runs in the nine-run seventh inning that put the Tigers in command.

With five runs already in for a 6-3 lead, slumping Miguel Cabrera nearly ended the inning with a ground ball to short for what could've been an inning-ending double play. Cabrera's effort down the line, however, allowed him to barely beat out the play to drive in another run and keep the inning going.

"That was huge," Leyland said, "and I told them. That's what the game's all about."

Carlos Guillen's ensuing single and a walk to Gary Sheffield loaded the bases for Joyce, who seemingly made the third out with a fly ball to left-center field. As Tigers baserunners followed through around the bases, however, left fielder Brandon Boggs pulled up after seemingly calling off center fielder Josh Hamilton. The ball fell between the two.

Joyce, who took manager Jim Leyland's talk with him about playing with tenacity to heart, ended up on second once he realized the ball fell in.

Leyland recalled a talk recently with Joyce about playing hard. Joyce remembered it as playing with fire.

"I was still a little frustrated about popping it up," Joyce said. "I probably could've run a little bit harder, but I still ran it out. But things like that, even when you're frustrated and the game gets to you, that's still putting the effort in and still running things out. Even if you're frustrated and running it out, what if it drops? It did, and you're standing on second for the guy behind you to drive you in."

The 40-year-old Sheffield came all the way around from first to follow Cabrera and Guillen across the plate.

"Little things like that: Because he hustled, he was able to score," Joyce said. "That's just what [Leyland] was talking about. Even though we're not right in contention, the fans and everybody still deserve the effort."

By no means, Leyland emphasized, did he mean that Joyce or other players didn't hustle. Rather, he meant that players sometimes let frustrations get the better of them, and it becomes a habit. In a season that has been frustrating for a lot of Tigers this year with expectations, it's a common theme.

"You go up [to the plate] four times a night, normally," Leyland said. "Once in a while you strike out, but three times, you have to run. You ought to be able to go at least 90 percent. Now, I understand when you hit a one-hopper back to the pitcher. They get [ticked] off. That's just the way it is.

"But I think we've done a good job at it. I think they're concentrating, and I'm proud of them. All I want them to do is bust their tail."



Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Nate Robertson (7-9, 5.87 ERA)
Only Carlos Silva has a higher ERA among American League starters without enough innings to qualify, and Silva and Livan Hernandez are the lone AL hurlers to give up more hits. Those two stats have meant a long season for Robertson, who owns one win in his past 10 starts. The latest was a loss to the Orioles last Friday, when he gave up four earned runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings.

TEX: RHP Kevin Millwood (6-7, 5.58 ERA)
Millwood came off the disabled list and allowed five runs on 10 hits and one walk in 4 2/3 innings in a 7-0 loss to the Rays his last time out. He is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last four starts, and he is 4-2 with a 5.74 ERA in nine starts at home this season. The right-hander is 3-4 with a 4.23 ERA in nine career starts against the Tigers but will be facing them for the first time this season..


Tidbits

Leyland said he'll likely hold second baseman Placido Polanco out of Wednesday's game after he was pulled from Tuesday's original starting lineup with patella tendinitis in his right knee. Leyland was already planning on resting Polanco on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's off-day, so he's hoping two days of rest allows him to play Friday at Kansas City. Ramon Santiago, who went 2-for-4 in Polanco's place Tuesday, will get the start again. ...

Cabrera is hitless in his last 12 at-bats and is 0-for-10 so far this series. ...

The forecast for Arlington calls for a decreasing chance of rain Wednesday after Texas summer storms dampened the first two games of this series. ...

The Tigers have won their last seven games in Arlington dating back to 2006. They've averaged 69 runs in nine games here over the last three years.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Thurs., Aug 21: [color=Navy]Off-day

• Fri., Aug 22: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (9-13, 4.60 ERA) at Royals (RHP Brian Bannister (7-12, 5.96 ERA), 8:10 p.m. ET

• Sat., Aug 23: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner (6-4, 3.94 ERA)) at Royals (TBD), 7:10 p.m. ET

• Sun., Aug 24: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (9-10, 4.94 ERA)) at Royals (TBD), 2:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUP:

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .302
Santiago, 2B .333
Ordonez, RF .313
Cabrera, 1B .292
Guillen, 3B .286
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .234
:joyce: Joyce, LF .276
:edgar: Renteria, SS .268
Inge, C .220

Texas AVG
Boggs, LF .236
Young, SS .288
Hamilton, RF .301
Bradley, DH .314
Byrd, CF .296
Laird, C .282
Davis, C, 1B .275
Metcalf, 3B .158
Arias, J, 2B .200

LIVE BLOG IF USED

"Robertson, who owns one win in his past 10 starts."
... I don't know if I'm going to be able to watch it in that case....

82 degrees and cloudy right now in Arlington


80 at game Time


Slight chance of a shower

I'm beyond excited for this game.

Astros had a daygame, therefore the Rangers are on FSN tonight!

77 degrees;


Cloudy


NE Wind at 9mph

Well Im here early I suppose. So we should do the traditional GDT cuz I cant do the blog. Fuck parental controls. I hate my brother. And I could use some more posts.

we will go regular thread tonight.

Hope Matt looks like

And the ball he hits looks like

:curtis: flies out

walks

flies out

flies out

three outs

:nate: pitching

Boggs - walk

Young - dp

Hamilton triples

he probably could have gotten a inside the park homerun...

but

Bradley - grounds out

3 out - end of 1

0-0

:sheff: flies out to cf

Hey gang

:joyce: flies out

hi Lap

cmon guys!!!

hey

Tigs need a

Byrd - doubles on a dropped ball by

:nate: is pitching :puke2:

Oh cut Nathaniel some slack...

1 away.

Oh dear God.

I don't mean to use his name in vain but... Nate, !

Laird - lines out

Davis - lines out

Metcalf - 2 run homer

Arias - grounds out

end of 2

Texas 2-0