GDT: 9/28/08 - DET (74-86) VS TB (96-65) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- One way or another, Sunday is a getaway day for the Tigers. They'll have to wait to find out where they're getting away to. They'll either head their separate ways Sunday night, or they'll head to Chicago for a one-day trip.

The Tigers didn't get to their lofty postseason aspirations this season, but as they prepare for the end of their campaign, they're not particularly sure where they're going. It has nothing to do with their series finale against the Rays, and everything to do with what the Twins and White Sox do later in the day. They'll determine whether the Tigers have to make up their rained-out game with the White Sox in a Monday afternoon affair.

With the Twins holding a slim half-game lead in the American League Central, the only way the Tigers won't have to make up the game is if Minnesota wins and Chicago loses Sunday. Players and coaches will come to Comerica Park on Sunday with their bags packed.

Either way, Sunday's home finale will feel like the end to the season, with what has been an appreciative home crowd cheering them on to wins over the Rays in the first three games of the series.

"The fans have been so unbelievable. I mean, it was almost like a playoff atmosphere in the ninth inning tonight," manager Jim Leyland said after Saturday's 4-3 win. "I mean, we've got 74 wins. I think that's just a credit to the people of Detroit. The fact that they're disappointed but they still support us, it's unbelievable, really.

"Normally, under these circumstances in the eighth and ninth inning, there probably wouldn't have been that many people in the seats, and most of them probably wouldn't have been cheering. So it's remarkable. The fans put on a remarkable performance."

The team hasn't been far behind lately. A team that had lost 12 of 13 coming into this series has put together its second-longest winning streak since the All-Star break. A win Sunday would give the Tigers their first series sweep since taking three straight at Kansas City in late July. Detroit hasn't swept a four-game series since taking four straight from the Royals in May 2006.

The cap to the season, however, could well be a piece of history if Gary Sheffield connects for what would be his 500th career home run. He remains on the doorstep at 499, having gone 0-for-2 with a pair of walks Saturday. He's 4-for-13 lifetime against Rays starter James Shields, but the only extra-base hit out of the bunch was a double.

To help give Sheffield potentially one extra at-bat to take a shot at the milestone, Leyland said Saturday he plans to hit Sheffield second on Sunday. He would take the spot of Placido Polanco, who is expected to miss the game with a sprained left ankle suffered in a collision at the plate on Friday.


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Zach Miner, (8-5, 4.26 ERA)
Miner will close out his two-month stint in the rotation by pitching the season finale, a fitting end to a year in which he ended up being one of Detroit's most effective starting pitchers. He's one of just two Tigers starters with a winning record, but he's winless in his past four starts. The latest occurred on Monday against the Royals, who plated four runs off of him over six innings with six hits and four walks. He has a 7.23 ERA over his past four outings, having allowed 30 hits over 23 2/3 innings. However, he has allowed just one home run in that span, sticking to his strength of keeping the ball on the ground.

TB: RHP James Shields, (14-8, 3.57 ERA)
Shields earned his 14th win of the season Tuesday at Camden Yards, holding the Orioles to two runs on eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out eight. Shields is 2-0 with a 2.42 ERA in three career starts against the Tigers.

Tidbits

Fan Appreciation Weekend will close with players and coaches giving the jersey off their backs to approximately 40 lucky fans selected to take part. ...

Brandon Inge's dropped fly ball Saturday marked his first error at any position this season. He went 116 errorless games since his last charged miscue on Sept. 22, 2007. ...

Miguel Cabrera's AL-high 37 home runs are the most by a Tiger in a single season since Dean Palmer hit 38 in 1999.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Monday: Tigers (RHP Freddy Garcia, (1-1, 4.50 ERA)) at CWS (RHP Gavin Floyd, (16-8, 3.91 ERA)), 2:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Tampa Bay Rays
A. Iwamura, 2B
-- Dan Johnson 1B
B. Upton, CF
-- Fernando Perez CF
E. Longoria, 3B
-- Carl Crawford 3B
--- Jonny Gomes
R. Baldelli, DH
W. Aybar, 1B-2B
B. Zobrist, SS
G. Gross, RF
-- Justin Ruggiano RF
E. Hinske, LF-3B
J. Jaso, C

Detroit Tigers
:curtis: C. Granderson, CF
:sheff: G. Sheffield, DH
M. Ordonez, RF
M. Cabrera, 1B
:thames: M. Thames, LF
:edgar: E. Renteria, SS
-- -- Ryan Raburn SS-2B

:dusty: D. Ryan, C
B. Inge, 3B
R. Santiago, 2B-SS

Quote :

With the Twins
holding a slim half-game lead in the American League Central, the only
way the Tigers won't have to make up the game is if Minnesota wins and
Chicago loses Sunday.

So, will there be a game Monday???? Only time will tell.........

I think we should at least end the season with a win.

Hey, we're about ready to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of this forum!!!

Go Miner!

All zeros on the board after 2 innings.

top of 3rd

G. Gross -

E. Hinske -

J. Jaso - pops out

9 up - 9 down

score 0-0

Such a different feeling from this same "last game" in 2007. We left the White Sox on the ground! Magglio had the batting title! but Sean Casey had to play that game knowing he would no longer be a Tiger.
Speaking of Sean, anybody know how rickimouse is doing?

:dusty: flies out to rf

laprimamirala wrote:

Such a different feeling from this same "last game" in 2007. We left the White Sox on the ground! Magglio had the batting title! but Sean Casey had to play that game knowing he would no longer be a Tiger.
Speaking of Sean, anybody know how rickimouse is doing?

I have not heard from her in a while.

Dusty to play winter ball in Venezuela, Mario reports...

Double for Brandon!

double

I think ricki was getting ready for her wedding, plus new job, etc. etc. Life can get busy at times!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

double

You can't hit under .200 if you keep doing that...

Zach has been lights out today!

Inge goes to 3rd on wild pitch

walks

laprimamirala wrote:

I think ricki was getting ready for her wedding, plus new job, etc. etc. Life can get busy at times!

that can make you very busy!

HOME RUN CURTIS GRANDERSON!!!

:curtis: 3 run homer! # 22

3-0

:sheff:

Sheffield Inges.

Base hit Maggs!

singles

Base hit Miggy!