GDT: 4/19/09 - DET (6-5) AT SEA (8-4) - 4:10 p.m. ET

SEATTLE -- Rick Porcello has had his big league baptism. He's had plenty of time to consider what he did right, wrong and what he needs to improve. Now, he's ready for the start of the rest of his career.

Porcello, the Tigers' 20-year-old rookie right-hander, starts on Sunday afternoon against the Mariners in the final game of the Tigers' three-game series. In his Major League debut April 9, Porcello lost, 6-2, to Minnesota. (I don't think we played them yet... ) He allowed nine hits and four runs in five innings.

"After the first couple pitches I was OK. That [debut nerves] wasn't really too big of a factor," Porcello said. "I think each time I go out, it's going to get better and better."

He was scheduled to return to the mound on Tuesday against the White Sox, but that game was rained out. Manager Jim Leyland decided to push back his start to Sunday, 10 days after his first.

"I tried to stay within myself as best I could," Porcello said. "For the most part, the pitches I threw were the right pitches. But make a mistake here and it's up and he they hit it. I think that's the biggest difference, guys hit mistakes. The fewer mistakes you make, usually you're going to be better off. Guys definitely capitalize up here."

Porcello faces a team that doesn't hit a lot of home runs but takes a small-ball approach. The Mariners lead the league in bunts, both for sacrifices and for hits.

"There is no easy team out there," he added. "Offenses try to do different things, but they all have their strategies. They're all tough to beat. You have to understand what the hitters are trying to do and what their tendencies are and pitch to that."


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Rick Porcello, (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
Porcello's Major League debut Thursday at Toronto turned on a pair of home runs that sent him to defeat. However, he still gave a good look at the poise and pitching acumen that convinced the Tigers he could handle the jump from Class A ball to the Majors at the age of 20. He was originally slated to make his follow-up start at home Tuesday against the White Sox, but the rainout prompted the Tigers to push him back to the weekend series and back on the road. It not only keeps Detroit's top three starts in line, it gives the Tigers a chance to conserve innings on their young starter, who pitched just 125 innings last year as a teenager at Class A Lakeland.

SEA: RHP Carlos Silva, (0-1, 6.00 ERA)
Silva had his best outing in several months, holding the Angels to two runs over seven innings in the Mariners' home opener. Unfortunately for him, the Mariners also scored two runs while he was on the mound, so he had to settle for a no-decision. The good news is he had command of the strike zone and kept the ball down most of the time, resulting in just six outfield putouts.

Tidbits



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Up next

• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 2-0, 0.68 ERA) at Angels (Jered Weaver, 1-1, 3.09 ERA), 10:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander, 0-2, 7.88 ERA) at Angels (LHP Joe Saunders, (2-1, 2.18) ERA), 10:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

DET

SEA

Happy Anniversary to me and my DH today. Eleven years and still goin'!!

Happy Anniversary!

GO TIGERS!!!

Happy Anniversary!

Go !

Thanks Buds!

Inning 1
Top Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out, third baseman Adrian Beltre to first baseman Jose Lopez.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco singles on a soft fly ball to right fielder Ichiro Suzuki.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Ichiro Suzuki. Placido Polanco to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera flies out to center fielder Franklin Gutierrez.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Carlos Guillen lines out to shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

Bottom Half

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Ichiro Suzuki grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Endy Chavez singles on a ground ball to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:1 S:0 O:3 - Ken GriffeyJr. grounds into double play,
shortstop Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Endy Chavez
out at 2nd.

0-0

Inning 2
Top Half

B:3 S:1 O:1 -
Brandon Inge grounds out, third baseman Adrian Beltre to first baseman Jose Lopez.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Josh Anderson doubles (3) on a line drive to right fielder Ichiro Suzuki.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
With Ramon Santiago batting, Josh Anderson steals (2) 3rd base.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago singles on a ground ball to left fielder Endy Chavez. Josh Anderson scores.

1-0

B:1 S:1 O:3 - Matt Treanor grounds into double play,
second baseman Ronny Cedeno to shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt to first
baseman Jose Lopez. Ramon Santiago out at 2nd.

1-0

Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Adrian Beltre singles on a soft fly ball to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Jose Lopez pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Yuniesky Betancourt singles on a fly ball to left fielder Josh Anderson. Adrian Beltre to 2nd.

B:1 S:1 O:3 - Jamie Burke grounds into double play,
second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Yuniesky Betancourt out at 2nd.

1-0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to center fielder Franklin Gutierrez.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, third baseman Adrian Beltre to first baseman Jose Lopez.

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez grounds out, second baseman Ronny Cedeno to first baseman Jose Lopez.

1-0

Afternoon all.

This has been a pretty good 3 game set based on the quality of D we've seen. Nice play from Polli just a few minutes ago, now the M's get good plays at 2nd and 3rd base. Really is a joy to watch good fielding.

Of course good fielding doesn't help with hits like that. Bugger.

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Ronny Cedeno homers (1) on a fly ball to left field.

tied 1-1

TigerBob

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Franklin Gutierrez grounds out, shortstop Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Ichiro Suzuki singles on a soft ground ball to shortstop Ramon Santiago.

laprimamirala wrote:

Happy Anniversary to me and my DH today. Eleven years and still goin'!!

Hey, congrats! 11 years these days is a Hall of fame career!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TigerBob

Hi GG. Ever notice how when I arrive the Tigs give up runs?

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Endy Chavez on foul tip.

tigerbob wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TigerBob

Hi GG. Ever notice how when I arrive the Tigs give up runs?

I don't blame you, they did not last night...

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Ken GriffeyJr. grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

tied 1-1

Inning 4
Top Half

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera walks.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Carlos Guillen singles on a ground ball to right fielder Ichiro Suzuki. Miguel Cabrera to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Brandon Inge doubles (2) on a ground ball to left fielder Endy Chavez. Miguel Cabrera scores. Carlos Guillen to 3rd.

2-1