GDT: 4/25/09 - DET (8-8) AT KC (9-7) - 7:10 p.m. ET

Joel Zumaya was stretched out on a sofa in the Tigers' clubhouse Friday afternoon when a teammate's shout came from the other end of the room.

"Zumaya is in the house!"

And with that welcoming salute, the Detroit bullpen is about to get a notable reinforcement.

Manager Jim Leyland said following Friday's game in Kansas City that Zumaya will be activated Saturday prior to the second game of the Tigers-Royals series. To accommodate Zumaya's arrival, right-hander Eddie Bonine was sent to Triple-A Toledo. In the same stadium where Zumaya suffered a freakish bullpen injury two years ago that started a run of bad injury luck, the right-hander is ready to go with a clean bill of health and a clean slate.

"All my nightmares started here, but I think it's going to be good now," Zumaya said. "I've been throwing the ball really well and my arm feels 100 percent. I can say that with honesty this time."

Zumaya is anxious to make his first regular-season appearance since Aug. 12, when he went on the disabled with a stress fracture in his surgically repaired throwing shoulder.

Zumaya did some throwing and running on Friday. He made five rehab appearances and got the final nod of approval after showing he could hold up in back-to-back appearances for Toledo.

Zumaya made his Major League debut in Kansas City on April 3, 2006. Now he'd love to have a 2009 season debut on Saturday or Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.

"I think it's going to be a new beginning for me, where I'm healthy for the remainder of my career," Zumaya said.

Zumaya has been working on his changeup and curve, which can make a robust fastball that much more imposing. Furthermore, he feels he has been making strides in the control department.

"I go out there trying to blow everybody's doors away, but I've been pounding the strike zone, too," Zumaya said.


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Zach Miner (1-1, 8.10 ERA)
Last Tuesday's rainout against the White Sox prompted the four-man rotation that put Miner back in the bullpen for a while. Now that the off-days have passed and the Tigers need a fifth starter again, Miner will make his first start since April 13, and presumably keep on turn for the foreseeable future. The sinkerballer struggled with the cold, dry conditions at Comerica Park on Monday to yield eight runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings. Though he didn't use it as an excuse, the conditions clearly hampered his ability to grip the ball. That shouldn't be a problem at Kansas City, where the forecast calls for high temperatures in the low 70s this weekend.

KC: RHP Kyle Davies (1-0, 2.89 ERA)
Davies walked four batters in the first inning of his last outing vs. the Rangers, and still left with a quality start. He gave up only three hits and had the lead when he left after six innings. He retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Davies relies on throwing his fastball for strikes early, setting up his changeup and curveball. He said after Sunday's start against the Rangers that he needs to adjust quicker if he's pounding the strike zone with fastballs early in the game and not locating the pitch.

Tidbits

... John Westhoff, the Tigers' vice president of baseball legal counsel, was in New York on Friday and presented Gary Sheffield with a No. 500 home run gift. That commemorative gift from the Detroit organization had been waiting for Sheffield when he was sitting on 499 late last season.
... Placido Polanco's first-inning single on Friday extended his hitting streak to six games.
... Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge each had a seven-game hitting streak snapped Friday against Zack Greinke.

To track MLB play-by-play: http://m.mlb.com/scores/

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FS-D HD

On radio
• WXYT 1270

Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Sunday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 2-0, 1.96 ERA) at Royals (Sidney Ponson, 0-2, 7.04 ERA), 2:10 p.m. ET
• Monday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 0-2, 9.00 ERA) vs. Yankees (CC Sabathia, 1-1, 4.81 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 1-1, 2.77 ERA) vs. Yankees (TBD), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Ordonez, RF
Cabrera, M, 1B
Guillen, DH
Laird, C
Inge, 3B
Anderson, J, LF
Everett, SS


Kansas City
Crisp, CF
DeJesus, D, LF
Teahen, 3B
Jacobs, DH
Guillen, RF
Butler, 1B
Callaspo, 2B
Buck, C
Pena, T, SS

70 degrees at Game Time
Cloudy

South Winds 10-15mph


60 percent chance of rain between 8pm and midnight CST

Well, let's crank Davies and then Ponson won't be too much of a hard pitcher.

so much for the first inning....

Inning 1
Top Half

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


B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.


B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez grounds out to first baseman Billy Butler.

Bottom Half

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Coco Crisp flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.


B:3 S:3 O:2 -
David DeJesus strikes out swinging.


B:2 S:1 O:3 - Mark Teahen singles on a line drive to
center fielder Curtis Granderson. Mark Teahen out at 2nd, center
fielder Curtis Granderson to shortstop Adam Everett.

0-0

Inning 2
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, shortstop Tony PenaJr. to first baseman Billy Butler.


B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen walks.


B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Gerald Laird homers (1) on a fly ball to left center field. Carlos Guillen scores.


B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Brandon Inge grounds out, third baseman Mark Teahen to first baseman Billy Butler.


B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Josh Anderson pops out to shortstop Tony PenaJr.

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Mike Jacobs grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.


B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Jose Guillen walks.


B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Billy Butler lines out to left fielder Josh Anderson.


B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Alberto Callaspo singles on a ground ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson. Jose Guillen to 3rd.


B:0 S:1 O:3 -
John Buck grounds out softly, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

2-0

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Adam Everett singles on a line drive to left fielder David DeJesus.


B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson homers (6) on a fly ball to right field. Adam Everett scores.


B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco flies out to right fielder Jose Guillen.


B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez grounds out, shortstop Tony PenaJr. to first baseman Billy Butler.


B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera walks.


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.


B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Carlos Guillen grounds out, second baseman Alberto Callaspo to first baseman Billy Butler.

Bottom Half

B:4 S:0 O:0 -
Tony PenaJr. walks.


B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Coaching visit to mound.


B:4 S:1 O:0 -
Coco Crisp walks. Tony PenaJr. to 2nd.


B:2 S:3 O:1 -
David DeJesus called out on strikes.


B:3 S:2 O:3 - Mark Teahen grounds into double play,
second baseman Placido Polanco to shortstop Adam Everett to first
baseman Miguel Cabrera. Coco Crisp out at 2nd.

4-0

Inning 4
Top Half

B:2 S:0 O:0 -
Gerald Laird singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jose Guillen, deflected by first baseman Billy Butler.

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Brandon Inge singles on a line drive to left fielder David DeJesus. Gerald Laird to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:1 - Josh Anderson grounds into a force out,
pitcher Kyle Davies to third baseman Mark Teahen. Gerald Laird out at
3rd. Brandon Inge to 2nd. Josh Anderson to 1st.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Adam Everett flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp. Brandon Inge to 3rd.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
With Curtis Granderson batting, Josh Anderson steals (5) 2nd base.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Curtis Granderson called out on strikes.

4-0

Bottom Half

B:3 S:1 O:1 -
Mike Jacobs grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Jose Guillen grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Billy Butler grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

4-0 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Placido Polanco strikes out swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez grounds out, third baseman Mark Teahen to first baseman Billy Butler.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, shortstop Tony PenaJr. to first baseman Billy Butler.(great play by Pena)

4-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Alberto Callaspo grounds out softly, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
John Buck pops out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera in foul territory.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Tony PenaJr. grounds out, pitcher Zach Miner to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

6 pitch inning for

4-0 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen lines out to second baseman Alberto Callaspo.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Gerald Laird singles on a ground ball to left fielder David DeJesus.

is 3 of 3 tonight

B:1 S:1 O:1 - singles on a line drive to left fielder David DeJesus. Gerald Laird to 2nd.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Josh Anderson triples (1) on a fly ball to right fielder Jose Guillen. Gerald Laird scores. Brandon Inge scores.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Coaching visit to mound.


B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Pitcher Change: Robinson Tejeda replaces Kyle Davies.

6-0

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Adam Everett flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.

B:4 S:0 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson walks.

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Placido Polanco doubles (7) on a fly
ball to left fielder David DeJesus. Josh Anderson scores. Curtis
Granderson scores.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.

8-0

That's it for Miner.

A 3-hitter!

Too bad he throw 5500 pitches in 5 innings.

Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Coco Crisp singles on a ground ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Bobby Seay replaces Zach Miner.