GDT: 6/27/09 - DET (41-32) at HOU (34-37) - 7:05 p.m. ET

HOUSTON -- Forget about what Alfredo Figaro can do at the plate. What can the kid do for an encore on the mound?

Figaro's Major League debut last Saturday gave the Tigers a chance to do what they had done too rarely in recent starts from the back end of the rotation: win. He wasn't dominant, but having allowed two runs on eight hits over five innings, along with recording seven strikeouts against a potent Brewers offense, he was pretty effective.

Now comes the followup effort. And after a week to get accustomed to the Major Leagues and work with pitching coach Rick Knapp, Figaro is pretty upbeat about what he can do.

"It's all about talent," manager Jim Leyland said after his last start. "It's not about age or service, veteran or rookie. It's not about any of that. It's about talent. It's about being able to get the job done."

Figaro, Leyland said, showed good control last Saturday, but not necessarily good command, resulting in eight hits over five innings. However, the 24-year-old made an impression with his poise on the mound, working in and out of jams on his way to holding the Brewers to just two runs.

Figaro worked deep into more than a few of his starts at Double-A Erie, especially as the season wore along, and the Tigers aren't going to be strict about a pitch count with him. If the righty is effective without wasting pitches, he could go to 100 pitches. If not, the Tigers could be forced to go to their bullpen before the end of the sixth inning for the second consecutive night.

As for how well Figaro hits, well, that's a secondary issue.

"He doesn't look too good," Leyland admitted, an understandable statement since Figaro hasn't batted as a pro.

No Tigers starter has won his first two Major League appearances since Rusty Meacham in 1991, according to baseball-reference.com. Andrew Miller won his first two big league starts in 2007, but he appeared in the Tigers bullpen a year earlier to make his Major League debut.

If Figaro can pull it off, he could go quite a way towards stabilizing the back end of Detroit's rotation. He could also give a little help to a bullpen that has seen tight games the past three days, including Friday's 5-4 loss, in which three straight walks by Joel Zumaya led to the Astros scoring two runs to complete a comeback.

Relievers Bobby Seay and Brandon Lyon will be available Saturday after getting rest Friday, but Zumaya and Zach Miner both saw heavy use Friday.

Whoever gets the call from the bullpen Saturday, the key will be command. Tigers pitchers have walked seven batters in two of the past three games.

"I'm tired of looking at walks," Leyland said Friday night. "That I can assure you. And that's not one person; that's too many people."

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Alfredo Figaro (1-0, 3.60 ERA)
Armed with four potential big league pitches, Figaro struck out seven hitters last Saturday, the first Tigers pitcher to do that in his big league debut since Dave Borkowski fanned eight in 1999, and his fastball topped out at 97 mph on the Comerica Park radar gun. Just as important, the 24-year-old showed an impressive ability to stay relaxed in tight situations.

HOU: RHP Felipe Paulino (1-4, 6.18 ERA)
Paulino will make his first start since June 11 after being on the 15-day disabled list. He was forced to leave his last start against the Pirates in the middle of the second inning, having thrown just 34 pitches, after straining his right groin. Paulino has never faced the Tigers. The only Interleague start of his career came earlier this season against the Rangers, where he gave up four runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings, receiving a no decision.

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Tidbits

... Eleven of Curtis Granderson's 17 home runs have come away from Comerica Park, tying him for second in the American League in road homers. With 147 at-bats on the road, he's homering an average of once every 13.36 plate at-bats.
... Detroit's streak of 10 consecutive games with a home run is its longest since homering in 10 straight contests July 20-28, 2007. The Tigers have hit at least two homers in nine of those 10 games.
... Miguel Cabrera is batting .436 (17-for-39) over his last 10 games with five homers, three doubles, 11 runs scored and eight RBIs.
... Justin Verlander's two sacrifice bunts Friday were a first for a Tigers pitcher in one game in Interleague Play. Bill Slaybeck had two against Texas on July 20, 1972.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Sunday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 6-4, 2.40 ERA) at Astros (Russ Ortiz, 3-3, 3.47 ERA), 2:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 8-4, 3.55 ERA) at Athletics (Vin Mazzaro, 2-2, 2.56 ERA), 10:05 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 4-7, 5.65 ERA) at Athletics (Gio Gonzalez, 0-1, 8.03 ERA), 10:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Cabrera, M, 1B
Thames, LF
Kelly, RF
Inge, 3B
Laird, C
Santiago, SS
Figaro, P

Houston
Bourn, CF
Keppinger, 3B
Tejada, SS
Lee, C, LF
Berkman, 1B
Pence, RF
Matsui, K, 2B
Quintero, H, C
Paulino, F, P

even before the game starts!

Inning 1
Top Half

B:3 S:3 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Michael Bourn.

B:0 S:2 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, second baseman Kazuo Matsui to first baseman Lance Berkman.

Bottom Half

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Michael Bourn singles on a bunt ground ball to third baseman Brandon Inge.

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Jeff Keppinger swinging. Michael Bourn steals (25) 2nd base.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Miguel Tejada hit by pitch.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Injury Delay.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Defensive Substitution: Dusty Ryan replaces catcher Gerald Laird, batting 7th, playing catcher.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Detroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird left the game due to lower back spasms.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Carlos Lee singles on a line drive to left fielder Marcus Thames. Michael Bourn scores. Miguel Tejada to 2nd.
HOU 1, DET 0

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Lance Berkman swinging.

B:0 S:2 O:3 -
Hunter Pence flies out to right fielder Don Kelly.

HOU 1, DET 0 after 1 inning

another day off for Maggs.....

Inning 2
Top Half

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Marcus Thames grounds out, third baseman Jeff Keppinger to first baseman Lance Berkman.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Don Kelly swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Brandon Inge swinging.

HOU 1, DET 0 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Kazuo Matsui singles on a line drive to right fielder Don Kelly.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Humberto Quintero flies out to right fielder Don Kelly.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
With Felipe Paulino batting, passed ball by Dusty Ryan, Kazuo Matsui to 2nd.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Felipe Paulino called out on .


B:3 S:1 O:3 - Michael Bourn singles on a line drive to
right fielder Don Kelly. Kazuo Matsui scores. Michael Bourn out at 2nd,
right fielder Don Kelly to first baseman Miguel Cabrera to shortstop
Ramon Santiago to second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman
Miguel Cabrera to shortstop Ramon Santiago to third baseman Brandon
Inge.

HOU 2, DET 0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Dusty Ryan on foul tip.


B:3 S:1 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago homers (6) on a fly ball to right field.
HOU 2, DET 1

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Alfredo Figaro swinging.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Curtis Granderson on foul tip.

HOU 2, DET 1 after 2.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Jeff Keppinger walks.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Miguel Tejada singles on a ground ball to left fielder Marcus Thames. Jeff Keppinger to 2nd.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Carlos Lee lines out to right fielder Don Kelly.

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

B:0 S:0 O:1 - Lance Berkman doubles (13) on a fly ball
to center fielder Curtis Granderson. Jeff Keppinger scores. Miguel
Tejada scores.
HOU 4, DET 1



B:3 S:1 O:1 -
With Hunter Pence batting, Lance Berkman steals (5) 3rd base.

B:3 S:1 O:1 -
Hunter Pence doubles (14) on a line drive to left fielder Marcus Thames. Lance Berkman scores.
HOU 5, DET 1



B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Kazuo Matsui homers (2) on a fly ball to right field. Hunter Pence scores.
HOU 7, DET 1



B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Humberto Quintero grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Felipe Paulino swinging.

HOU 7, DET 1 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, shortstop Miguel Tejada to first baseman Lance Berkman.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a line drive to center fielder Michael Bourn.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Marcus Thames singles on a ground ball to left fielder Carlos Lee. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Don Kelly grounds into a force out,
first baseman Lance Berkman to shortstop Miguel Tejada. Miguel Cabrera
to 3rd. Marcus Thames out at 2nd. Don Kelly to 1st.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Brandon Inge swinging.

HOU 7, DET 1 after 3.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Michael Bourn flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:4 S:1 O:1 -
Jeff Keppinger walks.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Miguel Tejada pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Carlos Lee flies out to right fielder Don Kelly.


HOU 7, DET 1 after 4 innings

Fricken Astros are making minced meat of Figaro... Now they are just trying to get as many innings as they can out of Figaro...

Fig ain't smilin as much now... NEITHER ARE WE

Inning 5
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Dusty Ryan grounds out, second baseman Kazuo Matsui to first baseman Lance Berkman.

B:3 S:3 O:2 -
Ramon Santiago called out on .

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Alfredo Figaro swinging.

HOU 7, DET 1 after 4.5 innings

Poor Gerry...thought last night was gonna do him in!

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Lance Berkman flies out to left fielder Marcus Thames.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Hunter Pence swinging, catcher Dusty Ryan to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

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

HOU 7, DET 1 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to left fielder Carlos Lee.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Michael Bourn.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, second baseman Kazuo Matsui to first baseman Lance Berkman.

HOU 7, DET 1 after 5.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:2 O:0 -
Humberto Quintero singles on a fly ball to right fielder Don Kelly.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Felipe Paulino out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Alfredo Figaro to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Humberto Quintero to 2nd.

will play tomorrow night.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Michael Bourn singles on a ground ball to right fielder Don Kelly. Humberto Quintero to 3rd.

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