GDT: 7/12/09 - DET (47-39) vs CLE (35-53) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Bobby Seay may have come to Detroit in 2006 with the reputation as a situational lefty. But over his four-year career, he has emerged into a more versatile and important component of the Tigers' bullpen.

That fact was on display Friday night when Seay had to replace an injured Joel Zumaya. After a wild pitch put runners on second and third with one out, the southpaw was able to get what he termed as "big outs," striking out Shin-Soo Choo and inducing Travis Hafner to fly out to left to preserve a two-run lead. The Tigers went on to win, 5-1.

"I enjoy getting big outs and being in some tight situations," Seay said. "I knew once [Cleveland] put runners on second and third that a single would tie the game."

Seay has been put in the position of getting more key outs than ever before this year for the Tigers. Entering Sunday's game, the 31-year-old is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 39 appearances. In 27 innings, he has faced right-handers more than one-third of the time, allowing just six hits in 10 1/3 innings. He also leads the American League with 19 holds.

Seay can be called upon by manager Jim Leyland at any point in the game. He has served as both a middle reliever and a primary setup man, as he was Friday night. It doesn't matter to Seay what his role is, and his approach isn't any different no matter the situation.

"My goal is to be as consistent as I possibly can," Seay said. "Whether I come in early or late, or whether I face one batter or [more], I know that I am a big part of this bullpen. I just have to be ready whenever [Leyland] calls me."

Before 2007, Seay had never pitched in more than 21 games in a season. But in the past two years, he has pitched in a combined 118 games for the Tigers, including a career-high 60 in '08. He is on pace this year to shatter that mark, and will likely approach the career-high 56 1/3 innings he threw a year ago.

When the lefty retired Hafner to end the Indians' threat in the eighth on Friday, the appreciative home crowd game him a rousing ovation. That reaction didn't go unnoticed.

"I do feed a lot off the home crowd," Seay said. "As a team, we all feed of it and that has been a key [to our success] this year."

Of all the big outs Seay has recorded this year, retiring Brewers slugger Prince Fielder in mid-June may stand out. But Seay knows there will be many more big outs that he will be called upon to get during the second half of the season. The fact that Tigers starters have been able to record a high number of quality starts this season has been a big reason why Seay still feels fresh.

"Keeping [the bullpen] rested is very important," he said. "The starters have done their job and now I need to keep doing mine."

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (9-4, 3.59)
Verlander will start Sunday because of Leyland's decision to give rookie Rick Porcello some extra rest before the All-Star break. Verlander beat Cliff Lee twice in 3-1 and 1-0 games in early May, the latter of which included a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts at Jacobs Field. Verlander also fanned 11 Tuesday in an 8-5 win over Kansas City, and has recorded double-digit strikeouts four times this year. Following Sunday's game, Verlander will fly to St. Louis for his second All-Star appearance. However the righty doesn't expect to get into the game, and if he does, that appearance would be limited because of his start Sunday.

CLE: RHP Tomo Ohka (0-2, 5.65 ERA)
Left-hander Jeremy Sowers had been scheduled to start the series finale, but the left-hander was sent down to Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, largely because he was allowing opponents to bat over .560 against him the third time through the batting lineup. So the veteran Ohka will get the start in his place. The 33-year-old has 50 career major league victories spanning 10 seasons. He didn't pitch in the Majors in 2008, and has pitched in six games (three starts) with Cleveland this year. Opponents are batting .287 this season against Ohka. He hasn't started since June 27, when he gave up six runs in four innings against Cincinnati.

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Tidbits

... Josh Anderson hit off a tee Saturday afternoon and felt better after being hit on the tricep by a Lee pitch on Friday night. He anticipated being available as at least a pinch-runner the rest of the weekend but wasn't sure about his ability to swing or throw in a game. "The All-Star break is coming at a perfect time for me," Anderson said with a laugh.
... Fernando Rodney converted his 19th save in as many chances Wednesday in a win against Kansas City. Like all closers, Rodney has had his moments this year when he has allowed runners to reach base, threatening to come back on right-hander in the ninth. But despite that, Rodney's teammates have his back. "I don't worry about him because he's a professional and he gets the job done," said Edwin Jackson on Friday night after Rodney closed out a 5-1 win that gave Jackson his seventh victory of the season. "He makes the big pitches when he has to." Rodney's streak marks the longest during a single season by a Tigers pitcher since Todd Jones converted 19 in a row from June 10-Aug. 30, 2006. Matt Anderson was the last Tigers closer with a longer streak during a single season when he converted 22 consecutive saves in 2001.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Monday-Thursday: All-Star break

STARTING LINEUPS:

1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. Marcus Thames, DH
5. Clete Thomas, RF
6. Brandon Inge, 3B
7. Josh Anderson, LF
8. Gerald Laird, C
9. Ramon Santiago, SS

Inning 1
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Asdrubal Cabrera flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Grady Sizemore singles on a ground ball to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:2 S:2 O:3 - Victor Martinez grounds into double
play, second baseman Placido Polanco to shortstop Ramon Santiago to
first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Grady Sizemore out at 2nd.

Bottom Half

B:4 S:1 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson walks.

B:0 S:1 O:2 - Placido Polanco grounds into double
play, pitcher Tomo Ohka to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman
Ryan Garko. Curtis Granderson out at 2nd.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to first baseman Ryan Garko.

0-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Shin-Soo Choo strikes out swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Travis Hafner grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Jhonny Peralta singles on a ground ball to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Ryan Garko flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Marcus Thames singles on a line drive to left fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Clete Thomas triples (2) on a line drive to center fielder Grady Sizemore. Marcus Thames scores.
DET 1, CLE 0



B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Brandon Inge pops out to first baseman Ryan Garko in foul territory.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Josh Anderson grounds out softly to first baseman Ryan Garko.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Gerald Laird called out on strikes.

DET 1, CLE 0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Luis Valbuena lines out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:4 S:1 O:1 -
Ben Francisco walks.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
With Asdrubal Cabrera batting, throwing error by Justin Verlander on the pickoff attempt, Ben Francisco to 2nd.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Asdrubal Cabrera strikes out swinging.

B:3 S:1 O:3 -
Grady Sizemore flies out to left fielder Josh Anderson.

DET 1, CLE 0 after 2.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago grounds out to first baseman Ryan Garko.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out, first baseman Ryan Garko to pitcher Tomo Ohka.

B:2 S:1 O:3 -
Placido Polanco lines out to right fielder Ben Francisco.


DET 1, CLE 0 after 3 innings

Whoo Clete!!

gdennis59 wrote:

Whoo Clete!!

So glad to see him back

Clete

Inning 4
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Victor Martinez flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Shin-Soo Choo called out on strikes.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Travis Hafner singles on a fly ball to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Jhonny Peralta strikes out swinging.


DET 1, CLE 0 after 3.5 innings

Brandon must be warming up for the Derby

Bottom Half

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

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Marcus Thames singles on a line drive to left fielder Shin-Soo Choo. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Clete Thomas homers (5) on a fly ball to left center field. Miguel Cabrera scores. Marcus Thames scores.
DET 4, CLE 0


B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Brandon Inge homers (20) on a fly ball to left center field.
DET 5, CLE 0


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

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Josh Anderson flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

B:3 S:3 O:2 -
Gerald Laird strikes out swinging.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Ramon Santiago hit by pitch.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: Mike Gosling replaces Tomo Ohka.

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

DET 5, CLE 0 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Ryan Garko flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas in foul territory.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Luis Valbuena flies out to left fielder Josh Anderson.

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

DET 5, CLE 0 after 4.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco flies out to right fielder Ben Francisco.

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera pops out to second baseman Luis Valbuena.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Marcus Thames doubles (5) on a line drive to left fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

B:1 S:0 O:2 - Clete Thomas singles on a line drive to
right fielder Ben Francisco. Marcus Thames scores. Clete Thomas to 2nd
on the throw.
DET 6, CLE 0

Okay Brandon, You are definitely Ready

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Brandon Inge homers (21) on a fly ball to left center field. Clete Thomas scores.
DET 8, CLE 0

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Josh Anderson flies out to left fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

DET 8, CLE 0 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Asdrubal Cabrera strikes out swinging.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Grady Sizemore lines out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Victor Martinez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Shin-Soo Choo flies out to left fielder Josh Anderson.

DET 8, CLE 0 after 5.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Winston Abreu replaces Mike Gosling.

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Gerald Laird singles on a ground ball to left fielder Shin-Soo Choo.