GDT GM 1: 7/24/09 - DET(49-44) VS CWS(50-45)-1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- The good news for the Tigers is that they won't have to face Mark Buehrle this weekend. All he did Thursday was pitch a perfect game against the Rays, so his turn in the rotation won't come back around until the White Sox have left town.

The way the Tigers have been pressing at the plate lately, though, it's hard to tell if missing Buehrle matters. This weekend's series against the White Sox certainly does, even if the Tigers try to downplay it a bit.

"They're pitching pretty well. We're pitching pretty well," manager Jim Leyland said. "But we're going to have to swing the bats better no matter who we play. It doesn't matter whether it's the White Sox, the Indians, the Texas Rangers, whoever it is. We have to do better offensively."

The Tigers are a team that's pressing heading into a series that could easily be pressure-packed between the AL Central co-leaders, even with more than two months left in the season.

Leyland usually says at this time of the year that a pennant race doesn't begin until September rolls around with a team within five or so games of the lead. But that didn't stop him from watching Wednesday's White Sox-Rays game with particular attention after the Tigers had just lost.

By contrast, Leyland didn't have much of a chance to watch Buehrle send down all 27 Rays he faced Thursday. Their games wrapped up almost simultaneously, with Buehrle finishing off his gem just as Leyland was discussing his team's third 2-1 defeat in the last four days, this time to the Mariners.

The net effect of the two games is a virtual tie atop the division. Technically, Detroit leads by a mere percentage point, because Chicago has one more win and one more loss.

"They're important games," Verlander said. "All these games from the start of the season are important. You can't value one more than the other. It does decide more on the standings. It makes for interesting baseball. We've just got to win."

To do that, they've got to hit. And that has been a big problem for them.

"If you're talking about the pennant race," Lyealnd said, "it's not a critical series. But whether you're playing in April or May, the idea is that you come out and try to win as many games as you can. We've got to do a little bit better offensively, that's for sure."

Four of the Tigers' five losses since the All-Star break have been by 2-1 scores. In those, Detroit's offense has been held in check by starters CC Sabathia, Joba Chamberlain, Felix Hernandez and Jarrod Washburn.

Their opponent in Friday's first game, Jose Contreras, held the Tigers to a lone run in their meeting June 8 at U.S. Cellular Field. If his pitches are working again, they'll have a hard time hitting.

"Everybody's pitching well against us," Leyland said Friday. "You have to sometimes hit good pitching."

By comparison, their second-game foe, Bartolo Colon, owns an 8-9 record and a 5.28 ERA for his career against Detroit, including 81 hits over 56 1/3 career innings at Comerica Park.

Right now, however, the Tigers are focused on themselves.

"I think if we play good, if we play aggressive, if we play like we can, we can beat those guys," Miguel Cabrera said.
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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (10-5, 3.34 ERA)
Verlander was nothing short of brilliant in his last start but was ultimately outdueled by Sabathia and lost, 2-1. The ace right-hander worked seven dominant innings, allowing just two runs with six strikeouts, utilizing his patented fastball that routinely approached triple digits. More impressive than his velocity, though, was the especially dazzling movement on virtually all of his pitches. Verlander has allowed just five earned runs in 20 innings over his last three starts.

CWS: RHP Jose Contreras (4-8, 4.75 ERA)
Contreras had his shortest outing since returning from Triple-A Charlotte on June 8, as he lasted just 4 1/3 innings in a 10-2 loss against the Orioles on Sunday. He struggled with his command from the outset, walking four batters, hitting two more batters with pitches and throwing two wild pitches. In total, Contreras surrendered five runs (four earned) on five hits and struck out just one batter. He did not allow a run-scoring hit, as all runs scored occurred via a walk or wild pitch. Contreras faced Detroit on June 8 in his first game back from Triple-A, allowing no runs and one hit in eight innings of work. Lifetime against the Tigers, Contreras is 9-9 in 24 career starts with a 4.51 ERA.

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Tidbits

... The Tigers could have some extra help as soon as Friday, depending on what the Tigers decide to do with Carlos Guillen. Detroit sent special assistant Dick Egan to Toledo Thursday to watch Guillen in his latest Minor League rehab game for the Mud Hens. It's possible the Tigers could call him up this weekend, though the switch-hitter seemingly still is struggling to hit right-handed. He batted left-handed against a left-handed pitcher in Wednesday's game against Syracuse.
... The Tigers will have to make a roster move between games to make room for Bonine, who will then be optioned back to Triple-A Toledo Saturday. Most likely, they'll send down a reliever Friday and bring another one back the next day.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Friday: Tigers (Eddie Bonine, 0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. White Sox (Bartolo Colon, 3-6, 4.23 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 7-5, 2.52 ERA) vs. White Sox (Gavin Floyd, 8-6, 4.40 ERA), 4:05 p.m. ET Fox
• Sunday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 9-6, 4.40 ERA) vs. White Sox (John Danks, 8-6, 3.98 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET ESPN

STARTING LINEUPS:

Chi White Sox AVG
Wise, CF .196
Ramirez, A, SS .283
Dye, RF .293
Thome, DH .255
Konerko, 1B .295
Pierzynski, C .298
Quentin, LF .228
Getz, 2B .262
Beckham, 3B .291

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .257
Polanco, 2B .262
Thomas, C, RF .261
Cabrera, M, 1B .327
Guillen, C, DH .200
Raburn, LF .250
Inge, 3B .260
Laird, C .236
Everett, SS .246

You got Seattle instead of Chicago listed on this thread

82 degrees

Sunny Skies

West Winds around 10mph

Inning 1
Top Half

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Dewayne Wise flies out to left fielder Ryan Raburn in foul territory.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Alexei Ramirez flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Jermaine Dye grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

0-0

Bottom Half

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

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Placido Polanco singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Clete Thomas flies out to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds into a force out, fielded by second baseman Chris Getz. Placido Polanco out at 2nd.

0-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Jim Thome swinging.


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Paul Konerko flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
A. J. Pierzynski singles on a line drive to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Carlos Quentin walks. A. J. Pierzynski to 2nd.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Chris Getz walks. A. J. Pierzynski to 3rd. Carlos Quentin to 2nd.

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

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Gordon Beckham grounds into a force out, shortstop Adam Everett to second baseman Placido Polanco. Chris Getz out at 2nd.

0-0 after 1.5 inning

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen grounds out, shortstop Alexei Ramirez to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:3 S:3 O:2 -
Ryan Raburn swinging.

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

0-0 after 2 inning

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Dewayne Wise doubles (6) on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.


B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez pops out to shortstop Adam Everett.

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Jermaine Dye walks.

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

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Jim Thome swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Paul Konerko grounds into a force out, second baseman Placido Polanco to shortstop Adam Everett. Jermaine Dye out at 2nd.

0-0 after 2.5 inning

Bottom Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Gerald Laird called out on strikes.

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


B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a line drive to right fielder Jermaine Dye. Adam Everett to 3rd.


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Placido Polanco out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Jermaine Dye. Adam Everett scores.
DET 1, CWS 0

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
With Clete Thomas batting, Curtis Granderson steals (17) 2nd base.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Clete Thomas flies out to left fielder Carlos Quentin.


DET 1, CWS 0 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
A. J. Pierzynski reaches on throwing error by first baseman Miguel Cabrera.


B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Carlos Quentin doubles (7) on a line drive to left fielder Ryan Raburn. A. J. Pierzynski to 3rd.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Chris Getz pops out to shortstop Adam Everett.

is now throwing a slider... a new pitch for him!

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Gordon Beckham out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Clete Thomas. A. J. Pierzynski scores. Carlos Quentin to 3rd.
CWS 1, DET 1

THROW STRIKES

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Dewayne Wise grounds out, pitcher Justin Verlander to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

CWS 1, DET 1 AFTER 3.5 INNINGS

Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera doubles (20) on a line drive to left fielder Carlos Quentin.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen flies out to center fielder Dewayne Wise. Miguel Cabrera to 3rd.

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Ryan Raburn doubles (8) on a fly ball to right fielder Jermaine Dye. Miguel Cabrera scores. DET 2, CWS 1



B:2 S:1 O:1 -
With Brandon Inge batting, Ryan Raburn steals (3) 3rd base.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Brandon Inge hit by pitch.

B:2 S:2 O:3 - Gerald Laird grounds into double play,
shortstop Alexei Ramirez to second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman
Paul Konerko. Brandon Inge out at 2nd.

DET 2, CWS 1 AFTER 4 INNINGS

Inning 5
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Alexei Ramirez flies out to right fielder Clete Thomas.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Jermaine Dye lines out to left fielder Ryan Raburn.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Jim Thome walks.

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Paul Konerko grounds into a force out, second baseman Placido Polanco to shortstop Adam Everett. Jim Thome out at 2nd.
Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Adam Everett swinging.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson called out on .

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Placido Polanco singles on a ground ball to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Clete Thomas swinging.

DET 2, CWS 1 AFTER 5 INNINGS

Inning 6
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
A. J. Pierzynski pops out to third baseman Brandon Inge.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Carlos Quentin pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Chris Getz strikes out swinging.
Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, second baseman Chris Getz to first baseman Paul Konerko.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Carlos Guillen lines out to left fielder Carlos Quentin.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Ryan Raburn flies out to center fielder Dewayne Wise.

DET 2, CWS 1 AFTER 6 INNINGS