GDT: 7/27/09 - DET (52-45) AT TEX (54-42) - 8:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Armando Galarraga made his first Major League start at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Sept. 24, 2007, with Gerald Laird as his catcher. Nearly two years later, they're heading back as a battery again, this time to try to keep the Tigers' success against Texas going and help reverse Detroit's summer road struggles.

Neither Laird nor Galarraga make a big deal about facing their old squads, which traded them to Detroit in different offseasons. They've both faced the Rangers since their trades, and both helped beat their old club, including a masterful performance as the battery in Detroit's home opener April 10. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be sweet for them to repeat it in Texas.

"We were a battery down there, and now we're going to be a battery against them," Laird said. "Sometimes things just work out. In Texas, Armando didn't really get an opportunity, and he gets an opportunity here and takes full advantage of it."

It's also an opportunity for the Tigers to build some badly needed momentum on the road against a team they beat six times in as many chances at Comerica Park this year. Galarraga's 15-2 victory in the home opener started the Tigers on their way to a three-game series sweep, then the Tigers repeated the sweep in mid-May.

But as the season has shown, that was at home, and the road can be a different story for Detroit. Even with Sunday night's loss to the White Sox, the Tigers' 31-16 record at home is their best home mark through 47 games since the 1984 team went 32-14 on its way to the World Series.

That's what makes Detroit's road struggles so flustering. Its 21-29 road mark is the worst of any team with a winning overall record aside from San Francisco, which is 21-31 away from AT&T Park. The Tigers haven't won a road series since taking three wins out of five games against the White Sox in early June.

The differences are drastic enough that it almost looks like a different team, and makes it amazing that this team is in first place. But consider how much better Detroit's position would be with a road record close to or at .500.

"It's not a different team," manager Jim Leyland said. "We just haven't performed as well, so we have to take care of that. We've got a good ballclub, and I've always been proud to take my team on the road. For whatever reason, we haven't done as well on the road, and we're going to talk about that in Texas."

They'll be arriving with some groggy eyes. The Tigers flew out from Detroit after Sunday night's loss and were scheduled to arrive in Arlington around 3 a.m. CT. Fortunately, they have three night games before getting a day off ahead of next weekend's three-game clash with Cleveland.

Fortunately for them, the Tigers second-half schedule is heavy on home games. But the road games they play are big.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (5-8, 4.82 ERA)
Galarraga lowered his ERA by more than a quarter of a run in his last outing, thanks to 7 1/3 innings of one-hit, one-run ball. He had a shutout going into the eighth before walking Jack Hannahan ahead of Russell Branyan's two-run homer off Bobby Seay. Galarraga has pitched at least 6 1/3 innings with one run allowed in three of his past four outings to revitalize his season, but the Tigers have won only one of those games.


TEX: RHP Tommy Hunter (2-1, 2.17 ERA)
Hunter pitched six innings and allowed one earned run Tuesday against the Red Sox for his second Major League win. It was his third quality start of the season. He has gone 2-1 with a 1.52 ERA over his last four starts to lower his ERA to 2.16 from 5.06. Hunter produced 10 consecutive batters from the second out of the third inning to the second out of the sixth. This is his debut against the Tigers. In his career at home, Hunter has a 5.01 ERA with a 2-2 record, but a 2.74 ERA with a 2-1 record this season.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tidbits

... The Tigers face three right-handed starters from the Rangers this series, so look for Carlos Guillen to be the designated hitter for the next three nights.
... Marlon Byrd is 3-for-6 lifetime off Galarraga.
... Tigers outfielders have combined for 18 assists this season, third-highest among AL clubs.
... Fernando Rodney has converted all 21 of his save opportunities this year, the longest single-season streak by a Tigers pitcher since Matt Anderson converted 22 straight from May 2-Sept. 28, 2001.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

To track MLB play-by-play, to help post GDT outcomes: http://m.mlb.com/scores/

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

On television
•

On radio

• /
• XM Channel Schedule
• Direct TV Extra Innings Schedule


------------------------------------------------------------------------

Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Tuesday: Tigers (Lucas French, 1-1, 2.22 ERA) at Rangers (Vicente Padilla, 7-5, 4.67 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 11-5, 3.12 ERA) at Rangers (Scott Feldman, 9-3, 3.59 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day

STARTING LINEUPS:


Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .255
:placido: Polanco, 2B .262
Thomas, C, LF .262
Cabrera, M, 1B .330
Guillen, C, DH .225
Ordonez, RF .261
Inge, 3B .256
Laird, C .235
Everett, SS .248

Texas AVG
Kinsler, 2B .244
Young, M, 3B .317
Murphy, Dv, LF .284
Byrd, CF .280
Blalock, 1B .254
Cruz, N, DH .268
Hamilton, RF .228
Saltalamacchia, C .246
Andrus, El, SS .251

Tigers gonna make Texas Toast out of the Rangers; then eat em up


GO TIGERS!

gulp

Current Conditions

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Mostly Cloudy 80 F

Humidity: 79 %

Wind: from the NE at 8 mph

Barometer: 29.93 in

last updated: 7/27/09 5:45 PM CDT

It is cooler there than it is here right now

81 right now in Trashy Park

A new thing for tonight.... a blessing of the team...

God, I pray that you bless the Detroit Tigers. Help each player be relaxed but on fire to play at their best. Give them courage, and boldness, without cockiness. Help them succeed with many victories, and bring a World Series championship to Detroit and all Tigers fans. And give direction to David Dombrowski, to make any trade needed to help the team succeed! Help Leyland to make good choices in his management of tonight's game. Amen.

Inning 1
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson homers (20) on a line drive to right field.
DET 1, TEX 0

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, pitcher Tommy Hunter to first baseman Hank Blalock.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Clete Thomas grounds out, pitcher Tommy Hunter to first baseman Hank Blalock.


B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera called out on strikes.



DET 1, TEX 0

Base Hit for Young

Murphy at bat

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Ian Kinsler pops out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Michael Young singles on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

come on Gala, get those outs.

go ahead and do play by play, gs.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
David Murphy pops out to shortstop Adam Everett.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Marlon Byrd lines out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

DET 1, TEX 0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen grounds out, second baseman Ian Kinsler to first baseman Hank Blalock.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez doubles (13) on a line drive to left fielder David Murphy.

B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Brandon Inge walks.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Gerald Laird swinging.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Adam Everett pops out to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia in foul territory.

DET 1, TEX 0 after 1.5 inning

Inning Over

Bottom Half

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Hank Blalock lines out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Nelson Cruz flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Josh Hamilton grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

DET 1, TEX 0 after 2 innings

6 pitch inning for Gala!

Would you want to do play by play tonight gs?

3rd inning


Granderson at bat

Granderson out at 2nd trying to stretch a hit into a double


Thomas at bat

runner on first

1-2 on Clete

2-2

Polanco on first

infield hit


2-2 on Clete

Thomas strikes out swinging

Miggy at bat

2-0

2-1