GDT: 8/5/09 - DET (55-50) VS BAL (45-61) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Edwin Jackson is confident that Friday's game against Cleveland was a bit of a fluke.

It's not that he was bad against the Indians. He did allow two earned runs on eight hits in four innings. And it took him well over 100 pitches to do that.

"They battled and fouled a lot of pitches off," Jackson said. "I had one walk and [five] strikeouts, but they spoiled a lot of good pitches. It wasn't like I was walking a lot of guys. They fouled off and fouled off and fouled off. I wouldn't change anything I would do. The odds of that type of game happening again aren't very good."

Jackson will get his chance to rebound against a team in a similar situation as Cleveland. Baltimore is a last-place team virtually out of the playoff race. As a team, the Orioles have nothing to lose -- just like Cleveland. However, there is one major difference between the two teams, particularly after Cleveland traded such veterans as Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko.

"[Baltimore] has a lot of guys who can hit for power," Jackson said. "They'll put some pitches way back in the bleachers. They are definitely an aggressive team that will come out and try and attack you early."

Detroit manager Jim Leyland believes that the Orioles have one of the more underrated lineups in the game, despite the struggles Baltimore has had at times this season.

"Let me tell you something, that is a lineup that can do some damage," Leyland said. "People don't understand the number of good hitters they have on that team."

Regardless of who Jackson is pitching against, he knows that he will benefit from having another veteran starter that he can work with this season with the addition of veteran Jarrod Washburn, who started on Tuesday.

"It's always good having the addition of a veteran pitcher. [Washburn] has been in a lot of situations we haven't been in yet," Jackson said. "We have a few guys in the clubhouse who have been [to the World Series] but haven't won it. Once you win you have a whole different mindset."

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

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Edwin Jackson (7-5, 2.64 ERA)
Though Jackson lasted just four innings Friday at Cleveland, he needed 115 pitches to get there, the highest pitch count by a starter who didn't last into the fifth since at least 1988. More worrisome than the statistics is the stuff, which hasn't been quite as crisp in his past two starts. After racking up at least seven strikeouts in seven starts over a 12-start stretch, Jackson hasn't gotten the same swings and misses, more like several foul balls. Indians hitters fouled off 28 of Jackson's pitches in his last outing, including some quality sliders that left Jackson surprised. The good news for Jackson is that he's facing the Orioles, whom he blanked for eight innings of two-hit ball May 31 at Camden Yards.

BAL: RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-10, 5.37 ERA)
The Orioles ace continued to struggle with the long ball in his last start. Guthrie gave up three home runs in a loss to the Red Sox, bringing his total to 26 this season. The right-hander lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits and two walks while striking out four.

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

Tidbits

... Dontrelle Willis pitched a side session Tuesday afternoon in Detroit with pitching coach Rick Knapp and bullpen coach Jeff Jones watching.
... Curtis Granderson got a rare night off against Baltimore rookie lefty Brian Matusz. "I have to give Grandy a day off," Leyland said Tuesday afternoon. "He needs to get a blow once in awhile. Granderson is one stolen base short of a 20-20 (home runs and stolen bases) season.
... Placido Polanco has not committed an error in 64 straight games, since May 12 at Minnesota.

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

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)

• Thursday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 9-7, 4.36 ERA) vs. Orioles (David Hernandez, 3-3, 3.28 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Friday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 5-10, 5.22 ERA) vs. Twins (Anthony Swarzak, 3-4, 4.25 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (TBD) vs. Twins (Glen Perkins, 6-7, 5.95 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:


Baltimore
1. Roberts, B, 2B
2. Reimold, N, LF
3. Jones, A, CF
4. Markakis, RF
5. Huff, A, 1B
6. Mora, 3B
7. Scott, DH
8. Zaun, C
9. Izturis, C, SS


DETROIT
1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Clete Thomas, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Carlos Guillen, DH
6. Magglio Ordonez, RF
7. Brandon Inge, 3B
8. Gerald Laird, C
9. Adam Everett, SS

Inning 1
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Brian Roberts grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Nolan Reimold swinging.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Adam Jones singles on a pop up to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:2 O:2 - With Nick Markakis batting, Adam Jones
steals (9) 2nd base, . Adam Jones advances to 3rd, on throwing error by
catcher Gerald Laird.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Nick Markakis swinging.

0-0 after .5 inning

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson pops out to third baseman Melvin Mora in foul territory.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, third baseman Melvin Mora to first baseman Aubrey Huff.

B:4 S:0 O:2 -
Clete Thomas walks.

B:2 S:1 O:3 -
With Miguel Cabrera batting, Jeremy Guthrie picks off Clete Thomas at 1st on throw to Aubrey Huff.

0-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Aubrey Huff swinging.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Melvin Mora grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:1 O:3 -
Luke Scott grounds out, first baseman Miguel Cabrera to pitcher Edwin Jackson.

0-0 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:3 S:3 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera swinging.


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Carlos Guillen flies out to center fielder Adam Jones.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a line drive to center fielder Adam Jones.

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Brandon Inge flies out to left fielder Nolan Reimold.

0-0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Gregg Zaun swinging.

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

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Brian Roberts walks.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
With Nolan Reimold batting, Brian Roberts steals (21) 2nd base.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Nolan Reimold grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

0-0 after 2.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 - Gerald Laird singles on a fly ball to
right fielder Nick Markakis. Gerald Laird out at 2nd, right fielder
Nick Markakis to shortstop Cesar Izturis.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Adam Everett lines out to right fielder Nick Markakis.

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out, first baseman Aubrey Huff to pitcher Jeremy Guthrie.

0-0 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

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

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Nick Markakis grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Aubrey Huff swinging.

0-0 after 3.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Placido Polanco grounds out to first baseman Aubrey Huff.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
Clete Thomas flies out to center fielder Adam Jones.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera swinging.

0-0 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Melvin Mora pops out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera in foul territory.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Luke Scott swinging.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Gregg Zaun walks.