GDT: 8/7/09 - DET (57-50) VS MIN (53-55) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- The Tigers needed innings from Armando Galarraga his last time out, but unfortunately, that is all they got. Now, with the AL Central-contending Twins coming to town hoping to shrink their 4 1/2-game deficit in the division, Detroit needs a win from its starter.

To get there, he'll need some strong pitching.

"No pitcher in the history of the game can hide from the fact that you've got to throw strikes," manager Jim Leyland said. "Every pitching coach talks about the same thing: Strike one. There's nothing new about that, but there's also a lot of truth to that. In the big leagues, when you work 2-0 to real good Major League hitters, you get the snot knocked out of you. It's that simple."

Galarraga fell behind on several 2-0 counts and paid for them against the Indians, who beat him for the third time in as many outings. Leyland believes part of Galarraga's struggles Sunday was a rough reaction to that particular Cleveland team. Add in the eight runs he allowed on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings, and Galarraga has given up 17 Cleveland runs on 28 hits over 16 2/3 innings this season.

That said, the Twins hit Galarraga for five runs on six hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings in their lone meeting May 12 at the Metrodome.

With Justin Verlander and Jarrod Washburn scheduled to start in the last two games of the series, Friday's series opener has a different look from the pitching category. Yet with rookie Anthony Swarzak starting for Minnesota, it's also a game the Tigers can use to take command of the weekend from the outset.

That starts with a good pitching performance, and that's where Galarraga comes in. He has never beaten the Twins in his brief Major League career, going 0-5 with a 5.63 ERA, but he has been markedly better at home than on the road this season. His 3-4 record and 4.52 ERA at Comerica Park, where he averages nearly six innings per start, look stronger than his 2-6 record and 5.97 ERA everywhere else.

Galarraga can use the ballpark dimensions to his advantage and pitch aggressively compared with last time out. With Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau hitting a combined 10-for-31 off him, with two home runs and 11 RBIs, that could make a difference.

"With Mauer and Morneau, they always find a way," infielder Ramon Santiago said. "They bring new guys in and they embrace them and they find a way."

A win for the Tigers could make a huge difference for the rest of the weekend, not just putting Minnesota further back but keeping ahead of the second-place White Sox. They host Cleveland this weekend.

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (5-10, 5.22 ERA)
The numbers from Galarraga's career-worst start his previous time out are somewhat deceptive, since the Tigers needed him to fill innings for a short bullpen corps Sunday at Cleveland. Nonetheless, he paid for falling behind hitters and pitching tentatively at times, allowing eight runs on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings, erasing the momentum from a well-pitched but winless July.

MIN: RHP Anthony Swarzak (3-4, 4.25 ERA)
Swarzak had become Minnesota's stopper over his past few starts but ran into a tough Angels squad and picked up his fourth loss of the season on Sunday. The rookie was chased in the fourth before recording an out, making it the shortest start of his young career. It was the second straight start for Swarzak against Los Angeles; he was victorious against the Angels on the road. But he didn't have the same command at the Metrodome, as is evident by the nine hits he allowed. He will be facing the Tigers for the first time.

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Tidbits

... Look for rookie catcher Alex Avila to be back behind the plate for Galarraga, as he was for his Major League debut with Rick Porcello on the mound. Leyland said before Thursday's game that he wanted Avila working with those two starters before he caught Verlander or Edwin Jackson.
... Magglio Ordonez is batting .316 (12-for-38) over his past 10 games.
... The Tigers' .760 winning percentage at home since June 6 is the best in the Majors in that span. Detroit is 19-6 over that stretch.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Saturday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 12-5, 3.29 ERA) vs. Twins (Glen Perkins, 6-7, 5.95 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Tigers (Jarrod Washburn, 8-7, 2.93 ERA) vs. Twins (TBD), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 8-5, 2.62 ERA) at Red Sox (Brad Penny, 7-6, 5.20 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Minnesota AVG
Span, LF .284
Cabrera, O, SS .290
Mauer, C .358
Morneau, 1B .304
Kubel, DH .302
Cuddyer, RF .272
Harris, B, 3B .262
Gomez, C, CF .236
Punto, 2B .207

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .257
:placido: Polanco, 2B .264
Thomas, C, LF .270
Cabrera, M, 1B .330
Guillen, C, DH .226
Ordonez, RF .264
Inge, 3B .255
Avila, C .500
Everett, SS .246

Tigers need to sweep this series; Be up 7 and a half on the Twinkies if they do

Stick that dagger right through the Twins playoff chances


Get It Done Tigers

no, you mean GIT 'ER DONE

Inning 1
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Denard Span singles on a soft line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:0 S:2 O:2 - Orlando Cabrera grounds into double
play, shortstop Adam Everett to second baseman Placido Polanco to first
baseman Miguel Cabrera. Denard Span out at 2nd.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Joe Mauer homers (19) on a fly ball to left center field.
MIN 1, DET 0

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Justin Morneau walks.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Jason Kubel walks. Justin Morneau to 2nd.

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

B:3 S:1 O:3 -
Michael Cuddyer pops out to third baseman Brandon Inge.

MIN 1, DET 0 after .5 inning

Bottom Half

B:0 S:2 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a ground ball to second baseman Nick Punto.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Placido Polanco singles on a ground ball to left fielder Denard Span. Curtis Granderson to 3rd.

uh oh.......

B:1 S:0 O:0 - Clete Thomas reaches on a fielder's
choice, fielded by first baseman Justin Morneau. Curtis Granderson
scores. Placido Polanco to 2nd.
MIN 1, DET 1

B:3 S:0 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera homers (22) on a line drive to right field. Placido Polanco scores. Clete Thomas scores.
DET 4, MIN 1

sweeeeeeeet!! On my 14k post too!!

B:3 S:0 O:0 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:2 S:1 O:1 - Carlos Guillen triples (1) on a fly ball
to center fielder Carlos Gomez. Carlos Guillen out at home, pitcher
Anthony Swarzak to catcher Joe Mauer.


B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez called out on strikes.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Brandon Inge singles on a ground ball to center fielder Carlos Gomez.


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Alex Avila homers (1) on a fly ball to right field. Brandon Inge scores.
DET 6, MIN 1

and this is only the first inning?!?!?!?? WOW!!!

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Adam Everett pops out to third baseman Brendan Harris in foul territory.


DET 6, MIN 1 after 1 inning

but I gotta commend Mauer for getting Carlos out at home. Good play.

Alex has his 1st ML homer!!!

they always show a shot of Dad, it seems, along with Alex!

Inning 2
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Brendan Harris flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.


B:4 S:1 O:1 -
Carlos Gomez walks.


B:1 S:1 O:1 -
On-field Delay.


B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Minnesota Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire ejected by HP umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.

Gala stinks tonight!!!

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Nick Punto walks. Carlos Gomez to 2nd.

B:1 S:1 O:1 - Denard Span singles on a ground ball to
left fielder Clete Thomas. Carlos Gomez scores. Denard Span to 2nd.
Nick Punto advances to 3rd, on throwing error by left fielder Clete
Thomas.
DET 6, MIN 2

Wendelstedt didn't mince with Magglio, either....

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera lines out to third baseman Brandon Inge.

Gala at 52 pitches!