GDT: 8/9/09 - DET (58-51) VS MIN (54-56) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Jarrod Washburn can't get a second chance at a first impression after his Tigers debut ended in defeat last Tuesday. But he can get his first shot in a while at pitching in a playoff race on national television Sunday, when the Tigers try to take their series finale against the Twins on Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park.

It's a chance for Washburn to give his new team a boost in the AL Central, and a shot for the Tigers to break out of their recent national TV skid.

Chip Caray and Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley will have the call on TBS. FSN Detroit will provide their broadcast locally to Michigan and Northwest Ohio.

Together, the national audience will get a chance to see how much of a difference Washburn can make in this particular situation. It's the reason the Tigers acquired the veteran southpaw from Seattle in exchange for young lefties Luke French and Mauricio Robles at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

"We think we got a real professional pitcher," manager Jim Leyland said Saturday. "I think we were very fortunate to come up with somebody like him at the Deadline. It doesn't happen very often. I don't think it was left-right, right-left or anything."

In other words, Leyland suggested the lefty-right matchups didn't play into the deal. Still, with lefty sluggers Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau looming for one day, it sure doesn't hurt.

Mauer and Morneau have combined to go 6-for-34 with one extra-base hit in their careers off Washburn, including 1-for-8 this year. Yet Morneau is actually hitting .321 (52-for-162) off left-handed pitching this year with nine homers and 40 RBIs for a .939 OPS.

Denard Span, who put up nine hits over the first two games of this series, is just 1-for-10 with four strikeouts lifetime against Washburn. That lone hit, however, was a bases-clearing triple last August at Safeco Field.

The big advantage Leyland sees with Washburn is experience, not just pitching in general but pitching against American League hitters.

"I think there's something to that," Leyland said. "He's been in this league. He knows the hitters."

It didn't necessarily help him against Baltimore's young lineup, but he chalked up his struggles Tuesday to pitch execution. Some extra adrenaline from making his first start in a week also likely didn't help. Now pitching on standard four days' rest, he'll need his location Sunday after the Twins made Justin Verlander pay for putting a few key pitches out of his spots Saturday night.

A long, effective outing would also be huge from a bullpen standpoint. The Tigers have had to rely on their relievers heavily the last couple nights, and could use a day to get the late-inning order in sync going into Boston for next week's key four-game series at Fenway Park, where Red Sox hitters always seem to get a lot of pitches out of the Tigers.

A win Sunday would ensure that the Tigers maintain at least a two-game lead over the second-place White Sox in the AL Central. The Twins currently sit 4 1/2 games back.

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Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Jarrod Washburn (8-7, 2.93 ERA)
Washburn's Tigers debut was a bit of a letdown Tuesday against the Orioles, who put up two homers and six runs over his 5 1/3 innings. His next three starts will be at Comerica Park, including Sunday's indoctrination into this year's AL Central race. He allowed a lone run over 14 innings in two previous matchups with the Twins this season.

MIN: RHP Scott Baker (9-7, 4.59 ERA)
Baker continued his strong start to the second half when he pitched seven shutout innings against the Indians in his last start. The right-hander held the Tribe to just three hits and issued just one walk while throwing 109 pitches. The only problem that has remained for Baker is that opponents are fouling off too many pitches, keeping him from going deeper into outings. In four starts since the All-Star break, Baker is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA. He is 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA in 13 career starts against Detroit.

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Tidbits

... Magglio Ordonez is 13-for-31 lifetime off Baker with four home runs and six RBIs. Curtis Granderson is 9-for-37 off Baker, but four of those hits are homers.
... Tigers left-hander Nate Robertson gave up five runs, two earned runs, on four hits over 1 2/3 innings Saturday night in the second start of his Minor League rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo. A leadoff fielding error set up Gwinnett's four-run second inning.
... Eckersley drew a crowd of players when he visited the clubhouse before the game. Tigers closer Fernando Rodney, who does an impression of Eckersley's pitching motion, asked for an autograph, something he has done previously with just Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens during his career.
... Carlos Guillen saw Mauricio Robles during his rehab stint last month at Class A Lakeland, and believes the 20-year-old left-hander has a chance to be a very good pitcher with the Mariners, who acquired him in the Washburn trade.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Monday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 8-5, 2.62 ERA) at Red Sox (Brad Penny, 7-6, 5.20 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 10-7, 4.30 ERA) at Red Sox (TBD), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 6-10, 5.23 ERA) at Red Sox (Josh Beckett, 13-4, 3.12 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Minnesota AVG
Span, CF .300
Cabrera, O, SS .288
Mauer, DH .366
Morneau, 1B .303
Cuddyer, RF .270
Young, D, LF .263
Redmond, M, C .245
Punto, 3B .206
Casilla, A, 2B .167


Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .261
Polanco, 2B .272
Thames, LF .256
Cabrera, M, 1B .329
Guillen, C, DH .229
Ordonez, RF .264
Inge, 3B .254
Laird, C .228
Santiago, SS .250

Tigersaint,wake up our team!

Inning 1
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Denard Span flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Joe Mauer singles on a ground ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Justin Morneau called out on .

0-0 AFTER .5 INNINGS

Bottom Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 - Curtis Granderson singles on a line
drive to right fielder Michael Cuddyer. Curtis Granderson advances to
2nd, on fielding error by right fielder Michael Cuddyer.

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Placido Polanco lines out to center fielder Denard Span ON A DIVING CATCH.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Marcus Thames swinging.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
With Miguel Cabrera batting, Curtis Granderson steals (20) 3rd base.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera flies out to left fielder Delmon Young.

0-0 AFTER 1 INNING

Inning 2
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Michael Cuddyer hits a ground-rule double (24) on a line drive to left-center field.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Delmon Young grounds out, shortstop Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Mike Redmond singles on a ground ball to
right fielder Magglio Ordonez. Michael Cuddyer scores. Mike Redmond out
at 2nd, right fielder Magglio Ordonez to catcher Gerald Laird to second
baseman Placido Polanco.
MIN 1, DET 0

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Nick Punto bunt grounds out, pitcher Jarrod Washburn to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

MIN 1, DET 0 AFTER 1.5 INNINGS

Bottom Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Carlos Guillen hit by pitch.

o crud! not again!

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez pops out to shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Brandon Inge pops out to first baseman Justin Morneau.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Gerald Laird swinging.

MIN 1, DET 0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

Inning 3
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Alexi Casilla singles on a sharp ground ball to shortstop Ramon Santiago, deflected by pitcher Jarrod Washburn.


B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Denard Span out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Alexi Casilla to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera lines out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:4 S:0 O:2 -
Joe Mauer walks.

we CAN'T lose to these twinkies again!

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Justin Morneau pops out to third baseman Brandon Inge in foul territory.

MIN 1, DET 0 AFTER 2.5 INNINGS

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago flies out to left fielder Delmon Young.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to right fielder Michael Cuddyer.

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Placido Polanco grounds out sharply, second baseman Alexi Casilla to first baseman Justin Morneau.

MIN 1, DET 0 AFTER 3 INNINGS

Inning 4
Top Half

B:2 S:1 O:0 -
Michael Cuddyer homers (18) on a line drive to center field.

MIN 2, DET 0