GDT: 8/11/09 - DET (59-52) AT BOS (63-48) - 7:10 p.m. ET

BOSTON -- This wasn't exactly the way the Tigers would have liked to see Junichi Tazawa's first Major League start.

Detroit was one of the handful of teams interested in the Japanese youngster as he burned through hitters in Japan's industrial leagues. Though the Tigers haven't been active in recent years in signing Japanese players, they liked Tazawa a lot, and they wouldn't have had to pay a posting fee to sign him like Major League clubs pay for players who reach pro level in Japan. But the Red Sox won him over with a three-year Major League contract and a chance to pitch for the same franchise where Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima have starred.

Signing Tazawa would have given the Tigers some valuable young pitching depth in a system that hasn't have an abundance of it past Rick Porcello. Instead, they'll get to see whether Tazawa is ready for the big leagues by stepping to the plate against him. In return, however, the Red Sox will have to deal with Porcello, Detroit's own bright young pitching star.

Though Tazawa spent most of the season pitching in the Eastern League, the Tigers' Double-A Erie players never saw him because of the order of Portland's rotation. None of the current Tigers, including former SeaWolves catcher Alex Avila, have seen this 23-year-old right-hander aside from his televised extra-inning relief appearance Friday against the Yankees in defeat.

Still, the Tigers front office and scouting department obviously know him.

"I'm not surprised by his success," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said.

Tazawa went 9-5 with a 2.57 ERA at Portland, allowing 80 hits over 98 innings with 26 walks and 88 strikeouts. He was called up last month for two starts at Triple-A Pawtucket, both of them losses, before being promoted to Boston last week, when Boston designated veteran John Smoltz for assignment.

There's no hubbub about a gyroball like what followed Daisuke Matsuzaka. But there's the belief in a good, solid pitcher with talent.

It'll be a good matchup for Porcello, and it becomes a potentially huge matchup after the Red Sox took Monday's series opener and chased Edwin Jackson after four innings for the second time in three outings.

After strong fears that Porcello was running out of gas a few weeks ago, his past two starts have shown signs of a second wind. His first career outing at Fenway will be another addition to his career highlights, almost as big as Tazawa's first start in any big league park will be for him.

A win at Fenway against a lineup that knocked him out in the fifth inning in June would be even bigger for Porcello.

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Rick Porcello (10-7, 4.30 ERA)
A better tempo, renewed sinker and improved command of secondary pitches has Porcello heating up just in time for the stretch run, something the Tigers couldn't have planned better if they tried. His two runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings his previous outing, on Thursday against Baltimore, didn't show how effective he was early, when he no-hit the Orioles through the first four innings. Porcello will need his sinker working to keep his game from getting away from him at Fenway Park, where he has never pitched. Porcello gave up three runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings against the Red Sox June 2 at Comerica Park.

BOS: RHP Junichi Tazawa (0-1, 10.80 ERA)
The right-hander will have the comfort of being able to prepare a little more for his second Major League appearance then his debut on Friday at Yankee Stadium. In that one, Tazawa -- on the same day he was promoted to the Majors -- was called on in the 14th inning to pitch at Yankee Stadium. After escaping a jam in his first inning, he gave up a walk-off two-run homer to Alex Rodriguez in the 15th. Tazawa will now move to his more natural role of starter, replacing Smoltz in the rotation. In 20 Minor League starts this season, Tazawa went 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA. This will be his Fenway Park debut. The 23-year-old Tazawa never pitched pro baseball before this season. He put up dazzling numbers in the industrial leagues in Japan.

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Tidbits

... The Tigers have lost their past five games against Red Sox dating back to May 8, 2008.
... Avila will be back in the Tigers' lineup the next couple nights to catch Porcello and Armando Galarraga. It will be Avila's first game action since Friday.
... Magglio Ordonez is batting .347 (109-for-314) in 84 career games against the Red Sox, the second-best average among active hitters. That includes a .384 average at Fenway Park. Ordonez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple Monday.
... Typhoon Morakot left death and destruction in its path across Taiwan, but Fu-Te Ni said his friends and family have thankfully survived the storm with their health and their homes intact.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Wednesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 6-10, 5.23 ERA) at Red Sox (Josh Beckett, 13-4, 3.12 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 12-6, 3.45 ERA) at Red Sox (Clay Buchholz, 1-2, 5.33 ERA), 1:35 p.m. ET
• Friday: Tigers (Jarrod Washburn, 8-7, 3.12 ERA) vs. Royals (Zack Greinke, 11-7, 2.43 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:


Detroit
:curtis: CF Curtis Granderson
:placido: 2B Placido Polanco
LF Clete Thomas
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Carlos Guillen
RF Magglio Ordoñez
C Alex Avila
3B Brandon Inge
SS Ramon Santiago

P Rick Porcello (10-7, 4.30 ERA)

Boston
Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Martinez, V, 1B
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, D, DH
Bay, LF
Drew, J, RF
Varitek, C
Green, N, SS

Fortunately, White Sox suck on the road about as bad as Tigs.

Current Conditions

Fenway Park

Fog 68 F

Humidity: 90 %

Wind: from the E at 13 mph

Barometer: 29.80 in

last updated: 8/11/09 5:45 PM EDT

Whoo Avila!

I took 's phone number off my cell phone today....

laprimamirala wrote:

I took 's phone number off my cell phone today....

that is sad....

Lap.

It's always gonna be sad

Inning 1
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson pops out to shortstop Nick Green.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Placido Polanco singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Clete Thomas singles on a line drive to left fielder Jason Bay. Placido Polanco to 2nd.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera hit by pitch. Placido Polanco to 3rd. Clete Thomas to 2nd.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Injury Delay.

B:0 S:0 O:1 - Carlos Guillen reaches on force attempt,
throwing error by shortstop Nick Green. Placido Polanco scores. Clete
Thomas to 3rd. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.
DET 1, BOS 0

B:1 S:2 O:2 - Magglio Ordonez grounds into a force
out, shortstop Nick Green to second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Clete
Thomas scores. Miguel Cabrera to 3rd. Carlos Guillen out at 2nd.
Magglio Ordonez to 1st.
DET 2, BOS 0

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Alex Avila walks. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd. (bases loaded)


B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:1 S:2 O:2 - Brandon Inge singles on a line drive to
left fielder Jason Bay. Miguel Cabrera scores. Magglio Ordonez to 3rd.
Alex Avila to 2nd.
DET 3, BOS 0

Is Avila gonna be the proverbial fire under the Tigers' rumps?

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Ramon Santiago grounds out, second baseman Dustin Pedroia to first baseman Victor Martinez.

DET 3, BOS 0 after .5 inning

laprimamirala wrote:

Is Avila gonna be the proverbial fire under the Tigers' rumps?

looks like it

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

I took 's phone number off my cell phone today....

that is sad....

But right away I thought of that silly game we played on here when the board first started....how many words had "Nate" in them....
I think we had about 100 words between us before we finally called it a draw....
miss you Saint!

Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Jacoby Ellsbury singles on a line drive to left fielder Clete Thomas.

B:1 S:0 O:2 - Dustin Pedroia grounds into double play,
shortstop Ramon Santiago to second baseman Placido Polanco to first
baseman Miguel Cabrera. Jacoby Ellsbury out at 2nd.

Yay hits!

Let's hope Avila and Rick P. can get it done. I know they worked together in Erie.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Victor Martinez strikes out swinging.

DET 3, BOS 0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out, second baseman Dustin Pedroia to first baseman Victor Martinez.

B:3 S:1 O:2 -
Placido Polanco flies out to center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

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

what happened to Miggy?

hurt bad enough to have Rayburn step in!

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Injury Delay. (hand bothering Miggy)


B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Ryan Raburn replaces Miguel Cabrera.


B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera (actually Ryan) strikes out swinging.

DET 3, BOS 0 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Ryan Raburn remains in the game as the first baseman.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Kevin Youkilis hit by pitch.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
On-field Delay.

Yoouk charges Rick, and a bench clearing fight starts. Youk was thrown to the ground by Rick!!! Porcello is furious!

Rick and Youk are out of the game.