GDT: 9/12/10 - DET (71-72) VS BAL (55-87) - 1:05 p.m. ET

Verlander must go through hot O's for No. 16

By Tim Britton / MLB.com

On Saturday with Max Scherzer, the Tigers started a pitcher who may soon become an ace. On Sunday, they'll start someone who already is.

Justin Verlander will take the hill looking to win the series finale for Detroit and record his 16th victory of the season in the process.

Verlander, who has twice pieced together four-game winning streaks this season, is looking to build one more streak before the end of the season. The right-hander is coming off another gem last Tuesday vs. the White Sox, whom he limited to a run on five hits in seven innings.

The usual fireballer credited a rejuvenated curveball for the victory against Chicago.

"I've always talked about the breaking ball as my second-best pitch," Verlander said after the start. "But it hasn't quite been there all year. I felt like tonight it was definitely the best it's been."

Verlander, though, will learn the same lesson Scherzer did on Saturday: These aren't the same old Orioles. Baltimore knocked Scherzer around in the middle innings, spearheaded by Adam Jones.

Jones, who just returned from a left shoulder injury earlier in the week, collected four hits to extend his modest hitting streak to a half-dozen games. He has six RBIs in that stretch with four runs scored to spark an Orioles offense that has scored four or more runs in seven consecutive games.

It was the fourth four-hit game of Jones' career -- and the first since July 22, 2009, at Yankee Stadium.

Orioles: Tillman looks to build on last game
Chris Tillman has the unenviable task of opposing Verlander, while also looking to build off a strong outing his last time out against Tampa Bay. Tillman allowed three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in a game the Orioles eventually won, 8-7.

Tillman has developed a nasty habit this season of following his good starts with bad ones. That was most evident two starts ago, when the right-hander gave up eight runs in just 2 2/3 innings against the Rays.

Tigers: Rotation's quality starts string snapped
Scherzer's outing on Saturday night was just the second time in the Tigers' last 14 home games that they didn't get a quality start from their starting pitcher. Scherzer took the loss, going six innings and allowing four runs -- all in the sixth.

Detroit starters are still 9-2 with a 2.12 ERA at Comerica Park since Aug. 10.

Worth noting
The Orioles clinched a winning road trip on Saturday night. Baltimore has posted a winning record in back-to-back road trips now after not being over .500 on any of their first nine road trips this season.

... The O's will look for their third road sweep of the season on Sunday. They took four from Texas right before the All-Star break and three in Anaheim to close their last road trip of August.

... Brandon Inge is one double shy of becoming the 26th player in Detroit history with 200 career two-baggers.



Pitching matchup

TIGERS: RHP Justin Verlander (15-8, 3.53 ERA)
Verlander joined Tim Hudson as the only active pitchers to win at least 15 games in four of their first five seasons. Sunday could make Verlander the only one to do it with 16 wins. Consider his 4-0 career record against the O's; he has a good shot.

ORIOLES: RHP Chris Tillman (1-4, 7.42 ERA)
In his first start back in the rotation, Tillman fared well. The 22-year-old right-hander held the Rays to three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, giving Baltimore a chance to secure the win.




INJURY UPDATE:
• RHP Zach Miner (Partial tear in right elbow, 60-day DL on March 26, Had successful Tommy John surgery May 28, Out for Season),
• LHP Bobby Seay (Torn rotator cuff, 60-day DL on March 26, surgery on September 15, Out for Season),
• OF Magglio Ordonez (right ankle fracture, 15-day DL on July 25, Had surgery surgery Aug. 25, Out for Season),
• INF Danny Worth (bruised left heel, 15-day DL on August 4, Out for Season),
• RHP Joel Zumaya (non-displaced fracture of the olecranon, 60-day DL on June 29, Underwent elbow surgery July 12, Out for Season).
• Carlos Guillen (Bruised left knee, 15-day DL on August 23, Out for Season)


Out for Season



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Up next (Probable Pitchers)


• Monday, September 13,
OFF DAY


• Tuesday, September 14,
TIGERS (RHP Jeremy Bonderman (8-9, 5.03 ERA)) AT RANGERS (LHP Derek Holland (3-3, 4.31 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)


• Wednesday, September 15,
TIGERS (RHP Rick Porcello (9-11, 5.10 ERA)) AT RANGERS (RHP Colby Lewis (10-12, 3.86 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)