GDT: 6/12/08 - DET (28-37) VS CWS (37-28) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Not since 2003 have the Tigers swept the White Sox in a three-game series. With a left-hander on the mound for Chicago, the Tigers' chances seemingly couldn't be better. But Mark Buehrle isn't a typical kind of lefty.

The Tigers have built their success against lefties over the last few years by stacking right-handed hitters. When Buehrle's on, that doesn't help. His 13-8 career record against the Tigers reflects that, including a 5-3 record since 2005 and seven quality innings against them in April.

"We're going to see another very good pitcher [Wednesday], a different style of pitcher," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He throws cutters in, jams a lot of right-handers, pitches off the plate away, jams a lot of guys with cutters. He's a professional. We'll have our work cut out for us, but we'll have a good one going, too."

When Buehrle posted a 3.63 ERA last season, he held right-handed hitters to a .258 batting average and .695 OPS, compared to .314 and .861 versus left-handed batters. He was also more effective against righties than lefties in 2004 and '05. So far this season, though, righties are hitting him to a .309 average compared with .250 from lefties, and six of the seven home runs he's allowed have come from the right side.

Thus, expect the Tigers to stack their right-handed hitters as usual. That doesn't make it any easier. But then, to pull off a sweep against the American League Central leaders isn't supposed to be easy.

They've emphasized the last couple of days that they need wins against everybody at this point, regardless of who it is. The fact that they've been against the White Sox the last two nights, however, has the extra benefit of whittling the deficit in the AL Central. The Tigers are still nine games back, but it's the first time the deficit has been in single digits since the start of the homestand last Friday.

Not since the Tigers swept the Yankees at the end of April have they made up ground in the division on back-to-back days. Considering the White Sox had won seven straight games heading into town on Tuesday, the Tigers had no opportunity to make up ground over the past week.

To Leyland, though, it's not just the last two games that have seen the Tigers putting their game together. He counts the middle two games against the Indians over the weekend in that group, with Monday's loss behind a wild Dontrelle Willis an interruption.

"We've just got to continue to put it together," Leyland said. "I think everybody's feeling a little bit better about themselves. I think things are meshing a little bit better. Some fortunate things have happened for the first time. [Brent] Clevlen played [on Tuesday] night, got a couple hits, made a great throw. Marcus [Thames] played [on Wednesday] night, hit a three-run homer."

Both of them will likely be in the lineup on Thursday. The only certain change Leyland had, though, was that Magglio Ordonez will be in at designated hitter rather than right field, getting him off the field for a day, and Ivan Rodriguez will be back behind the plate in the alternating starts at catcher.

A win would cut the division deficit to eight games, but there's a difficult pitcher standing in their way.

2008 Interleague Schedule
• May 16-18: at Diamondbacks
• June 13-15: vs. Dodgers
• June 16-18: at Giants
• June 20-22: at Padres
• June 24-26: vs. Cardinals
• June 27-29: vs. Rockies


Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Kenny Rogers (4-4, 5.13 ERA)
Rogers put together his third straight quality start his last time out. He went seven innings for the third consecutive start, giving up three runs, one earned, on five hits. He wiggled out of two-on jams throughout the afternoon, but the former Gold Glove winner's throwing error in the sixth inning helped the third run home. Rogers has given up just three earned runs in his last three starts. He faced Chicago in April and had one of his worst outings of the season, surrendering seven runs in four innings in the Tigers' 11-0 loss at U.S. Cellular Field. This start, however, comes at Comerica Park, where Rogers is 2-1 in five starts this season.

CWS: LHP Mark Buehrle (3-6, 4.80 ERA)
Buehrle had one of his best outings of the season Saturday against the Twins. He went eight innings, which matched a season high, and allowed just one run. He issued only one walk and struck out four. It was his first win since May 17, when he beat the Giants in San Francisco. Detroit was the second team Buehrle faced this season and he picked up his first win against them, allowing two runs -- one earned -- in seven innings. It's been an up-and-down season for Buehrle, but he's also been a victim of bad luck; his offense only averaged 3.72 runs of support for him before last Saturday's 11-run offensive explosion.


Tidbits

The Tigers are expected to formally announce that Eddie Bonine will be called up from Triple-A Toledo to start for them on Saturday. Bonine is scheduled to start for Toledo on Thursday, so if he's scratched, that should be the revealing sign. ... Carlos Guillen is hitting .331 (115-for-347) with 17 doubles, nine triples, nine homers and 54 RBIs in 98 career games against the White Sox. He had an RBI triple and a walk on Wednesday.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next
• Fri., June 13: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga, 5-2, 3.70 ERA) vs. Dodgers (RHP Derek Lowe, 4-5, 4.15 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Sat., June 14: Tigers (RHP Eddie Bonine, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Dodgers (RHP Brad Penny, 5-8, 5.38 ERA), 3:55 p.m. ET

• Sun., June 15: Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson (4-6, 5.88 ERA)) vs. Dodgers ( LHP Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 4.50 ERA)), 1:05 PM ET

Todays Lineups

Chi White Sox AVG
Cabrera, SS .262
Anderson, B, CF .266
Quentin, LF .276
Konerko, DH .217
Dye, RF .290
Crede, 3B .282
Swisher, 1B .226
Ramirez, 2B .293
Hall, C .320


Detroit AVG
:edgar: Renteria, SS .267
:placido: Polanco, 2B .300
Guillen, 3B .300
Ordonez, DH .313
Cabrera, 1B .278
:thames: Thames, LF .245
:pudge: Rodriguez, C .250
:clevlen: Clevlen, CF .231
:ryan: Raburn, RF .182

I am going to press brobs button ! Now get the sweep, boys!!!!

Go :rogers: beat them stinkin Sox!

A will clean them out of town!

83 degrees at Game Time;


SE Winds 10-15 mph


Humid


Tigers will win again! Here comes the Sweep

Quote :

DETROIT -- The Tigers have decided on a starting pitcher for Saturday.
Triple-A Toledo standout right-hander Eddie Bonine will start the
second game of a three-game series with the Dodgers on a FOX regional
television broadcast.

it's a day game today!

Michael Hollimon has been on the roster for almost a week and has only played in what, one game?? When are they going to play him?

Man, look at all of those empty seats!

anybody hear why Magglio isn't in the lineup?

Maggs is DH today

*whew*

thanks! I just saw the outfield names & momentarily freaked

Cabrera pops oout

Anderson - grounds out

Quentin - flies out

:edgar: grounds out

:placido: singles

grounds into dp

Dang it.

Konerko doubles

Dye - sac fly - run scores

WS 1-0

Crede - singles

Oh yeah, in case you're wondering, the "stat of the day" was going to be Polanco's batting average over the last week or so (something close to .600) but since I thought it was a night game and I'm too lazy to look it up right now, no "stat of the day today."

Swisher - Kenny bobbled ball - got runner out at 2nd - Swisher just beats out the throw at 1st

watch it guys!

Ramirez - pops out

WS 1-0

flies out on great diving play by Dye

k

:thames: k

End of 2

WS 1-0

Hall - lines out

O Cabrera - walk

Anderson, B - flies out

Quentin - flies out to lf

:pudge: :clevlen: :ryan: