GDT: 8/16/08 - DET (59-63) VS BAL (59-62) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Justin Verlander was on the brink of a .500 record four weeks ago when he beat the Orioles in Baltimore. He enters the rematch Saturday tied for the American League lead in losses.

His fall has been that quick, his four-start slump that damaging.

Some of the damage has come from inherited runners scoring once he was out, while his last loss had a good part to do with the carryover from throwing 130 pitches in his previous outing. Still, three of his last four outings have seen him allow more runs than innings pitched. Two of them have seen him out of the game by the end of the fifth.

The total damage: 24 earned runs on 27 hits over 21 2/3 innings, despite 24 strikeouts. That bumped his ERA from 3.95 on July 20 to 4.77 heading into Saturday, and it stood in stark contrast to his run of outings before that.

When Verlander fell an out shy of a complete-game three-hitter on July 20 at Camden Yards, he settled for his eighth straight start allowing two earned runs or less. His fortunes turned that drastically.

"It's a funny game," Verlander said. "It's funny the way things work out."

Once the Blue Jays had put up seven hits against him through 4 1/3 innings on Monday at Comerica Park against a fastball that averaged around 93 mph rather than his usual mid-90s velocity, manager Jim Leyland decided to pull him relatively early at the 78-pitch mark. He did it with an eye towards this outing, hoping that a little quicker hook could avoid some unnecessary wear and tear and give him a little extra life to regain some earlier form.

Verlander didn't want to use the wear and tear as an excuse.

"I still have to go out and pitch and execute," he said after that game.

The hope is that somehow he can get onto the late-season roll that turned his 2007 season from a late-summer struggle into a strong finish. He went 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA over his final seven starts, averaging about 6 2/3 innings per outing and allowing a .218 batting average.

It probably will be too late to prevent one mark. His next loss would make him the first Tigers pitcher to lose at least 14 in a season in the Jim Leyland era. Nate Robertson went 8-16 in 2005. That, however, is neither Verlander's concern nor Leyland's at this point. Verlander is just trying to work off of what he felt good about in his last start.

"Just continue to work, build upon the positives," he said. "I felt the first inning [Monday] was right where I needed to be, so just take that feeling and go into my next start and hopefully get the job done."



Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (8-13, 4.77 ERA)
Verlander's struggles continued in his last start against the Blue Jays. He got tagged for six runs on seven hits in just 4 1/3 innings to earn his fourth straight loss, and the usually poised right-hander tossed his glove down the dugout tunnel in disgust as he walked off the field. Verlander was one of the best pitchers in the league during June and July, but August has not treated him well. He has surrendered six runs or more in three of his last four starts, and he gave up five in the other one. He looks to get back on track against the Orioles, whom he held to one run on three hits in 8 1/3 innings on July 20.


BAL: RHP Dennis Sarfate (4-2, 5.16 ERA)
This rotation slot is notionally reserved for Sarfate, but the Orioles are believed to be weighing their options for a suitable replacement. Sarfate, an erstwhile reliever, has been knocked out before the end of the fifth inning in all three of his starts. Baltimore would like to push him back to the bullpen, but first it has to find another starter.


Tidbits

Carlos Guillen remains day-to-day with a pinched nerve in his lower back. Leyland said Friday he figures to give Guillen at least one extra day because of the nature of the injury, the same problem that befell Placido Polanco early in the season. ...

Alex Cintron is 6-for-14 for his career against Verlander, but they did not face each other when Verlander pitched at Baltimore last month. ...

Dontrelle Willis pitched six solid innings for Triple-A Toledo on Friday at Richmond, scattering two runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts in the Mud Hens' 7-2 victory. Willis threw 69 of his 103 pitches for strikes in his first outing since being promoted from Class A Lakeland in his effort to rediscover his command in the Minors.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Sun., Aug 17: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, 6-4, 3.41 ERA) vs. Orioles (LHP Garrett Olson, 8-6, 6.06 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET

• Mon., Aug 18: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers, 8-10, 4.95 ERA) at Rangers (RHP Scott Feldman, 4-5, 5.18 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET

• Tues., Aug 19: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga, 11-4, 3.11 ERA) at Rangers (RHP Luis Mendoza, 3-6, 8.13 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Baltimore
Roberts, 2B
Markakis, RF
Mora, 3B
Huff, DH
Millar, 1B
Scott, LF
Payton, CF
Quiroz, C
Castro, J, SS


Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Ordonez, RF
Cabrera, 1B
Sheffield, DH
Guillen, 3B
Joyce, LF
Renteria, SS
Inge, C

GO GUYS GO

okay, 1-0 WE'RE AHEAD...top of 3rd.
Miggy singled, ran to 2nd on a wild pitch, then Gary singled and RBI'd him, then Rent struck out.

Tigers are now behind 2-1 on a throwing error.

bottom of 3rd

Inge out

:curtis: walks

Grandy goes to 2nd on a wild pitch

:placido: lines out

1-2-3 inning for Justin

gets a 440 foot homer to tie the game 2-2!

Sheff out

homers

3-2

Joyce pops out

Rent

Quiroz, C
Castro, J, SS both ground out

Roberts walks

Markakis -

grounds out

:curtis: singles

There is a good program on fox news where Rick Warren is interviewing Obama and then McCain!

:placido: singles

walks to load the bases

(Maggs need a hit to extent his 14 game hitting streak)

lines out (almost through the gap)

:sheff: walks - rbi - run scores

4-2

bases still loaded

Bierd coming in to pitch

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

There is a good program on fox news where Rick Warren is interviewing Obama and then McCain!

I'd seen the promos on it. Any good?

deep fly out

end of 5

4-2

Hey guys. Hows it goin?

laprimamirala wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

There is a good program on fox news where Rick Warren is interviewing Obama and then McCain!

I'd seen the promos on it. Any good?

very good to get the true views of both men!

I have a lot of respect for Pastor Warren. He is bringing up lots of tough questions.