GDT: 9/22/08 - DET (71-82) VS KC (70-86) - 7:05 p.m. ET

CLEVELAND -- The Tigers have spent almost the entire season trying to play catch-up in the American League Central. As they begin the season's final week Monday, they have to spend at least a little time looking over their shoulder.

The Royals opened the Tigers' season at Comerica Park five months ago with a three-game series sweep, sending Detroit on its season-opening slide. It seems like coming full circle, then, that the season-ending homestand brings the Royals back into town with at least a mathematical chance to overtake the Tigers for fourth place in the division. It would be a big deal for Kansas City, which has finished in the division cellar every season since 2004.

With a two-game edge for the Tigers and seven games remaining, it's unlikely. But then, it was a much bigger gap a week ago.

Detroit returns home having lost nine of its last 10 games, including a series sweep over the weekend at Cleveland. The struggles have clinched the Tigers' first sub-.500 season since 2005. However, the Royals have served as the opponent for the Tigers to get out of their struggles at two other points this season. Detroit swept Kansas City in late July at Kauffman Stadium after dropping two out of four afterthe All-Star break in Baltimore. The Tigers bounced back from a series sweep to the Indians in late August by taking two of three from the Royals at Comerica Park.

Detroit would no doubt like to repeat that this time around. To do so, however, the Tigers will have to get through two of the Royals' toughest starters. Gil Meche has had three effective matchups with the Tigers this year, including a win in April at Detroit, where he's 4-1 for his career. Zack Greinke is 7-4 lifetime against the Tigers, including 5-2 at Comerica Park.

Monday's series opener, however, will be Zach Miner's attempt to pick up his fourth win over the Royals in less than half a season in the Tigers' rotation. The Royals account for nearly half of Miner's eight victories, and two of his most effective outings as a starter. It could also be Miner's final outing of the year as he tries to go into next spring with a case to remain in the rotation.


Pitching matchup


DET: RHP Zach Miner (8-4, 4.16 ERA)
In 7 1/3 innings his last time out, Miner allowed only two runs on five hits and a walk. All five hits were mere singles, and he left his bullpen a two-run cushion to give him his ninth victory of the season. It didn't work out. He's now gone three starts since earning his last victory, but his two runs allowed his last time out were a fast improvement to the 13 runs he'd allowed his previous 10 1/3 innings. He'll look to continue on the right track against the Royals. His last two victories came against Kansas City, and he's 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA against the Royals over four appearances.

KC: RHP Gil Meche (12-11, 4.08 ERA)
For the second straight start, Meche's command was off, but this time he survived nicely. He went seven innings to gain a 5-2 win over the Mariners. He gave up six hits and three walks. Meche also notched seven strikeouts and, in his last 10 starts, he has 74 whiffs. His 172 strikeouts is a career high. Meche has faced the Tigers three times this season with a win and two no-decisions. Comerica Park is one of his favorite stops -- he's 4-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 11 starts there.

Tidbits

Miguel Cabrera has two home runs off of Meche this season, his only hits off of him in eight at-bats this year. Magglio Ordonez is 4-for-9 with two doubles off Meche in 2008. ... Reliever Kyle Farnsworth is day-to-day with a back injury. ... Mark Teahen is 3-for-6 off of Miner this season, with a home run and two RBIs.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD


On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Tuesday: Royals (RHP Zack Greinke, 12-10, 3.59) at Tigers (RHP Freddy Garcia, 1-0, 0.00), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Wednesday: Royals (RHP Brian Bannister, 8-16, 5.96) at Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson, 7-10, 6.15), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Thursday: Rays (LHP Scott Kazmir, 12-7, 3.36) at Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga, 12-6, 3.58), 1:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Kansas City AVG
DeJesus, CF .302
Aviles, M, SS .318
Guillen, RF .267
Shealy, 1B .302
Teahen, LF .256
Gordon, 3B .257
Ka'aihue, DH .333
Buck, C .222
Callaspo, 2B .313

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .290
:placido: Polanco, 2B .309
Ordonez, DH .323
Cabrera, 1B .295
:joyce: Joyce, RF .265
:edgar: Renteria, SS .273
:ryan: Raburn, LF .239
Inge, 3B .210
:dusty: Ryan, C .333

71 degrees;

Partly Cloudy at Game Time


NE Wind at 6mph

what happened with the Sheff thing?

Detroit Bottom 3rd
- Brandon Inge advances to third on Gil Meche`s throwing error. Runner on third with one out and Dusty Ryan at the plate.
- Brandon Inge singled to center. Runner on first with one out and Dusty Ryan due up.
- Jeff Larish replaces Miguel Cabrera at first base, who had to leave the game with an injured back.
- Ryan Raburn popped out to second. None on with one out and Brandon Inge due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Kansas City Top 3rd
-
- Mark Teahen grounded into a fielder`s choice, short to second, to end the inning.
- Ryan Shealy walked. Runners on first and second with two outs and Mark Teahen due up.
- Jose Guillen walked. Runner on first with two outs and Ryan Shealy due up.
- Mike Aviles grounded into a double play, pitcher to second to first. None on with two outs and Jose Guillen due up.
- David DeJesus walked. Runner on first with none out and Mike Aviles due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Detroit Bottom 2nd
-
- Edgar Renteria grounded out short to first to end the inning.
- Matt Joyce flied out to left. None on with two outs and Edgar Renteria due up.
- Miguel Cabrera grounded out third to first. None on with one out and Matt Joyce due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Kansas City Top 2nd
-
- Alberto Callaspo flied out to left to end the inning.
- John Buck grounded out third to first. None on with two outs and Alberto Callaspo due up.
- Kila Ka`aihue grounded out first to the pitcher. None on with one out and John Buck due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Detroit Bottom 1st
-
- Magglio Ordonez grounded into a double play, short to second to first, to end the inning.
- Placido Polanco popped out to short. Runner on first with one out and Magglio Ordonez due up.
- Curtis Granderson walked. Runner on first with none out and Placido Polanco due up.
- Pitchers confirmed.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Kansas City Top 1st
-
- Alex Gordon struck out swinging to end the inning.
- Mark Teahen flied out to center. Runners on first and second with two outs and Alex Gordon due up.
-
Ryan Shealy grounded into a fielder`s choice, first to the catcher.
Runners on first and second with one out and Mark Teahen due up.
- Jose Guillen singled to center. Runners on first and third with none out and Ryan Shealy due up.
- Mike Aviles singled to short scoring David DeJesus. Runner on first with none out and Jose Guillen due up.
- David DeJesus tripled to right. Runner on third with none out and Mike Aviles due up.
- UMPIRES: Home,Paul Nauert; First, Jerry Crawford; Second, Tom Hallion; Third, Brian O'Nora;

:curtis: grounds out

end of 3

KC 1-0

Detroit Bottom 5th
-
- Ryan Raburn struck out swinging to end the inning.
- Edgar Renteria lined out to second. None on with two outs and Ryan Raburn due up.
- Matt Joyce struck out swinging. None on with one out and Edgar Renteria due up.

Kansas City 3, Detroit 0


Kansas City Top 5th
-
- Mark Teahen lined out to right to end the inning.
-
Ryan Shealy grounded into a double play, short to second to first
scoring David DeJesus. Runner on third with two outs and Mark Teahen
due up.
- Jose Guillen was hit-by-pitch. Bases loaded with none out and Ryan Shealy due up.
- Mike Aviles singled to center scoring Alberto Callaspo. Runners on first and third with none out and Jose Guillen due up.
- David DeJesus singled to right. Runners on first and second with none out and Mike Aviles due up.
- Alberto Callaspo singled to left. Runner on first with none out and David DeJesus due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Detroit Bottom 4th
-
- Jeff Larish flied out to left to end the inning.
- Magglio Ordonez struck out looking. None on with two outs and Jeff Larish due up.
- Placido Polanco grounded out third to first. None on with one out and Magglio Ordonez due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0


Kansas City Top 4th
-
- John Buck grounded out short to first to end the inning.
- Kila Ka`aihue lined out to second. None on with two outs and John Buck due up.
- Alex Gordon flied out to center. None on with one out and Kila Ka`aihue due up.

Kansas City 1, Detroit 0

Gordon -

Ka'aihue - popped out

Buck - flies out

flies out

:dusty: singles

:curtis: walks

:placido: singles

bases loaded - 1 out

rbi sac fly

KC 3-1

singles - Granderson scores

KC 3-2

:joyce:

Callaspo - walks

:rapada: pitching

DeJesus - doubles

:glover: pitching

Aviles -

J Guillen - intent walk to load the bases

Shealy - walks in a run

KC 4-2

comes in to pitch

the more I see him, the more I hate Leyland!

But I like Seay. :/

Teahen - dp ends the threat

KC 4-2 after 6.5 innings

gdennis59 wrote:

But I like Seay. :/

Seay got the batter to hit into a double play!

Ramirez comes in to pitch

:edgar:

:edgar: flies out