GDT: 8/16/09 - DET (62-54) VS KC (45-71) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Armando Galarraga can handle solid food now. His next task will be to hold down the Royals.

After a weeklong battle with a throat infection that kept him out of his scheduled start last Wednesday in Boston, Galarraga will get back on the mound on Sunday for the Tigers' series finale against the Royals. He isn't looking to be the picture of health while he's out there, not while he's trying to get back the energy he lost from two days without being able to swallow food. He'll settle on being the pitcher of record.

"I don't expect to go out there and throw nine innings," Galarraga said on Saturday evening. "But I hope to throw six good innings."

The Tigers would take that. Even with a healthy Galarraga, they would take that right now.

While Galarraga's health hasn't been the primary cause of the mess that Detroit's pitching staff became this week, it was a contributing factor -- along with Edwin Jackson's four-inning start on Monday and Rick Porcello's second-inning ejection on Tuesday. Except for getting medicine and seeing medical personnel, Galarraga was essentially confined to the team hotel those nights while the Tigers tried to determine if what he had was contagious.

Zach Miner received the starting nod on Wednesday less than three hours before game time and ended up throwing 82 pitches on one days' rest. He's back available in the bullpen alongside Eddie Bonine as long arms, but neither has been told to be on standby for Sunday in case Galarraga can't go.

It's all but certain that Galarraga will pitch Sunday. It's more a matter of how long he can hold up, which is anyone's guess. He threw side sessions in the bullpen the past two days to get his arm back up to speed, sessions he didn't have the energy to complete on Tuesday.

Galarraga said the illness came over him as soon as the Tigers arrived in Boston. He checked into his hotel room, started feeling chills and a sore throat, and soon talked with head athletic trainer Kevin Rand.

Galarraga finally started eating normally Friday. Now, he's trying to get his energy level back up.

Even before Galarraga fell ill, however, he was battling to give the Tigers innings. He was knocked out before the end of the sixth inning in his previous two starts, most recently five innings with three earned runs Aug. 7 against the Twins. Before those two outings, however, he posted six consecutive starts of six innings or more.

Galarraga will be pitching to a more familiar face in Gerald Laird. Rookie Alex Avila, whose workload appears to be expanding, caught Galarraga in his previous start and was supposed to catch him on Wednesday. However, Laird is 5-for-12 with one double, one homer and three RBIs off Royals starter Kyle Davies, so manager Jim Leyland took the opportunity to play the matchup.

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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (6-10, 5.23 ERA)
Galarraga has allowed two runs on eight hits over 13 innings in two starts against the Royals this year, taking a win in April and a no-decision in July.

KC: RHP Kyle Davies (4-8, 6.11 ERA)
Davies had an easy last outing, given a 9-1 lead in five innings. But he ran up a lot of pitches, 105, and therefore was taken out after five innings. Sitting for long periods in the dugout while his teammates were flooding home plate kept him from getting loose enough, Davies said -- a little problem he'll work on happily in the future. Command of his pitches, particularly his fastball, continues to be a work in progress. He's faced the Tigers twice this season with poor results -- two losses and 15 runs (12 earned) surrendered in 11 innings.

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Tidbits

... Look for Magglio Ordonez to return to the Tigers' lineup on Sunday; he's 7-for-19 off Davies. Clete Thomas will get the finale off.
... Miguel Cabrera is 7-for-23 with three home runs for his career off Davies.
... Mark Teahen is 2-for-10, with six strikeouts lifetime against Galarraga.
... Brandon Inge didn't seem to know how to take ex-teammate Roman Colon's remark on Friday night that Inge "is a good hitter for a short guy." Inge is listed at 5-foot-11. When asked about the remarks on Saturday, Inge said, "Was he joking? That's kind of funny."
... Curtis Granderson will be signing copies of his new book, "All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It!" on Monday at Borders at 34300 Woodward Ave. in Birmingham, Mich. The signing will begin at 7 p.m. ET.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 10-7, 4.34 ERA) vs. Mariners (Felix Hernandez, 12-4, 2.72 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 13-6, 3.28 ERA) vs. Mariners (Ian Snell, 2-9, 5.84 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

ROYALS

1. David DeJesus, LF
   
2. Willie Bloomquist, SS
   
3. Billy Butler, 1B
   
4. Mike Jacobs, DH
   
5. Alberto Callaspo, 2B
   
6. Alex Gordon, 3B
   
7. John Buck, C
   
8. Mitch Maier, CF
   
9. Josh Anderson, RF
   

P: Kyle Davies

TIGERS

1. :curtis: Granderson, CF
   
2. :placido: Polanco, 2B
   
3. :thames: Thames, LF
   
4. Cabrera, DH
   
5. Guillen, 1B
   
6. Ordonez, RF
   
7. Raburn, 3B
   
8. Laird, C
   
9. Everett, SS
   

P: Armando Galarraga

Too bad I have to go to InfoCision Stadium, really wanna catcht this game.

Go Tigers!!

Gala will just have to get as far as he can.

Inning 1
Top Half

B:4 S:1 O:0 -
David DeJesus walks.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Willie Bloomquist flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Billy Butler doubles (38) on a ground ball to left fielder Marcus Thames. David DeJesus to 3rd.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Mike Jacobs singles on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson. David DeJesus scores. Billy Butler to 3rd.
KC 1, DET 0

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Alberto Callaspo flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Alex Gordon swinging.

KC 1, DET 0 after .5 inning

Bottom Half

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson walks.


B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Placido Polanco singles on a ground ball to left fielder David DeJesus. Curtis Granderson to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Marcus Thames flies out to center fielder Mitch Maier.

B:3 S:2 O:3 - Miguel Cabrera lines into double play,
left fielder David DeJesus to second baseman Alberto Callaspo. Curtis
Granderson doubled off 2nd.

KC 1, DET 0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
John Buck swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Mitch Maier swinging.

B:2 S:3 O:3 -
Josh Anderson called out on .


KC 1, DET 0 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:3 S:3 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen swinging.


B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez homers (7) on a fly ball to left center field.
KC 1, DET 1

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Ryan Raburn grounds out, second baseman Alberto Callaspo to first baseman Billy Butler.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Gerald Laird lines out to center fielder Mitch Maier.

KC 1, DET 1 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
David DeJesus on foul tip.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Willie Bloomquist reaches on throwing error by third baseman Ryan Raburn. Willie Bloomquist to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Billy Butler grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Carlos Guillen.

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Mike Jacobs pops out to shortstop Adam Everett.

KC 1, DET 1 after 2.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Adam Everett doubles (15) on a line drive to center fielder Mitch Maier.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson pops out to second baseman Alberto Callaspo.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, third baseman Alex Gordon to first baseman Billy Butler.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Marcus Thames grounds out, third baseman Alex Gordon to first baseman Billy Butler.


KC 1, DET 1 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Alberto Callaspo grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Carlos Guillen.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Alex Gordon called out on .

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
John Buck pops out to catcher Gerald Laird in foul territory.

KC 1, DET 1 after 3.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:2 S:0 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a ground ball to center fielder Mitch Maier.


B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Carlos Guillen singles on a fly ball to center fielder Mitch Maier. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.