GDT: 10/2/10 - DET (80-80) AT BAL (65-95) - 7:05 PM ET

O's, Tigers have skippers' streaks to play for

By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com

The Orioles are looking forward to new beginnings, treating the end of the season as a prelude to something else. And with good reason. Baltimore has been a completely different team under manager Buck Showalter, and after playing games against the Tigers on Saturday and Sunday, the Orioles will have plenty of time to ponder their trajectory.

Showalter, Baltimore's third manager of the season, has truly been a difference-maker. He took over a team in disarray from interim manager Juan Samuel, who was installed as field boss after manager Dave Trembley was dismissed. Showalter, with two games to go, has earned more wins (33) than both of his predecessors combined.

Here's why that's impressive: The Orioles were just 32-73 when Showalter took over, and their success after his hire has stood up as one of the great reclamations in league history. Only one big league team -- the 1997 Philadelphia Phillies -- has won more games with a new manager after accruing its 73rd loss, and Showalter's Orioles can still catch them.

Terry Francona was the manager of that team, and he's gone on to win two World Series with Boston. The '97 Phillies were 36-73 before Francona's promotion, and they wound up going 34-21 after it. Showalter has led the Orioles to 15 of their 29 road wins, and he's led them to a 14-13 record against division rivals after they started out 10-35 against AL East teams.

Showalter's Orioles have gone 16-9 in their last 25, 20-12 in their last 32 games, and they'll bring the momentum of a doubleheader sweep into Saturday's game against the Tigers. Baltimore will throw prized southpaw Brian Matusz in the game, and the Tigers will counter with veteran Armando Galarraga of near-perfect-game fame.

Matusz has reeled off five straight wins, and if you discount a game in which he left with an injury after just one inning, he's completed at least six innings in five of his last six outings. Matusz, the fourth-overall selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, has gone 6-3 with a 3.82 ERA since the All-Star break, and is hoping to finish the season on a strong note.

"We are playing good baseball right now, and things are just going our way," Matusz said recently. "You always want to end the year strong. Give yourself confidence in the offseason. ... It's exciting going into the offseason and prepare for next year."

Galarraga, of course, has had a year he'd like to forget. The right-hander had his bid for history wiped out by an inaccurate call from umpire Jim Joyce. He's also dealt with a demotion to Triple-A and a dugout confrontation with a teammate. Galarraga can put all of that behind him and can also end Detroit's five straight losses, four of which have come in doubleheaders.

Tigers: Tigers missing Cabrera
The Tigers used nine hits to score six runs in the first act of the doubleheader, but they fell to a 2-1 three-hit loss in the finale. Detroit looked like it could have used cleanup man Miguel Cabrera, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a high ankle sprain. Cabrera led the league with 126 RBIs and a .420 on-base percentage at the time of his injury.

Detroit did get some unexpected offense from utility man Don Kelly, who homered in the second inning of the first game and in the ninth inning of the second. Kelly now has nine home runs for the year, eight of which have come after the All-Star break. Manager Jim Leyland said that the Tigers aren't having trouble finding things to play for in the year's final weekend.

"That's not an issue with us. We're playing young guys," Leyland said. "They're still in a situation where they're trying to show us stuff. And the veteran players like Johnny Damon, that's no problem for him to get ready. He wants to be out there. Brandon Inge comes every day ready to play. That's not an issue for us. Lack of energy is not a problem."

Orioles: Scott enjoys playing Detroit
Luke Scott had a quiet day against the Tigers on Friday, calming some outlandish career history against Detroit. Scott, who started at first base in the first game of the doubleheader, walked twice and scored two runs in the victory. For his career, Scott is a .373 (22-for-59) hitter with five doubles, 10 home runs and 23 RBIs in 18 games against the Tigers.

Baltimore reliever Koji Uehara worked a one-run ninth inning for the save in Friday's second game, continuing an impressive streak of pitching. Uehara has 12 saves in the second half, and he has 43 strikeouts since issuing his last walk. That's the longest streak in the Majors since 2000, when Pedro Martinez went 49 strikeouts in between walks.

Worth noting
... Uehara hasn't walked a batter since July 16.

... Trembley went 15-39 with Baltimore, and Samuel put together a 17-34 record as his replacement.

... Jeremy Guthrie won his eighth game since the All-Star break on Friday, and just one American League pitcher -- Ervin Santana (nine) -- has earned more victories since the season's intermission.

... Leadoff man Brian Roberts missed both halves of the doubleheader -- his third and fourth games in a row -- due to a headache on Friday.

... The Tigers were swept in doubleheaders on Wednesday and Friday and need one more victory to avoid a losing season.

... Detroit catcher Gerald Laird will likely be held out of the last two games, and Minor League veteran Max St. Pierre will get to start on Saturday.



Pitching matchup

TIGERS: RHP Armando Galarraga (4-8, 4.62 ERA)
Galarraga has one more chance to rediscover his midseason form and try to earn his first win since August 20. He has allowed 17 earned runs on 21 hits and 10 walks over 13 2/3 innings in his last three starts, and he's searching for corrections.

ORIOLES: LHP Brian Matusz (10-14, 3.98 ERA)
Matusz has been masterful as of late, posting seven shutout innings on Monday night against the Rays. He will look to close an up-and-down rookie campaign on a strong note.


RECENT RESULTS: The Tigers suffered the loss in both games of a doubleheader at Baltimore yesterday, falling 10-6 and 2-1. Jeremy Bonderman (8-10) took the loss for Detroit in the first game, while Rick Porcello (10-12) suffered the loss in the second game. Don Kelly homered in both games for the Tigers, while Will Rhymes combined to finish with four hits in the two games. The Tigers continue their final road trip of the season with the third game of a four-game series at Baltimore this evening.

RABURN, VERLANDER EARN TIGERS HONORS FOR SEPTEMBER: Ryan Raburn and Justin Verlander were selected the Tigers Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for September. Raburn hit .378 (34x90) with seven doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI in 25 games during the month. Raburn finished second among all American League players with a .378 batting average during September, while he tied for fourth with a .622 sluggingpercentage. Verlander finished 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA (46.0IP/13ER) and 51 strikeouts in six starts during the month. Verlander topped all league pitchers with 51 strikeouts during September, while he tied for second with four wins and finished seventh with a 2.54 ERA.

WINNING WAYS OVER THE ORIOLES: The Tigers enter tonight’s game at Baltimore having won 17 of the club’s last 28 games against the Orioles dating back to April 10, 2007. Detroit is hitting .277 (274x988) with 136 runs scored, 59 doubles, nine triples and 31 home runs during the 28-game stretch versus Baltimore.

STARTING WELL: Tigers starting pitchers have registered a quality start in 23 of the club’s last 39 games dating back to August 20. During the 39-game stretch, Detroit’s starting pitchers have compiled a 17-9 record and 3.65 ERA (259.0IP/105ER).

OFFENSE ON THE UPTICK: Tigers hitters are batting .282 (415x1470) with 228 runs scored, 74 doubles, 11 triples and 44 home runs over the club’s last 40 games dating back to August 19. Detroit leads American League clubs with a .282 batting average, 228 runs scored and 415 hits during that stretch, while the club is second with 74 doubles and fourth with 44 home runs.

RABURN ON A ROLL: Ryan Raburn enters tonight’s game hitting .340 (65x191) with 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 39 RBI over his last 51 games dating back to August 5. He is second among all American League players with a .618 slugging percentage during the stretch, while he is tied for second with 27 extra-base hits, tied for third with 65 hits, 14 doubles and 13 home runs and is fourth with a .340 batting average and 39 RBI.

ALL IS WELLS WITH CASPER: Casper Wells enters tonight’s game at Baltimore hitting .373 (28x75) with 13 runs scored, five doubles, a triple, four home runs and 15 RBI over his last 26 games dating back to August 28.

DONNIE’S BEEN A DANDY: Don Kelly enters tonight’s game at Baltimore hitting .323 (32x99) with a double, eight home runs and 19 RBI over his last 36 games.

ROOKIE HIT PARADE: Tigers rookie hitters collected six hits during the doubleheader against the Orioles yesterday, raising the season total to 518 hits by Tigers rookies. The 518 hits by rookies are the most by Tigers rookies since the rookies on the 1929 club established the franchise record with 590 hits. (Source: STATS LLC)

LOVIN’ THE LONGBALL: The Tigers belted two home runs during the doubleheader yesterday at Baltimore and the club has now connected for 33 home runs over the team’s last 27 games dating back to September 2. Detroit is third among all American League clubs with 33 home runs during that stretch.

PILING UP THE PUNCHOUTS: Tigers pitchers have compiled 1,042 strikeouts in 2010, sixth most during a single season in franchise history. The 2010 Tigers will surpass 1970 Tigers for fifth place in club history with four more strikeouts, while this year’s team will move past the 2007 Tigers into fourth place in franchise history with six more strikeouts. The 1968 Tigers hold the club record with 1,115 strikeouts.

JACKSON REACHES EVEN RARER ROOKIE TERRITORY: Austin Jackson collected his 180th hit of the season on Wednesday at Cleveland to become just the fourth player in major league history since 1901 to collect at least 100 runs scored, 180 hits, 30 doubles, 10 triples and 25 stolen bases as a rookie. Jackson joined Joe Jackson (1911), Juan Samuel (1984) and Hanley Ramirez (2006) in accomplishing the feat.

MORE ABOUT AUSTIN’S AMAZING ROOKIE CAMPAIGN: Austin Jackson has put together one the finest rookie campaigns by a Tigers player in franchise history and he enters tonight’s game at Baltimore ranking among the best rookies in club history in the following categories: fourth with 34 doubles, fifth with 26 stolen bases, tied for fifth with 103 runs scored, is sixth with 181 hits, tied for eighth with 247 total bases, is ninth with a .296 batting average and tied for ninth with 48 extra-base hits.

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)


• Sunday, October 3,
TIGERS (RHP TBA (??? ERA)) AT ORIOLES (RHP Brad Bergesen (8-10, 4.90 ERA)), 1:35 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Jackson, A, CF .296
Santiago, 2B .265
Raburn, LF .278
Peralta, J, SS .250
Wells, C, RF .337
Inge, 3B .247
Kelly, 1B .251
Sizemore, DH .230
St. Pierre, M, C .286
Totals .270

Baltimore AVG
Patterson, C, LF .270
Markakis, RF .295
Fox, J, DH .221
Scott, 1B .285
Pie, CF .274
Wigginton, 3B .251
Wieters, C .250
Andino, 2B .296
Izturis, C, SS .233
Totals .260