GDT7: 4/9/14 - DET (4-2) AT LAD (6-3) - 10:10 p.m. ET

Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 4.50 ERA)

In his first performance against Major League hitting since March 12, Sanchez allowed two runs over four innings to the Orioles before a rain delay ended his day. He threw 69 pitches.


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Dodgers: RHP Josh Beckett (0-1, 5.63 ERA)

Josh Beckett, who is on the DL because of a right thumb injury, is expected to make his first Dodgers start of 2014. He tweaked an ankle Friday during a rehab start but tested it before Tuesday's game and said it's fine.





Sanchez, Beckett in line for marquee meeting
Ausmus jokes that friendship with Mattingly at risk over TBA pitcher

By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 4/9/2014 4:35 AM ET

LOS ANGELES -- Long before Brad Ausmus was a managerial candidate in Detroit or anywhere, and before his retirement as a player, he was a manager at Dodger Stadium. He was a reigning veteran on the Dodgers roster, and then-manager Joe Torre had a tradition of letting players manage the final game of the regular season if it didn't mean anything. Thus, in Ausmus' two seasons as a Dodger in 2009 and '10, he managed two games.

"One year we had already clinched a playoff spot," Ausmus said, "and then the following year we were completely out of it."

He'll leave Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night having managed two more games here. These ones, however, have his name on them, and they could play a big role in determining whether the Tigers can carry their Opening Week momentum deeper into the month.

He's the manager of record now in Detroit, and managing opposite the man who was his hitting coach in Los Angeles when he last played. While Ausmus thinks the world of Don Mattingly, considering him a close friend, he joked that he was kept waiting for word on the Dodgers' starting pitcher.

"We've stayed in touch since I played here," Ausmus said of Mattingly on Tuesday afternoon. "We'd often have dinner together or exchange barbs in texts. He's one of the best people I've met in the game, and I consider him a good friend. Although, if he doesn't get me tomorrow's starting pitcher soon, I'm not going to consider him a good friend."

The Dodgers hadn't yet officially named their starter for Wednesday, but it's expected to be Josh Beckett, who came through his Sunday side session without any issues in his sore ankle. If he takes the mound for his first start of the season, he'll be part of another familiar matchup.

Beckett and Anibal Sanchez were traded for each other between the Red Sox and Marlins nine years ago, a megadeal that included current Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Sanchez and Beckett have never faced each other, though they faced their former teams over the years.

This will be their chance, and they'll do so in a matchup that could prove to be a World Series preview.

Sanchez has pitched stingier against the National League in Interleague Play since joining the Tigers than he did as a Marlin, allowing eight earned runs on 27 hits over 32 innings in five Interleague starts last season. He walked just four batters while striking out 43. He's winless in four career meetings with the Dodgers.

Tigers: Hunter questionable with bruised left knee
Torii Hunter is expected to be a game-time decision for the Tigers, after suffering a left knee contusion while sliding into the low wall down the right-field line in pursuit of a foul ball Tuesday night. Ausmus sounded inclined to rest Hunter unless he reports serious improvement, noting the extra off-day Thursday could give him two days to heal up for Friday's series opener in San Diego.

"My inclination is to give him [Wednesday] off because of the off-day, unless he came in and said that he felt great, that there's no pain at all," Ausmus said.

That appears unlikely, given the swelling in Hunter's knee, but he isn't ruling it out.

"My knee swelled up on me," Hunter said. "They actually got some of the swelling down. [Wednesday] I'll come into the clubhouse and if it feels good, I think I'm going to play. But I'm going to play it safe."

If Hunter can't play, either rookie Tyler Collins or veteran utility man Don Kelly will get the start in right.

Dodgers: Puig still sidelined by thumb injury
Yasiel Puig was not in the lineup for the second game in a row Tuesday night because of a left thumb injury, but Mattingly said the outfielder "is still kind of day to day" and might be available in some capacity if he can't start.

Mattingly said Puig, who also missed Sunday's game against San Francisco, was going to be fitted with a splint so he could do baseball activities.

"He's going to hit inside, and he can throw," the manager said.

Worth noting
• Austin Jackson's second-inning home run Tuesday extended the Tigers' home-run streak to six straight games, their third such streak to open a season since 1914. They had similar streaks in 1958 and 2004.

• Ausmus left open the possibility of a second consecutive start for Andrew Romine, who has been platooning with Alex Gonzalez at shortstop and had a solid game on defense in Tuesday's opener. If Romine starts, he'll have done so in four of Detroit's first seven games.

• Carl Crawford's game-winning double in the 10th inning Tuesday night was his 10th career walk-off hit and his first since May 19, 2011, a bases-loaded single that also beat the Tigers. Crawford was with the Rays at the time.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.







INJURY UPDATE:


• Dirks, Andy (LF) (Recovering from March 2014 back surgery, on the 15-day disabled list, Due Back: Possibly June)

• Iglesias, Jose (SS) (Stress fractures in both shins, 60-day disabled list, Due Back: Possibly late 2014)

• Rondon, Bruce (P) (Tommy John surgery-Right elbow, 60-day disabled list, Due Back: 2015)



On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
•  SCOREBOARD
•  Official Press Pass game notes


On television

•

• Direct TV Extra Innings Schedule


On radio

• AND/OR
• XM Channel Schedule





• Thursday, April 10: OFF DAY


• Friday, April 11:
TIGERS: (RHP Rick Porcello (1-0, 1.35 ERA)) AT
PADRES: (RHP Andrew Cashner (0-1, 2.25 ERA))
10:10p  p.m. ET (FS-D+, FM 97.1)


• Saturday, April 12:
TIGERS: (RHP Justin Verlander (0-1, 2.57 ERA)) AT
PADRES: (RHP Ian Kennedy (1-1, 3.27 ERA))
8:40p  p.m. ET (FS-D / FM 97.1)


• Sunday, April 13:
TIGERS: (RHP Max Scherzer (0-0, 1.20 ERA)) AT
PADRES: (RHP Tyson Ross (0-2, 4.35 ERA))
4:10p  p.m. ET (FS-D+ / FM 97.1)


• Monday, April 14: OFF DAY

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit Tigers Lineup

Davis, LF
Kinsler, 2B
Cabrera, 1B
Martinez, C
Jackson, CF
Castellanos, 3B
Collins, RF
Gonzalez, SS
Sanchez, P


Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup

   2B: Dee Gordon
   LF: Carl Crawford
   SS: Hanley Ramirez
   1B: Adrian Gonzalez
   RF: Andre Ethier
   CF: Matt Kemp
   3B: Juan Uribe
   C: Tim Federowicz
   SP: Josh Beckett

Top 3

• 1. Ian Kinsler grounds out, shortstop Hanley Ramirez to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
  
• 2. Miguel Cabrera grounds out, third baseman Juan Uribe to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
  
• 3. Victor Martinez singles on a line drive to left fielder Carl Crawford.
  
• 4. Austin Jackson hits a ground-rule double (3) on a line drive down the left-field line. Victor Martinez to 3rd.
  
• Coaching visit to mound.
  
• 5. Nick Castellanos homers (1) on a fly ball to center field. Victor Martinez scores. Austin Jackson scores.
  
• 6. Tyler Collins flies out to left fielder Carl Crawford.
  

Bottom 3

• 1. Hanley Ramirez strikes out on a foul tip.
  
• 2. Adrian Gonzalez flies out to right fielder Tyler Collins.
  
• 3. Andre Ethier flies out to left fielder Rajai Davis.
  

DET 5-3 AFTER 3 INNINGS