SamBam39
05-16-2007, 10:10 PM
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Detroit Tigers (24-14) at Boston Red Sox (26-12), 7:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Mike Maroth (3-0, 4.69) Boston - Julian Tavarez (1-4, 6.60)
(Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers have not lost whenever Mike Maroth takes the mound this season. The defending American League champions will attempt to keep that streak intact when they play the third test of a four-game series with the Boston Red Sox tonight at Fenway Park.
Detroit is 7-0 in Maroth's 2007 starts, largely due to the fact that the Tiger offense has averaged nearly 6 1/2 runs per game in those games. The left- hander did his part in his most recent outing, however, by limiting Minnesota to one run over 6 2/3 innings in a 7-3 victory last Friday at the Metrodome.
Maroth, who scattered nine hits and walked none against the Twins, improved to 3-0 and lowered his earned run average to 4.50 in five road starts this season with the triumph.
The 29-year-old, a third-round draft choice of the Red Sox in 1998, has had no success when facing his original organization, however. In seven career starts against Boston, Maroth is 0-6 with a 7.22 ERA and a whopping 60 hits allowed in 38 2/3 innings. He is 0-4 with an 8.02 ERA in four previous appearances at Fenway Park.
Maroth will be going up against the weakest link of Boston's formidable rotation this evening. Julian Tavarez has lost four of his first five decisions to begin the year and enters tonight's tilt with a lackluster 6.60 ERA in six starts.
Tavarez has lost his last two starts, although he pitched well in a 2-1 loss at Minnesota on May 5. In his most recent trip to the hill, the fiery Dominican was roughed up for five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in five innings of a 6-3 setback at home to Baltimore last Friday.
The veteran right-hander did hold the Twins to two runs and just four hits while recording a season-high seven strikeouts over six innings in that May 5th loss.
Tavarez has faced Detroit nine times previously and owns a 2-0 record with a 5.11 ERA against the club. His only career start versus the Tigers came when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs in 2001.
Detroit drew even in this series between current division leaders behind an outstanding performance from Justin Verlander on Tuesday. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year gave up six hits and two runs over 7 2/3 innings to lead the Tigers to a 7-2 decision.
Verlander (4-1) struck out seven and did not walk a batter before turning the game over to Fernando Rodney, who held the Red Sox scoreless over the final 1 1/3 frames.
Brandon Inge was 2-for-4 with a solo homer and Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run shot for the Tigers, who halted a two-game slide and have won four of six. Ivan Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with an RBI double and scored a run in the victory.
Boston's Tim Wakefield (4-4), who entered the game with an AL-best 1.79 ERA, yielded nine hits and five runs in seven-plus innings.
Kevin Youkilis hit his fourth homer of the season and scored both runs for the Red Sox, who had won three straight and 10 of 12 coming in.
J.D. Drew added an RBI single for Boston before leaving in the eighth inning with a back injury. The oft-injured right-fielder is unlikely to be in the lineup for tonight's contest. These teams split six meetings a year ago, with Detroit winning two of three in its lone visit to Fenway. The Tigers are just 4-8 in Boston since the start of the 2004 season, however.
The starting line ups
Red Sox:
SS -- Julio Lugo
CF -- Coco Crisp
DH -- David Ortiz
LF -- Manny Ramirez
1B -- Kevin Youkilis
3B -- Mike Lowell
C -- Jason Varitek
RF -- Wily Mo Pena
2B -- Dustin Pedroia
P -- Julian Tavarez
Tigers:
1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Gary Sheffield, DH
4. Magglio Ordonez, RF
5. Carlos Guillen, SS
6. Ivan Rodriguez, C
7. Sean Casey, 1B
8. Craig Monroe, LF
9. Brandon Inge, 3B
P--Mike Maroth
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Detroit Tigers (24-14) at Boston Red Sox (26-12), 7:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Mike Maroth (3-0, 4.69) Boston - Julian Tavarez (1-4, 6.60)
(Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers have not lost whenever Mike Maroth takes the mound this season. The defending American League champions will attempt to keep that streak intact when they play the third test of a four-game series with the Boston Red Sox tonight at Fenway Park.
Detroit is 7-0 in Maroth's 2007 starts, largely due to the fact that the Tiger offense has averaged nearly 6 1/2 runs per game in those games. The left- hander did his part in his most recent outing, however, by limiting Minnesota to one run over 6 2/3 innings in a 7-3 victory last Friday at the Metrodome.
Maroth, who scattered nine hits and walked none against the Twins, improved to 3-0 and lowered his earned run average to 4.50 in five road starts this season with the triumph.
The 29-year-old, a third-round draft choice of the Red Sox in 1998, has had no success when facing his original organization, however. In seven career starts against Boston, Maroth is 0-6 with a 7.22 ERA and a whopping 60 hits allowed in 38 2/3 innings. He is 0-4 with an 8.02 ERA in four previous appearances at Fenway Park.
Maroth will be going up against the weakest link of Boston's formidable rotation this evening. Julian Tavarez has lost four of his first five decisions to begin the year and enters tonight's tilt with a lackluster 6.60 ERA in six starts.
Tavarez has lost his last two starts, although he pitched well in a 2-1 loss at Minnesota on May 5. In his most recent trip to the hill, the fiery Dominican was roughed up for five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in five innings of a 6-3 setback at home to Baltimore last Friday.
The veteran right-hander did hold the Twins to two runs and just four hits while recording a season-high seven strikeouts over six innings in that May 5th loss.
Tavarez has faced Detroit nine times previously and owns a 2-0 record with a 5.11 ERA against the club. His only career start versus the Tigers came when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs in 2001.
Detroit drew even in this series between current division leaders behind an outstanding performance from Justin Verlander on Tuesday. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year gave up six hits and two runs over 7 2/3 innings to lead the Tigers to a 7-2 decision.
Verlander (4-1) struck out seven and did not walk a batter before turning the game over to Fernando Rodney, who held the Red Sox scoreless over the final 1 1/3 frames.
Brandon Inge was 2-for-4 with a solo homer and Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run shot for the Tigers, who halted a two-game slide and have won four of six. Ivan Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with an RBI double and scored a run in the victory.
Boston's Tim Wakefield (4-4), who entered the game with an AL-best 1.79 ERA, yielded nine hits and five runs in seven-plus innings.
Kevin Youkilis hit his fourth homer of the season and scored both runs for the Red Sox, who had won three straight and 10 of 12 coming in.
J.D. Drew added an RBI single for Boston before leaving in the eighth inning with a back injury. The oft-injured right-fielder is unlikely to be in the lineup for tonight's contest. These teams split six meetings a year ago, with Detroit winning two of three in its lone visit to Fenway. The Tigers are just 4-8 in Boston since the start of the 2004 season, however.
The starting line ups
Red Sox:
SS -- Julio Lugo
CF -- Coco Crisp
DH -- David Ortiz
LF -- Manny Ramirez
1B -- Kevin Youkilis
3B -- Mike Lowell
C -- Jason Varitek
RF -- Wily Mo Pena
2B -- Dustin Pedroia
P -- Julian Tavarez
Tigers:
1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Gary Sheffield, DH
4. Magglio Ordonez, RF
5. Carlos Guillen, SS
6. Ivan Rodriguez, C
7. Sean Casey, 1B
8. Craig Monroe, LF
9. Brandon Inge, 3B
P--Mike Maroth