AL: TEXAS (69-75) at DETROIT (79-67) <h3>Verlander takes the hill as Tigers try to gain ground</h3> Texas (69-75) at Detroit (79-67) 7:05 pm EDT DETROIT (Ticker) -- Justin Verlander needs to continue hisstrong push if the Detroit Tigers are going to stay in theplayoff hunt. Verlander takes the hill Wednesday when the Tigers and TexasRangers wrap up their three-game series. The 24-year-old Verlander (16-5, 3.56 ERA) was brilliant onceagain, yielding one run through eight innings to defeat theSeattle Mariners in Friday's 6-1 win. It was the righthander'slongest outing since his no-hitter on June 12. Verlander has strengthened his candidacy for the American LeagueCy Young Award, allowing just two runs in his previous twotrips to the hill. On June 6, Verlander blanked the Rangers over seven innings tohelp the Tigers post a 10-0 win. He is 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA inthree lifetime starts in the series. Texas hit seven home runs and scored 10 runs in the first fiveinnings en route to a 13-6 thrashing in the opener of Tuesdays'day-night doubleheader. But Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez and Ivan Rodriguez all drovein runs during the first frame to lead the Tigers to a 4-1victory in the nightcap. Despite the win, Detroit remained four games behind the New YorkYankees (82-62) in the American League wild card chase and 61/2 back of the first-place Cleveland Indians (85-60) in the ALCentral. "We're a huge, huge longshot for the division," Tigers managerJim Leyland said. "But we've got a legitimate shot at the wildcard." Texas hands the ball to Edison Volquez (2-0, 2.45), who threwsix scoreless frames and struck out five batters in a 5-3triumph over Oakland on Friday. The Dominican righthander haswon both starts since being recalled from Class AAA Oklahoma onSeptember 1. The 24-year-old Volquez has faced Detroit only once, allowingthree runs and eight hits through 3 2/3 innings on August 17,2006.
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS AT DETROIT -- LINEUPS TEXAS DETROIT AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Frank Catalanotto LF .276 10 41 Curtis Granderson CF .302 21 71 Ian Kinsler 2B .276 19 56 Placido Polanco 2B .344 8 64 Michael Young SS .308 7 74 Gary Sheffield DH .269 24 72 Marlon Byrd CF .310 9 62 Magglio Ordonez RF .358 26 129 Hank Blalock DH .298 8 26 Carlos Guillen 1B .294 19 94 David Murphy RF .386 2 9 Ivan Rodriguez C .286 11 57 Gerald Laird C .218 8 42 Timo Perez LF .411 0 6 Jarrod Saltalamacc 1B .242 7 18 Brandon Inge 3B .243 14 65 Ramon Vazquez 3B .242 8 27 Ramon Santiago SS .250 0 3 Edinson Volquez RHP (2-0, 2.45) Justin Verlander RHP (16-5, 3.56)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT WARMUPS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ (2-0, 2.45) DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER (16-5, 3.56) UMPIRES: HP - BILL MILLER 1B - MARVIN HUDSON 2B - ED MONTAGUE 3B - JERRY LAYNE WEATHER: 63 Degrees, cloudy WIND: 4 mph, swirling</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT STARTING BATS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ AND GERALD LAIRD DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ DUE UP FOR TEXAS: F CATALANOT (.276, 10 HR, 41 RBI) I KINSLER (.276, 19 HR, 56 RBI) M YOUNG (.308, 7 HR, 74 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 1 0 DETROIT 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSON (.302, 21 HR, 71 RBI) P POLANCO (.344, 8 HR, 64 RBI) G SHEFFIELD (.269, 24 HR, 72 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS DETROIT (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 M Byrd cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .309 H Blalock dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298 D Murphy rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .386 G Laird c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .218 J Saltalamacchia 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .302 P Polanco 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .344 G Sheffield dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .358 C Guillen 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 I Rodriguez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 T Perez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .411 B Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 0 -- 0 DETROIT - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.45 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 3.54 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 17-12. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 0-1. Batters faced: J Verlander 4. UMPIRES: HP--Bill Miller. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Jerry Layne. Weather: 63 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 4 mph, swirling.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT CONFIRMED STARTERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL TEXAS AT DETROIT NOTE: TEXAS SHORTSTOP MICHAEL YOUNG SINGLED IN THE FIRST INNING TO EXTEND HIS HITTING STREAK TO 12 GAMES.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY GARY SHEFFIELD (25) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE 1ST OFF EDINSON VOLQUEZ SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO. CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0, DETROIT 2 DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.358, 26 HR, 129 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 1 0 DETROIT 2 2 3 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR TEXAS: H BLALOCK (.298, 8 HR, 26 RBI) D MURPHY (.386, 2 HR, 9 RBI) G LAIRD (.218, 8 HR, 42 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS DETROIT (2) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 M Byrd cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .309 H Blalock dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298 D Murphy rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .386 G Laird c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .218 J Saltalamacchia 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: DP: 1 (I Kinsler-M Young-J Saltalamacchia). DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .302 P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .345 G Sheffield dh 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .271 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .358 C Guillen 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .286 T Perez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .411 B Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Totals 5 2 3 2 1 1 2 BATTING: 2B - P Polanco (33, E Volquez). HR - G Sheffield (25, 1st inning off E Volquez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - G Sheffield 2 (74). GIDP - I Rodriguez. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 0 -- 0 DETROIT - 2 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 1 3 2 2 1 1 1 3.75 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 3.54 Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 21-11; J Verlander 17-12. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 2-0; J Verlander 0-1. Batters faced: E Volquez 6; J Verlander 4. UMPIRES: HP--Bill Miller. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Jerry Layne. Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 4 mph, swirling.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 2 0 DETROIT 2 2 3 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR DETROIT: T PEREZ (.411, 0 HR, 6 RBI) B INGE (.243, 14 HR, 65 RBI) R SANTIAGO (.250, 0 HR, 3 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS DETROIT (2) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 M Byrd cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .309 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 D Murphy rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .397 G Laird c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .218 J Saltalamacchia 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .240 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 8 0 2 0 0 2 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (I Kinsler-M Young-J Saltalamacchia). DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .302 P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .345 G Sheffield dh 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .271 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .358 C Guillen 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .286 T Perez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .411 B Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Totals 5 2 3 2 1 1 2 BATTING: 2B - P Polanco (33, E Volquez). HR - G Sheffield (25, 1st inning off E Volquez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - G Sheffield 2 (74). GIDP - I Rodriguez. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 00 -- 0 DETROIT - 2 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 1 3 2 2 1 1 1 3.75 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 3.52 Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 21-11; J Verlander 27-19. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 2-0; J Verlander 1-3. Batters faced: E Volquez 6; J Verlander 8. UMPIRES: HP--Bill Miller. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Jerry Layne. Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 4 mph, swirling.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 2 0 DETROIT 2 0 2 3 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR TEXAS: R VAZQUEZ (.242, 8 HR, 27 RBI) F CATALANOTTO (.275, 0-FOR-1) I KINSLER (.275, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS DETROIT (2) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .275 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 M Byrd cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .309 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 D Murphy rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .397 G Laird c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .218 J Saltalamacchia 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .240 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 8 0 2 0 0 2 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (I Kinsler-M Young-J Saltalamacchia). DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .302 P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .345 G Sheffield dh 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .271 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .358 C Guillen 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .286 T Perez lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .404 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 R Santiago ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244 Totals 8 2 3 2 1 1 2 BATTING: 2B - P Polanco (33, E Volquez). HR - G Sheffield (25, 1st inning off E Volquez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - G Sheffield 2 (74). GIDP - I Rodriguez. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 00 -- 0 DETROIT - 20 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 3.46 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 3.52 Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 31-18; J Verlander 27-19. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 4-1; J Verlander 1-3. Batters faced: E Volquez 9; J Verlander 8. UMPIRES: HP--Bill Miller. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Jerry Layne. Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 4 mph, swirling.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 2 0 DETROIT 2 0 2 3 0 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSON (.302, 0-FOR-1) P POLANCO (.345, 1-FOR-1) G SHEFFIELD (.271, 1-FOR-1, HR, 2 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS DETROIT (2) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto lf 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .274 I Kinsler 2b 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 .274 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 M Byrd cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .309 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 D Murphy rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .397 G Laird c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .218 J Saltalamacchia 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .240 R Vazquez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Totals 11 0 2 0 0 3 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (I Kinsler-M Young-J Saltalamacchia). DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .302 P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .345 G Sheffield dh 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .271 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .358 C Guillen 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .286 T Perez lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .404 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 R Santiago ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244 Totals 8 2 3 2 1 1 2 BATTING: 2B - P Polanco (33, E Volquez). HR - G Sheffield (25, 1st inning off E Volquez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - G Sheffield 2 (74). GIDP - I Rodriguez. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 000 -- 0 DETROIT - 20 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 3.46 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 3 2 0 0 0 3 0 3.50 Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 31-18; J Verlander 38-28. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 4-1; J Verlander 2-4. Batters faced: E Volquez 9; J Verlander 11. UMPIRES: HP--Bill Miller. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Jerry Layne. Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 4 mph, swirling.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 2 0 DETROIT 2 0 0 2 4 0 (TOP 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.310, 1-FOR-1) M BYRD (.309, 0-FOR-1) H BLALOCK (.297, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS DETROIT (2) - END 3RD - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto lf 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .274 I Kinsler 2b 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 .274 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 M Byrd cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .309 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 D Murphy rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .397 G Laird c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .218 J Saltalamacchia 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .240 R Vazquez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Totals 11 0 2 0 0 3 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 2 (I Kinsler-M Young-J Saltalamacchia, M Young-I Kinsler-J Saltalamacchia). DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 .302 P Polanco 2b 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 .345 G Sheffield dh 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 .273 M Ordonez rf 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 .357 C Guillen 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .286 T Perez lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .404 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 R Santiago ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244 Totals 11 2 4 2 2 1 5 BATTING: 2B - P Polanco (33, E Volquez). HR - G Sheffield (25, 1st inning off E Volquez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - G Sheffield 2 (74). GIDP - I Rodriguez, M Ordonez. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 000 -- 0 DETROIT - 200 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 3 4 2 2 2 1 1 3.21 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 3 2 0 0 0 3 0 3.50 Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 45-27; J Verlander 38-28. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 7-1; J Verlander 2-4. Batters faced: E Volquez 13; J Verlander 11. UMPIRES: HP--Bill Miller. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Jerry Layne. Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 4 mph, swirling.</div>
AL: TEXAS at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 DETROIT 2 0 0 2 4 0 (BOT 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GUILLEN (.296, 1-FOR-1) I RODRIGUEZ (.286, 0-FOR-1) T PEREZ (.404, 0-FOR-1)</div>
