AL: DETROIT (83-68) at CLEVELAND (88-62) <h3>Verlander continues Cy Young bid against Indians</h3> <div class="pre">Detroit (83-69) at Cleveland (88-62) 7:05 pm EDT</div> CLEVELAND (Ticker) - The Cleveland Indians hope to put even morespace between them and the Detroit Tigers in the AmericanLeague Central as the clubs continue their critical three-gameseries on Tuesday. After Casey Blake hit his second walk-off homer in four days tolift the Indians to a 6-5 victory over the demoralized Tigers onMonday, Cleveland took a 5 1/2 game advantage over Detroit inthe AL Central race. The loss also dropped the Tigers 3 1/2games behind the New York Yankees (86-64) in the wild card race. Detroit, which has won 10 of its last 13 contests, will send CyYoung candidate Justin Verlander (17-5, 3.47 ERA) to the mound.The righthander has won his last four starts, yielding justthree runs in 28 2/3 innings over that span. Cleveland roughed up the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year for sevenruns and 10 hits over four frames in an 11-8 win on August 22.In his previous outing Wednesday, Verlander surrendered just onerun and seven hits over seven innings in a 5-1 victory overTexas. The Indians will start righthander Jake Westbrook (5-9, 4.38),who has struggled after consecutive 15-win seasons and is just4-8 with a 6.09 ERA against Detroit. Westbrook is winless in his last three starts, including a 7-4loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in which he wastagged for five runs and seven hits in six innings. However, Westbrook has come up big in his one start - August 23- at Detroit, tossing eight scoreless innings in a 3-1 win.
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">DETROIT AT CLEVELAND -- LINEUPS DETROIT CLEVELAND AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Curtis Granderson CF .299 22 72 Grady Sizemore CF .273 23 74 Placido Polanco 2B .342 9 65 Asdrubal Cabrera 2B .295 3 17 Gary Sheffield DH .269 25 74 Travis Hafner DH .253 22 92 Magglio Ordonez RF .357 27 132 Victor Martinez C .304 23 105 Carlos Guillen 1B .296 19 96 Ryan Garko 1B .295 18 57 Ivan Rodriguez C .279 11 63 Jhonny Peralta SS .271 20 71 Marcus Thames LF .241 15 47 Kenny Lofton LF .295 7 35 Ramon Santiago SS .260 0 5 Franklin Gutierrez RF .271 12 33 Brandon Inge 3B .241 14 66 Casey Blake 3B .267 17 72 Justin Verlander RHP (17-5, 3.47) Jake Westbrook RHP (5-9, 4.38)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND WARMUPS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER (17-5, 3.47) CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK (5-9, 4.38) UMPIRES: HP - PAUL EMMEL 1B - GARY DARLING 2B - JERRY MEALS 3B - LARRY PONCINO WEATHER: 72 Degrees, clear WIND: 10 mph, in from center</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND STARTING BATS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK AND VICTOR MARTINEZ DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSO (.299, 22 HR, 72 RBI) P POLANCO (.342, 9 HR, 65 RBI) G SHEFFIELD (.269, 25 HR, 74 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 0 0 1 0 CLEVELAND 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: G SIZEMORE (.273, 23 HR, 74 RBI) A CABRERA (.295, 3 HR, 17 RBI) T HAFNER (.253, 22 HR, 92 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (0) VS CLEVELAND (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .343 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .268 M Ordonez rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .357 C Guillen 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 M Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 B Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Totals 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273 A Cabrera 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 T Hafner dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253 V Martinez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .304 R Garko 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 F Gutierrez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 0 -- 0 CLEVELAND - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.47 CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Westbrook 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 4.34 Pitches-strikes: J Westbrook 17-12. Ground balls-fly balls: J Westbrook 0-1. Batters faced: J Westbrook 4. UMPIRES: HP--Paul Emmel. 1B--Gary Darling. 2B--Jerry Meals. 3B--Larry Poncino. Weather: 72 degrees, clear. Wind: 10 mph, right to left.</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND CONFIRMED STARTERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 0 0 1 0 CLEVELAND 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GUILLEN (.296, 19 HR, 96 RBI) I RODRIGUEZ (.279, 11 HR, 63 RBI) M THAMES (.241, 15 HR, 47 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (0) VS CLEVELAND (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .343 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .268 M Ordonez rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .357 C Guillen 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 M Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 B Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Totals 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 T Hafner dh 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .253 V Martinez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .304 R Garko 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 F Gutierrez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 Totals 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 0 -- 0 CLEVELAND - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3.45 CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Westbrook 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 4.34 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 17-10; J Westbrook 17-12. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 3-0; J Westbrook 0-1. Batters faced: J Verlander 4; J Westbrook 4. UMPIRES: HP--Paul Emmel. 1B--Gary Darling. 2B--Jerry Meals. 3B--Larry Poncino. Weather: 72 degrees, clear. Wind: 10 mph, right to left.</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY RAMON SANTIAGO SCORED MARCUS THAMES. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R SANTIAGO ON FIRST, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 1 CLEVELAND 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR DETROIT: B INGE (.241, 14 HR, 66 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 0 1 1 4 0 CLEVELAND 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: R GARKO (.295, 18 HR, 57 RBI) J PERALTA (.271, 20 HR, 71 RBI) K LOFTON (.295, 7 HR, 35 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (1) VS CLEVELAND (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .298 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .343 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .268 M Ordonez rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .357 C Guillen 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .278 M Thames lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .244 R Santiago ss 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .275 B Inge 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 9 1 4 1 1 3 5 BATTING: 2B - M Thames (14, J Westbrook). RBI - R Santiago (6). 2-out RBI - R Santiago. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Granderson 1. Team LOB - 3. BASERUNNING: CS - C Guillen (8, 2nd base by J Westbrook/V Martinez). CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 T Hafner dh 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .253 V Martinez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .304 R Garko 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 F Gutierrez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 Totals 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 01 -- 1 CLEVELAND - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3.45 CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Westbrook 2 4 1 1 1 3 0 4.38 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 17-10; J Westbrook 37-24. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 3-0; J Westbrook 0-2. Batters faced: J Verlander 4; J Westbrook 10. UMPIRES: HP--Paul Emmel. 1B--Gary Darling. 2B--Jerry Meals. 3B--Larry Poncino. Weather: 72 degrees, clear. Wind: 10 mph, right to left.</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND - SCORING UPDATE SOLO HOME RUN BY RYAN GARKO (19) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN THE 2ND OFF JUSTIN VERLANDER. CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 1, CLEVELAND 1 DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: J PERALTA (.271, 20 HR, 71 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 0 1 1 4 0 CLEVELAND 0 1 1 1 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK DUE UP FOR DETROIT: P POLANCO (.343, 1-FOR-1) G SHEFFIELD (.268, 0-FOR-1) M ORDONEZ (.357, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (1) VS CLEVELAND (1) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .298 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .343 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .268 M Ordonez rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .357 C Guillen 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .278 M Thames lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .244 R Santiago ss 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .275 B Inge 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 9 1 4 1 1 3 5 BATTING: 2B - M Thames (14, J Westbrook). RBI - R Santiago (6). 2-out RBI - R Santiago. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Granderson 1. Team LOB - 3. BASERUNNING: CS - C Guillen (8, 2nd base by J Westbrook/V Martinez). CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 T Hafner dh 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .253 V Martinez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .304 R Garko 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .297 J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .271 K Lofton lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 F Gutierrez rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 Totals 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 BATTING: HR - R Garko (19, 2nd inning off J Verlander 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - R Garko (58). Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 01 -- 1 CLEVELAND - 01 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3.48 CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Westbrook 2 4 1 1 1 3 0 4.38 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 30-20; J Westbrook 37-24. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 4-1; J Westbrook 0-2. Batters faced: J Verlander 8; J Westbrook 10. UMPIRES: HP--Paul Emmel. 1B--Gary Darling. 2B--Jerry Meals. 3B--Larry Poncino. Weather: 72 degrees, clear. Wind: 10 mph, right to left.</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND - SCORING UPDATE BASES LOADED WALK TO MARCUS THAMES SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M THAMES ON FIRST, M ORDONEZ ON SECOND, G SHEFFIELD ON THIRD, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 2 CLEVELAND 1 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R SANTIAGO (.275, 1-FOR-1, RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY RAMON SANTIAGO SCORED GARY SHEFFIELD. . SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, 2 LEFT ON, 3 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 3 CLEVELAND 1 END TOP, 3RD</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 0 1 2 3 8 0 CLEVELAND 0 1 1 1 1 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: C BLAKE (.267, 17 HR, 72 RBI) G SIZEMORE (.272, 0-FOR-1) A CABRERA (.293, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (3) VS CLEVELAND (1) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .298 P Polanco 2b 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 .344 G Sheffield dh 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 .270 M Ordonez rf 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 .358 C Guillen 1b 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 .295 I Rodriguez c 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 .278 M Thames lf 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 .244 R Santiago ss 2 0 2 2 0 0 1 .288 B Inge 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 15 3 8 3 2 4 12 BATTING: 2B - M Thames (14, J Westbrook). RBI - R Santiago 2 (7), M Thames (48). 2-out RBI - R Santiago 2, M Thames. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Granderson 1. Team LOB - 5. BASERUNNING: CS - C Guillen (8, 2nd base by J Westbrook/V Martinez). CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 T Hafner dh 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .253 V Martinez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .304 R Garko 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .297 J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .271 K Lofton lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 F Gutierrez rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 Totals 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 BATTING: HR - R Garko (19, 2nd inning off J Verlander 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - R Garko (58). Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: E - V Martinez (5, catch). ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 012 -- 3 CLEVELAND - 01 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3.48 CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Westbrook 3 8 3 3 2 4 0 4.48 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 30-20; J Westbrook 60-36. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 4-1; J Westbrook 0-3. Batters faced: J Verlander 8; J Westbrook 17. UMPIRES: HP--Paul Emmel. 1B--Gary Darling. 2B--Jerry Meals. 3B--Larry Poncino. Weather: 72 degrees, clear. Wind: 10 mph, right to left.</div>
AL: DETROIT at CLEVELAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 0 1 3 4 8 0 CLEVELAND 0 1 1 1 1 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER CLE - JAKE WESTBROOK DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: C BLAKE (.267, 17 HR, 72 RBI) G SIZEMORE (.272, 0-FOR-1) A CABRERA (.293, 0-FOR-1)</div>
