GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: KANSAS CITY (65-86) at DETROIT (83-70)

AL: KANSAS CITY (65-86) at DETROIT (83-70)

<h3>Tigers continue fighting for playoff lives</h3>

<div class="pre">Kansas City (66-86) at Detroit (83-70) 7:05 pm EDT</div>

DETROIT (Ticker) - With their playoff lives hanging in thebalance, the Detroit Tigers begin a three-game series againstthe Kansas City Royals on Friday.


The Tigers, who had won five in a row before getting swept in acrucial three-game set with Cleveland (90-62) during the week,are 7 1/2 games back of the Indians in the American LeagueCentral and 5 1/2 behind the wild card-leading New York Yankees(88-64).


To get that much-needed win to stay in the race, Detroit willturn to rookie Jair Jurrjens (3-1, 2.84 ERA), who will try towin his fourth straight decision. The righthander, who hasnever faced the Royals, is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in three homestarts this season.


On Sunday, the 21-year-old yielded a run and two hits over 5 1/3innings in a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

The Royals will turn to their own rookie, Billy Buckner (1-1,4.30), to keep them out of the AL Central basement. He downedCleveland in his last start, a 4-3 win on Sunday in which hepermitted one run and five hits over six innings for his firstcareer win.


While he will be starting against the Tigers for the first timein his career, the righthander tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings ofrelief against them on August 30.


The Royals have lost four of their last five road games.

 

AL: KANSAS CITY (65-86) at DETROIT (83-70)

<h3>Rogers, Tigers face Royals</h3>

<div class="pre">Kansas City (66-87) at Detroit (84-70) 7:05 pm EDT</div>

DETROIT (Ticker) - The Detroit Tigers will try to continue theirplayoff push when they meet the Kansas City Royals in thesecond game of a weekend series on Saturday.


Brandon Inge drove in the go-ahead run and Sean Casey homeredas the Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4triumph on Friday.


Detroit is 4 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees (88-65) inthe American League wild card race.


Detroit's Kenny Rogers (3-2, 4.24 ERA) is still seeking hisfirst win since coming off the disabled list on September 5.Rogers gave up two runs in seven inning and was en route tobreaking through until teammate Joel Zumaya allowed two runs inthe eighth at Cleveland on Monday.


The 42-year-old lefthander has 20 career wins against KansasCity, which hammered Rogers for six runs and nine hits over 61/3 innings on July 20 here.


The Royals turn to Kyle Davies (2-6, 6.37), who has dropped hislast three starts. Most recently, the righthander was taggedfor six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 frames in Monday's loss tothe Chicago White Sox.


In his only appearance against Detroit, Davies allowed two runsin 6 1/3 innings in a setback on June 23.

 

AL: KANSAS CITY (67-87) at DETROIT (84-71)

<h3>RHP Verlander goes for his 18th win</h3>



<div class="pre">Kansas City (67-87) at Detroit (84-71) 1:05 pm EDT</div>

DETROIT (Ticker) - Justin Verlander aims to keep alive theDetroit Tigers' slim playoff hopes in Sunday's finale againstthe Kansas City Royals.


Detroit is on the verge of being eliminated from postseasonconsideration, trailing the New York Yankees (89-65) by 5 1/2games in the American League wild card race. New York canclinch at least a tie of the wild card with a win and Tigersloss.


The Tigers have just seven game remaining in the regular season,while the Yankees have eight left.


Verlander (17-6, 3.70 ERA) will try to set a personal record forwins. Last time out, the 24-year-old had his five-game winningstreak stopped after giving up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings in asetback at Cleveland on Tuesday.


The righthander is 5-0 with a 2.17 ERA in seven lifetime startsagainst the Royals.


Kansas City's Jorge De La Rosa (8-11, 5.40) takes the hill withthe hopes of getting his first road victory since June 27. Thelefthander allowed one run in three innings out of the bullpenon Wednesday.


The 26-year-old De La Rosa is making his first start sincespending a stint on the disabled list with an injured elbow.

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY AT DETROIT -- LINEUPS

KANSAS CITY DETROIT
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
David Dejesus CF .267 7 58 Cameron Maybin CF .167 1 2
Joey Gathright LF .306 0 16 Placido Polanco 2B .340 9 65
Ross Gload 1B .290 7 49 Ryan Raburn RF .298 3 22
Billy Butler DH .301 7 51 Carlos Guillen DH .294 19 96
Mark Teahen RF .280 7 57 Marcus Thames LF .236 15 48
Alex Gordon 3B .254 15 59 Mike Hessman 1B .227 3 10
John Buck C .228 18 48 Brandon Inge 3B .240 14 68
Jason Smith 2B .205 6 17 Mike Rabelo C .247 0 14
Tony Pena Jr SS .259 1 43 Ramon Santiago SS .298 0 7

Jorge De La Rosa LHP (8-11, 5.40) Justin Verlander RHP (17-6, 3.70)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT
WARMUPS: KAN - JORGE DE LA ROSA (8-11, 5.40)
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER (17-6, 3.70)

UMPIRES: HP - ERIC COOPER
1B - MIKE REILLY
2B - JEFF KELLOGG
3B - ANDY FLETCHER

WEATHER: 71 Degrees, sunny
WIND: 10 mph, out to center</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT
STARTING BATS: KAN - JORGE DE LA ROSA AND JOHN BUCK
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER AND MIKE RABELO

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: D DEJESUS (.267, 7 HR, 58 RBI)
J GATHRIGHT (.306, 0 HR, 16 RBI)
R GLOAD (.290, 7 HR, 49 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 0 0 0 0
DETROIT 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - JORGE DE LA ROSA
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C MAYBIN (.167, 1 HR, 2 RBI)
P POLANCO (.340, 9 HR, 65 RBI)
R RABURN (.298, 3 HR, 22 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (0) VS DETROIT (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D DeJesus cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .267
J Gathright lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305
R Gload 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289
B Butler dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .301
M Teahen rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
A Gordon 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254
J Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .228
J Smith 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .205
T Pena Jr ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Maybin cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167
P Polanco 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .340
R Raburn rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298
C Guillen dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294
M Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236
M Hessman 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .227
B Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
M Rabelo c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 0 -- 0
DETROIT - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
J De La Rosa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.40

DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era
J Verlander 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.68

Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 15-11. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 1-1.
Batters faced: J Verlander 3.

UMPIRES: HP--Eric Cooper. 1B--Mike Reilly. 2B--Jeff Kellogg. 3B--Andy
Fletcher.

Weather: 79 degrees, sunny. Wind: 10 mph, out to center.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT
CONFIRMED STARTERS: KAN - JORGE DE LA ROSA
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY RYAN RABURN SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R RABURN ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
DETROIT 1 BOTTOM, 1ST

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GUILLEN (.294, 19 HR, 96 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY CARLOS GUILLEN SCORED RYAN RABURN.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C GUILLEN ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0
DETROIT 2 BOTTOM, 1ST

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M THAMES (.236, 15 HR, 48 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY MARCUS THAMES (16) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 1ST OFF JORGE DE LA ROSA SCORED CARLOS GUILLEN.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 0, DETROIT 4

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M HESSMAN (.227, 3 HR, 10 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 0 0 0 0
DETROIT 4 4 4 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - JORGE DE LA ROSA
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: B BUTLER (.301, 7 HR, 51 RBI)
M TEAHEN (.280, 7 HR, 57 RBI)
A GORDON (.254, 15 HR, 59 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (0) VS DETROIT (4) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D DeJesus cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .267
J Gathright lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305
R Gload 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289
B Butler dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .301
M Teahen rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
A Gordon 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254
J Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .228
J Smith 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .205
T Pena Jr ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Maybin cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .163
P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .342
R Raburn rf 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .304
C Guillen dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .295
M Thames lf 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .239
M Hessman 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .227
B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .239
M Rabelo c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .245
R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298

Totals 7 4 4 4 1 1 2

BATTING: 2B - R Raburn (11, J De La Rosa). HR - M Thames (16, 1st inning off J
De La Rosa 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - R Raburn (23), C Guillen (97), M Thames 2 (50).
Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 0 -- 0
DETROIT - 4 -- 4
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
J De La Rosa 1 4 4 4 1 1 1 5.64

DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era
J Verlander 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.68

WP - J De La Rosa. Pitches-strikes: J De La Rosa 42-27; J Verlander 15-11.
Ground balls-fly balls: J De La Rosa 0-2; J Verlander 1-1. Batters faced: J De
La Rosa 8; J Verlander 3.

UMPIRES: HP--Eric Cooper. 1B--Mike Reilly. 2B--Jeff Kellogg. 3B--Andy
Fletcher.

Weather: 79 degrees, sunny. Wind: 10 mph, out to center.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BILLY BUTLER (8) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
2ND OFF JUSTIN VERLANDER.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1, DETROIT 4

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M TEAHEN (.280, 7 HR, 57 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL KANSAS CITY AT DETROIT
NOTE: KANASAS CITY DESIGNATED HITTER BILLY BUTLER EXTENDED
HIS HITTING STREAK TO 10 GAMES WITH A HOME RUN IN THE SECOND
INNING.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 0 1 1 1 0
DETROIT 4 4 4 0 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - JORGE DE LA ROSA
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R SANTIAGO (.298, 0 HR, 7 RBI)
C MAYBIN (.163, 0-FOR-1)
P POLANCO (.342, 1-FOR-1)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (1) VS DETROIT (4) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D DeJesus cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .267
J Gathright lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305
R Gload 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289
B Butler dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .303
M Teahen rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .279
A Gordon 3b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .254
J Buck c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .227
J Smith 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .203
T Pena Jr ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259

Totals 7 1 1 1 1 3 2

BATTING: HR - B Butler (8, 2nd inning off J Verlander 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - B
Butler (52). Team LOB - 1.


DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Maybin cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .163
P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .342
R Raburn rf 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .304
C Guillen dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .295
M Thames lf 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .239
M Hessman 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .227
B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .239
M Rabelo c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .245
R Santiago ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .298

Totals 7 4 4 4 1 1 2

BATTING: 2B - R Raburn (11, J De La Rosa). HR - M Thames (16, 1st inning off J
De La Rosa 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - R Raburn (23), C Guillen (97), M Thames 2 (50).
Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 01 -- 1
DETROIT - 4 -- 4
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
J De La Rosa 1 4 4 4 1 1 1 5.64

DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era
J Verlander 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 3.71

WP - J De La Rosa. Pitches-strikes: J De La Rosa 42-27; J Verlander 38-25.
Ground balls-fly balls: J De La Rosa 0-2; J Verlander 2-1. Batters faced: J De
La Rosa 8; J Verlander 8.

UMPIRES: HP--Eric Cooper. 1B--Mike Reilly. 2B--Jeff Kellogg. 3B--Andy
Fletcher.

Weather: 79 degrees, sunny. Wind: 10 mph, out to center.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - PITCHING CHANGE
KAN: LUKE HOCHEVAR (0-0, 0.00) STARTING THE 2ND
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1, DETROIT 4

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R SANTIAGO (.298, 0 HR, 7 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at DETROIT

<div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: L Hochevar relieved J De La Rosa.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1
DETROIT 4 BOTTOM, 2ND

DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R Santiago (.298, 0 HR, 7 RBI)</div>