AL: OAKLAND (55-60) at DETROIT (63-51) <h3>Tata, Tigers aim to rebound against Athletics</h3> Oakland (55-60) at Detroit (63-51) 7:05 pm EDT DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers turn to rookie JordanTata to help them reverse a subpar August. Tata and the Tigers look to snap a two-game skid when they opena four-game series with the Oakland Athletics on Friday. Detroit was held to a total of two runs in two straight lossesto the lowly Tampa Bay Devil Rays. On Thursday, the Tigersdropped an 8-1 decision after a 7-1 loss the day before. The back-to-back losses dropped Detroit to 2-6 this month and 11/2 games behind Cleveland for first in the American LeagueCentral. Tata (1-1, 3.75 ERA) takes the mound seeking his second careervictory. The 25-year-old made his first career start againstthe Athletics on July 30, posting a 5-2 win. But last Sunday, Tata was on the losing end of a 3-1 decision tothe Chicago White Sox, allowing three runs and five hits infive innings. Oakland counters with Joe Blanton (9-8, 3.71), who won his laststart after dropping his four previous decisions. Therighthander yielded just a run and eight hits in seven inningsof a 2-1 win vs. the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lastSaturday. Blanton is 2-2 in four career starts vs. Detroit.
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">OAKLAND AT DETROIT -- LINEUPS OAKLAND DETROIT AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Travis Buck RF .279 7 31 Curtis Granderson CF .299 16 54 Shannon Stewart LF .298 9 35 Placido Polanco 2B .349 7 50 Nick Swisher 1B .250 14 56 Gary Sheffield DH .289 23 67 Jack Cust DH .263 17 52 Magglio Ordonez RF .348 18 94 Mark Ellis 2B .267 15 52 Carlos Guillen SS .310 14 74 Mark Kotsay CF .226 1 20 Sean Casey 1B .292 3 43 Marco Scutaro 3B .236 5 23 Marcus Thames LF .258 11 32 Donnie Murphy SS .236 2 9 Mike Rabelo C .284 0 9 Kurt Suzuki C .238 2 11 Omar Infante 3B .270 2 15 Joe Blanton RHP (9-8, 3.71) Jordan Tata RHP (1-1, 3.75)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT WARMUPS: OAK - JOE BLANTON (9-8, 3.71) DET - JORDAN TATA (1-1, 3.75) UMPIRES: HP - TED BARRETT 1B - MARK CARLSON 2B - ANGEL HERNANDEZ 3B - DERRYL COUSINS WEATHER: 82 Degrees, partly cloudy WIND: 7 mph, out to right</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT STARTING BATS: OAK - JOE BLANTON AND KURT SUZUKI DET - JORDAN TATA AND MIKE RABELO DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: T BUCK (.279, 7 HR, 31 RBI) S STEWART (.298, 9 HR, 35 RBI) N SWISHER (.250, 14 HR, 56 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - OAKLAND 1 1 1 0 DETROIT 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: OAK - JOE BLANTON DET - JORDAN TATA DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSON (.299, 16 HR, 54 RBI) P POLANCO (.349, 7 HR, 50 RBI) G SHEFFIELD (.289, 23 HR, 67 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">OAKLAND (1) VS DETROIT (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck rf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .281 S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .297 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 .250 J Cust dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226 M Scutaro 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 D Murphy ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238 Totals 3 1 1 1 0 1 1 BATTING: 3B - T Buck (5, J Tata). SF - N Swisher. RBI - N Swisher (57). Team LOB - 0. DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299 P Polanco 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .349 G Sheffield dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .348 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 S Casey 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 M Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .258 M Rabelo c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284 O Infante 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND - 1 -- 1 DETROIT - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.71 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Tata 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 4.15 Pitches-strikes: J Tata 18-12. Ground balls-fly balls: J Tata 1-1. Batters faced: J Tata 4. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--Mark Carlson. 2B--Angel Hernandez. 3B--Derryl Cousins. Weather: 82 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 7 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT CONFIRMED STARTERS: OAK - JOE BLANTON DET - JORDAN TATA</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - OAKLAND 1 1 1 0 DETROIT 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: OAK - JOE BLANTON DET - JORDAN TATA DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M ELLIS (.267, 15 HR, 52 RBI) M KOTSAY (.226, 1 HR, 20 RBI) M SCUTARO (.236, 5 HR, 23 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">OAKLAND (1) VS DETROIT (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck rf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .281 S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .297 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 .250 J Cust dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226 M Scutaro 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 D Murphy ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238 Totals 3 1 1 1 0 1 1 BATTING: 3B - T Buck (5, J Tata). SF - N Swisher. RBI - N Swisher (57). Team LOB - 0. 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 0 0 0 0 0 .348 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .348 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 S Casey 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 M Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .258 M Rabelo c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284 O Infante 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND - 1 -- 1 DETROIT - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.69 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Tata 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 4.15 Pitches-strikes: J Blanton 12-8; J Tata 18-12. Ground balls-fly balls: J Blanton 1-2; J Tata 1-1. Batters faced: J Blanton 3; J Tata 4. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--Mark Carlson. 2B--Angel Hernandez. 3B--Derryl Cousins. Weather: 82 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 7 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY DONNIE MURPHY (3) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN THE 2ND OFF JORDAN TATA SCORED MARCO SCUTARO. CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 3, DETROIT 0 DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: K SUZUKI (.238, 2 HR, 11 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - OAKLAND 1 2 3 2 0 DETROIT 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: OAK - JOE BLANTON DET - JORDAN TATA DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.348, 18 HR, 94 RBI) C GUILLEN (.310, 14 HR, 74 RBI) S CASEY (.292, 3 HR, 43 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">OAKLAND (3) VS DETROIT (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck rf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .281 S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .297 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 .250 J Cust dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .266 M Kotsay cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225 M Scutaro 3b 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .236 D Murphy ss 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .250 K Suzuki c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 Totals 7 3 2 3 1 1 1 BATTING: 3B - T Buck (5, J Tata). HR - D Murphy (3, 2nd inning off J Tata 1 on, 2 Out). SF - N Swisher. RBI - N Swisher (57), D Murphy 2 (11). 2-out RBI - D Murphy 2. Team LOB - 0. 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 0 0 0 0 0 .348 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289 M Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .348 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 S Casey 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 M Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .258 M Rabelo c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284 O Infante 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND - 12 -- 3 DETROIT - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.69 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Tata 2 2 3 3 1 1 1 5.14 Pitches-strikes: J Blanton 12-8; J Tata 36-22. Ground balls-fly balls: J Blanton 1-2; J Tata 3-2. Batters faced: J Blanton 3; J Tata 9. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--Mark Carlson. 2B--Angel Hernandez. 3B--Derryl Cousins. Weather: 82 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 7 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE GROUND OUT BY SEAN CASEY SCORED MAGGLIO ORDONEZ. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 3 DETROIT 1 BOTTOM, 2ND DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M THAMES (.258, 11 HR, 32 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - OAKLAND 1 2 3 2 0 DETROIT 0 1 1 1 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: OAK - JOE BLANTON DET - JORDAN TATA DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: T BUCK (.281, 1-FOR-1) S STEWART (.297, 0-FOR-1) N SWISHER (.250, 0-FOR-0, SF, RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">OAKLAND (3) VS DETROIT (1) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck rf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .281 S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .297 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 .250 J Cust dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .266 M Kotsay cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225 M Scutaro 3b 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .236 D Murphy ss 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .250 K Suzuki c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 Totals 7 3 2 3 1 1 1 BATTING: 3B - T Buck (5, J Tata). HR - D Murphy (3, 2nd inning off J Tata 1 on, 2 Out). SF - N Swisher. RBI - N Swisher (57), D Murphy 2 (11). 2-out RBI - D Murphy 2. Team LOB - 0. 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 0 0 0 0 0 .348 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289 M Ordonez rf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .350 C Guillen ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .309 S Casey 1b 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .292 M Thames lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .256 M Rabelo c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284 O Infante 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 Totals 7 1 1 1 0 1 0 BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (40, J Blanton). RBI - S Casey (44). Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND - 12 -- 3 DETROIT - 01 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 3.72 DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Tata 2 2 3 3 1 1 1 5.14 Pitches-strikes: J Blanton 24-17; J Tata 36-22. Ground balls-fly balls: J Blanton 3-2; J Tata 3-2. Batters faced: J Blanton 7; J Tata 9. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--Mark Carlson. 2B--Angel Hernandez. 3B--Derryl Cousins. Weather: 76 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 7 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY JACK CUST SCORED TRAVIS BUCK, SHANNON STEWART AND NICK SWISHER. SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CUST ON SECOND, 0 OUT CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 6 DETROIT 1 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M ELLIS (.266, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - PITCHING CHANGE DET: JASON GRILLI (5-3, 5.89) IN THE 3RD SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CUST ON SECOND, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 6, DETROIT 1 DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M ELLIS (.266, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: J Grilli relieved J Tata. SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CUST ON SECOND, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 6 DETROIT 1 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M Ellis (.266, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY MARCO SCUTARO SCORED JACK CUST. SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, M SCUTARO ON SECOND, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 7 DETROIT 1 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: D MURPHY (.250, 1-FOR-1, HR, 2 RBI)</div>
AL: OAKLAND at DETROIT <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - OAKLAND 1 2 4 7 6 0 DETROIT 0 1 1 1 0 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: OAK - JOE BLANTON DET - JASON GRILLI DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M RABELO (.284, 0 HR, 9 RBI) O INFANTE (.270, 2 HR, 15 RBI) C GRANDERSON (.298, 0-FOR-1)</div>
