AL: DETROIT (66-53) at OAKLAND (58-62) <h3>Tigers, A's start three-game series</h3> <div class="pre">Detroit (72-62) at Oakland (66-69) 10:05 pm EDT</div> OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - The Detroit Tigers would like toput together a streak when they open a three-game series againstthe Oakland Athletics on Friday. Detroit's Virgil Vazquez (0-1, 9.39 ERA) gets the start afterbeing recalled from Class AAA Toledo for lefthander AndrewMiller on Thursday. He is making his third career outing. "(Vazquez) has pitched very well at Class AAA, period," Tigersgeneral manager Dave Dombrowski said. "I think that it is moreof a comfort zone for him coming up here like a lot of guys. Hehas continued to pitch well and gain confidence." In his last outing, the rookie righthander gave up two runs andfour hits in five innings in an 8-7 loss to the Chicago WhiteSox on July 24. Jeremy Bonderman pitched seven superb innings to pick up hisfirst victory in eight starts as the Tigers avoided a three-gameseries sweep with Thursday's 6-1 win over Kansas City. The Tigers hope Vazquez can provide a spark as they look to cutthe Cleveland Indians' (76-57) 4 1/2-game lead in the AmericanLeague Central standings. Oakland counters with Joe Blanton (11-9, 3.92), who had histhree-game winning streak snapped last time out. On Saturday,the righthander allowed four runs and seven hits over fiveframes in a setback at Tampa Bay. On July 30, the 26-year-old Blanton stumbled in his perviousouting here against the Tigers, who surrendered five runs onnine hits through 6 2/3 innings in a loss.
AL: DETROIT (72-63) at OAKLAND (67-69) <h3>Verlander takes the ball for slumping Tigers</h3> <div class="pre">Detroit (72-63) at Oakland (67-69) 3:55 pm EDT</div> OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - The fading Detroit Tigers turn toace Justin Verlander once again. The Tigers hope to get back on track with Verlander on the hillin the second of a weekend series against the Oakland Athleticson Saturday. In Friday's series opener, hard-throwing Joel Zumaya gave up thegame-winning hit to Dan Johnson in the 10th inning as Detroitlost for the third time in four games. The latest setback dropped the Tigers 5 1/2 games behind theCleveland Indians (77-57) in the American League Central. Verlander (14-5, 3.77 ERA) has seemed to regain his earlier formthat made him an All-Star, especially after tossing sevenscoreless innings with six strikeouts to beat the New YorkYankees on Monday for his third win in four starts. The 24-year-old righthander was also solid his last time out vs.Oakland, going six effective frames while fanning seven tooutshine fellow All-Star Dan Haren in a 5-2 win on August 11. Haren (14-5, 2.72) enters the contest coming off a tough Augustin which he went just 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA. It was the firstmonth this season that the righthander did not win at leastthree games. In his last time out, Haren struck out a season-high 10 batters,but also surrendered five total runs and four hits in sixinnings of a 7-4 loss at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday. The righthander will be facing Verlander for the third time thiscampaign, going 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA in his first two startsagainst the Tigers. Haren outdueled Verlander here on July 31.
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">DETROIT AT OAKLAND -- LINEUPS DETROIT OAKLAND AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Curtis Granderson CF .294 18 65 Shannon Stewart LF .283 10 40 Placido Polanco 2B .340 8 56 Nick Swisher CF .263 17 63 Ryan Raburn 3B .323 3 18 Jack Cust RF .272 23 72 Magglio Ordonez DH .358 26 119 Mike Piazza DH .274 5 34 Carlos Guillen SS .303 19 90 Dan Johnson 1B .235 14 51 Ivan Rodriguez C .276 10 53 Mark Ellis 2B .262 16 56 Sean Casey 1B .282 3 47 Jack Hannahan 3B .268 3 10 Cameron Maybin LF .200 1 2 Marco Scutaro SS .260 7 38 Timo Perez RF .300 0 2 Kurt Suzuki C .252 5 22 Justin Verlander RHP (14-5, 3.77) Dan Haren RHP (14-5, 2.72)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND WARMUPS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER (14-5, 3.77) OAK - DAN HAREN (14-5, 2.72) UMPIRES: HP - GARY DARLING 1B - LARRY PONCINO 2B - BRUCE DRECKMAN 3B - JERRY MEALS WEATHER: 70 Degrees, sunny WIND: 5 mph, out to right</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND STARTING BATS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ OAK - DAN HAREN AND KURT SUZUKI DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSO (.294, 18 HR, 65 RBI) P POLANCO (.340, 8 HR, 56 RBI) R RABURN (.323, 3 HR, 18 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY MAGGLIO ORDONEZ SCORED CURTIS GRANDERSON. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M ORDONEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 1 OAKLAND 0 TOP, 1ST DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GUILLEN (.303, 19 HR, 90 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 1 1 3 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: S STEWART (.283, 10 HR, 40 RBI) N SWISHER (.263, 17 HR, 63 RBI) J CUST (.272, 23 HR, 72 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (1) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .342 R Raburn 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .320 M Ordonez dh 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .359 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .303 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .276 S Casey 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 C Maybin lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 T Perez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300 Totals 5 1 3 1 1 0 3 BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (44, D Haren). RBI - M Ordonez (120). 2-out RBI - M Ordonez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - I Rodriguez 1. GIDP - R Raburn. Team LOB - 2. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .283 N Swisher cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Cust rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 M Piazza dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 D Johnson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268 M Scutaro ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. FIELDING: PB - K Suzuki. DP: 1 (M Scutaro-M Ellis-D Johnson). ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 1 -- 1 OAKLAND - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.77 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era D Haren 1 3 1 1 1 0 0 2.75 Pitches-strikes: D Haren 17-8. Ground balls-fly balls: D Haren 2-1. Batters faced: D Haren 6. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Darling. 1B--Larry Poncino. 2B--Bruce Dreckman. 3B--Jerry Meals. Weather: 70 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND CONFIRMED STARTERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 1 1 3 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN DUE UP FOR DETROIT: S CASEY (.282, 3 HR, 47 RBI) C MAYBIN (.200, 1 HR, 2 RBI) T PEREZ (.300, 0 HR, 2 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (1) VS OAKLAND (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .342 R Raburn 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .320 M Ordonez dh 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .359 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .303 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .276 S Casey 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 C Maybin lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 T Perez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300 Totals 5 1 3 1 1 0 3 BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (44, D Haren). RBI - M Ordonez (120). 2-out RBI - M Ordonez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - I Rodriguez 1. GIDP - R Raburn. Team LOB - 2. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .272 M Piazza dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 D Johnson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268 M Scutaro ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. FIELDING: PB - K Suzuki. DP: 1 (M Scutaro-M Ellis-D Johnson). ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 1 -- 1 OAKLAND - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.75 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era D Haren 1 3 1 1 1 0 0 2.75 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 12-9; D Haren 17-8. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 0-2; D Haren 2-1. Batters faced: J Verlander 3; D Haren 6. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Darling. 1B--Larry Poncino. 2B--Bruce Dreckman. 3B--Jerry Meals. Weather: 70 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 1 0 1 3 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M PIAZZA (.274, 5 HR, 34 RBI) D JOHNSON (.235, 14 HR, 51 RBI) M ELLIS (.262, 16 HR, 56 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (1) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .342 R Raburn 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .320 M Ordonez dh 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .359 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .303 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .276 S Casey 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .281 C Maybin lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .194 T Perez rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 Totals 8 1 3 1 1 0 3 BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (44, D Haren). RBI - M Ordonez (120). 2-out RBI - M Ordonez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - I Rodriguez 1. GIDP - R Raburn. Team LOB - 2. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .272 M Piazza dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 D Johnson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268 M Scutaro ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. FIELDING: PB - K Suzuki. DP: 1 (M Scutaro-M Ellis-D Johnson). ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 10 -- 1 OAKLAND - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.75 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era D Haren 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 2.74 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 12-9; D Haren 26-14. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 0-2; D Haren 5-1. Batters faced: J Verlander 3; D Haren 9. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Darling. 1B--Larry Poncino. 2B--Bruce Dreckman. 3B--Jerry Meals. Weather: 70 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 1 0 1 3 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 1 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN DUE UP FOR DETROIT: C GRANDERSON (.296, 1-FOR-1) P POLANCO (.342, 1-FOR-1) R RABURN (.320, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (1) VS OAKLAND (0) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296 P Polanco 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .342 R Raburn 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .320 M Ordonez dh 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .359 C Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .303 I Rodriguez c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .276 S Casey 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .281 C Maybin lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .194 T Perez rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 Totals 8 1 3 1 1 0 3 BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (44, D Haren). RBI - M Ordonez (120). 2-out RBI - M Ordonez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - I Rodriguez 1. GIDP - R Raburn. Team LOB - 2. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .272 M Piazza dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273 D Johnson 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .234 M Ellis 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .263 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .268 M Scutaro ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .259 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252 Totals 7 0 1 0 1 3 2 BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Scutaro 1. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: PB - K Suzuki. DP: 1 (M Scutaro-M Ellis-D Johnson). ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 10 -- 1 OAKLAND - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 3.72 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era D Haren 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 2.74 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 40-25; D Haren 26-14. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 0-3; D Haren 5-1. Batters faced: J Verlander 8; D Haren 9. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Darling. 1B--Larry Poncino. 2B--Bruce Dreckman. 3B--Jerry Meals. Weather: 70 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE SOLO HOME RUN BY CURTIS GRANDERSON (19) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN THE 3RD OFF DAN HAREN. CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 2, OAKLAND 0 DUE UP FOR DETROIT: P POLANCO (.342, 1-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY RYAN RABURN SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO. SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R RABURN ON SECOND, 0 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 3 OAKLAND 0 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.359, 1-FOR-1, RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 1 0 2 3 6 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 1 0 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: K SUZUKI (.252, 5 HR, 22 RBI) S STEWART (.282, 0-FOR-1) N SWISHER (.263, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">DETROIT (3) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg C Granderson cf 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 .297 P Polanco 2b 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 .343 R Raburn 3b 2 0 1 1 0 0 1 .327 M Ordonez dh 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 .358 C Guillen ss 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 .303 I Rodriguez c 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 .275 S Casey 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .281 C Maybin lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .194 T Perez rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 Totals 14 3 6 3 1 1 5 BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (44, D Haren); R Raburn (9, D Haren). HR - C Granderson (19, 3rd inning off D Haren 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - M Ordonez (120), C Granderson (66), R Raburn (19). 2-out RBI - M Ordonez. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - I Rodriguez 2. GIDP - R Raburn. Team LOB - 3. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .272 M Piazza dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273 D Johnson 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .234 M Ellis 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .263 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .268 M Scutaro ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .259 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252 Totals 7 0 1 0 1 3 2 BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Scutaro 1. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: PB - K Suzuki. DP: 1 (M Scutaro-M Ellis-D Johnson). ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 102 -- 3 OAKLAND - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era J Verlander 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 3.72 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era D Haren 3 6 3 3 1 1 1 2.82 Pitches-strikes: J Verlander 40-25; D Haren 59-36. Ground balls-fly balls: J Verlander 0-3; D Haren 7-1. Batters faced: J Verlander 8; D Haren 15. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Darling. 1B--Larry Poncino. 2B--Bruce Dreckman. 3B--Jerry Meals. Weather: 70 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: DETROIT at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 1 0 2 3 6 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 2 0 (TOP 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER OAK - DAN HAREN DUE UP FOR DETROIT: S CASEY (.281, 0-FOR-1) C MAYBIN (.194, 0-FOR-1) T PEREZ (.286, 0-FOR-1)</div>
