AL: DETROIT (81-67) at MINNESOTA (72-75) <h3>Tigers face Santana in the midst of playoff push</h3> <div class="pre">Detroit (81-67) at Minnesota (72-75) 7:10 pm EDT</div> MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - The Detroit Tigers are in the midst of aplayoff chase, so the last pitcher they want to face is thereigning American League Cy Young Award winner. The Tigers aim to win their fourth straight as they face JohanSantana and the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Detroit, which trails the New York Yankees (84-63) by 3 1/2games in the wild card race, earned a 4-2 victory on Friday asTimo Perez drove in three runs and Nate Robertson threw sevensolid innings. Now the Tigers face Santana (15-11, 3.09 ERA), who snapped apersonal two-game skid by limiting the Chicago White Sox to onerun and five hits in seven innings of a 5-2 win on Sunday. Santana is 11-4 with a 2.69 ERA lifetime agains the Tigers. Thelefthander is 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA against them this season.| The Tigers can feel a little better about their chances againstSantana since Magglio Ordonez is one of the few hitters to havegreat success against the lefthander. Ordonez, whose .357average leads the AL, is hitting .417 (18-for-43) with five homeruns and 17 RBI vs. Santana. Detroit, which has won eight of 11, may need him to continuethat success since it is sending rookie Yorman Bazardo (1-1,3.00) to the mound. Bazardo is making his first career startafter making nine appearance out of the bullpen. The righthanderwas 10-6 with a 3.75 ERA in 23 appearance - 21 starts - forClass AAA Toledo.
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">DETROIT AT MINNESOTA -- LINEUPS DETROIT MINNESOTA AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Ryan Raburn LF .302 3 20 Jason Bartlett SS .271 5 41 Placido Polanco 2B .342 8 64 Jason Kubel LF .266 11 60 Gary Sheffield DH .271 25 74 Joe Mauer C .294 5 54 Magglio Ordonez RF .357 27 132 Torii Hunter CF .293 28 101 Carlos Guillen SS .295 19 94 Justin Morneau 1B .280 30 107 Ivan Rodriguez C .284 11 58 Michael Cuddyer RF .272 13 73 Marcus Thames 1B .245 15 47 Garrett Jones DH .170 0 2 Brandon Inge 3B .242 14 65 Luis Rodriguez 2B .216 2 11 Brent Clevlen CF .000 0 0 Nick Punto 3B .199 1 22 Yorman Bazardo RHP (1-1, 3.00) Johan Santana LHP (15-11, 3.09)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA WARMUPS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO (1-1, 3.00) MIN - JOHAN SANTANA (15-11, 3.09) UMPIRES: HP - CHAD FAIRCHILD 1B - TONY RANDAZZO 2B - GREG GIBSON 3B - LARRY VANOVER WEATHER: INDOORS</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA -- REVISED WARMUPS WARMUPS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO (1-1, 3.00) MIN - JOHAN SANTANA (15-11, 3.09) UMPIRES: HP - CHAD FAIRCHILD 1B - TONY RANDAZZO 2B - GREG GIBSON 3B - LARRY VANOVER WEATHER: INDOORS</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA STARTING BATS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ MIN - JOHAN SANTANA AND JOE MAUER DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R RABURN (.302, 3 HR, 20 RBI) P POLANCO (.342, 8 HR, 64 RBI) G SHEFFIELD (.271, 25 HR, 74 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY CARLOS GUILLEN SCORED RYAN RABURN. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C GUILLEN ON FIRST, M ORDONEZ ON SECOND, P POLANCO ON THIRD, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 1 MINNESOTA 0 TOP, 1ST DUE UP FOR DETROIT: I RODRIGUEZ (.284, 11 HR, 58 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY IVAN RODRIGUEZ SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO, MAGGLIO ORDONEZ AND CARLOS GUILLEN. SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, I RODRIGUEZ ON SECOND, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 4 MINNESOTA 0 TOP, 1ST DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M THAMES (.245, 15 HR, 47 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 4 4 4 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J BARTLETT (.271, 5 HR, 41 RBI) J KUBEL (.266, 11 HR, 60 RBI) J MAUER (.294, 5 HR, 54 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">DETROIT (4) VS MINNESOTA (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg R Raburn lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .308 P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .343 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .270 M Ordonez rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .357 C Guillen ss 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 .286 M Thames 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .244 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .241 B Clevlen cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 7 4 4 4 1 2 4 BATTING: 2B - I Rodriguez (29, J Santana). RBI - C Guillen (95), I Rodriguez 3 (61). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - B Inge 1. Team LOB - 1. MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Bartlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 J Kubel lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .266 J Mauer c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 T Hunter cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 J Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 G Jones dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170 L Rodriguez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .199 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 4 -- 4 MINNESOTA - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era Y Bazardo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.00 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era J Santana 1 4 4 4 1 2 0 3.25 Pitches-strikes: J Santana 28-19. Ground balls-fly balls: J Santana 1-0. Batters faced: J Santana 8. UMPIRES: HP--Chad Fairchild. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Greg Gibson. 3B--Larry Vanover. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA CONFIRMED STARTERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 4 4 4 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 1 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA DUE UP FOR DETROIT: B CLEVLEN (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI) R RABURN (.308, 1-FOR-1) P POLANCO (.343, 1-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">DETROIT (4) VS MINNESOTA (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg R Raburn lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .308 P Polanco 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .343 G Sheffield dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .270 M Ordonez rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .357 C Guillen ss 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 .286 M Thames 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .244 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .241 B Clevlen cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 7 4 4 4 1 2 4 BATTING: 2B - I Rodriguez (29, J Santana). RBI - C Guillen (95), I Rodriguez 3 (61). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - B Inge 1. Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: DP: 1 (Y Bazardo-C Guillen-M Thames). MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 J Kubel lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .268 J Mauer c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .293 T Hunter cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 J Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 G Jones dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170 L Rodriguez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .199 Totals 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 BATTING: GIDP - J Mauer. Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 4 -- 4 MINNESOTA - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era Y Bazardo 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.77 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era J Santana 1 4 4 4 1 2 0 3.25 Pitches-strikes: Y Bazardo 12-8; J Santana 28-19. Ground balls-fly balls: Y Bazardo 2-1; J Santana 1-0. Batters faced: Y Bazardo 3; J Santana 8. UMPIRES: HP--Chad Fairchild. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Greg Gibson. 3B--Larry Vanover. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 4 0 4 5 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 1 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: T HUNTER (.293, 28 HR, 101 RBI) J MORNEAU (.280, 30 HR, 107 RBI) M CUDDYER (.272, 13 HR, 73 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">DETROIT (4) VS MINNESOTA (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg R Raburn lf 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 .305 P Polanco 2b 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 .342 G Sheffield dh 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 .270 M Ordonez rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .357 C Guillen ss 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 .286 M Thames 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .244 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .241 B Clevlen cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .200 Totals 11 4 5 4 1 3 7 BATTING: 2B - I Rodriguez (29, J Santana). RBI - C Guillen (95), I Rodriguez 3 (61). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - B Inge 1. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (Y Bazardo-C Guillen-M Thames). MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 J Kubel lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .268 J Mauer c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .293 T Hunter cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 J Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 G Jones dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170 L Rodriguez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .199 Totals 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 BATTING: GIDP - J Mauer. Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 40 -- 4 MINNESOTA - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era Y Bazardo 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.77 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era J Santana 2 5 4 4 1 3 0 3.24 Pitches-strikes: Y Bazardo 12-8; J Santana 45-32. Ground balls-fly balls: Y Bazardo 2-1; J Santana 2-1. Batters faced: Y Bazardo 3; J Santana 12. UMPIRES: HP--Chad Fairchild. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Greg Gibson. 3B--Larry Vanover. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 4 0 4 5 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 0 1 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.357, 0-FOR-0, BB) C GUILLEN (.296, 1-FOR-1, RBI) I RODRIGUEZ (.286, 1-FOR-1, 3 RBI)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">DETROIT (4) VS MINNESOTA (0) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg R Raburn lf 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 .305 P Polanco 2b 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 .342 G Sheffield dh 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 .270 M Ordonez rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .357 C Guillen ss 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .296 I Rodriguez c 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 .286 M Thames 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .244 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .241 B Clevlen cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .200 Totals 11 4 5 4 1 3 7 BATTING: 2B - I Rodriguez (29, J Santana). RBI - C Guillen (95), I Rodriguez 3 (61). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - B Inge 1. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (Y Bazardo-C Guillen-M Thames). MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 J Kubel lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .268 J Mauer c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .293 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .272 G Jones dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .167 L Rodriguez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .199 Totals 6 0 1 0 1 1 2 BATTING: GIDP - J Mauer. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 40 -- 4 MINNESOTA - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era Y Bazardo 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 2.57 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era J Santana 2 5 4 4 1 3 0 3.24 Pitches-strikes: Y Bazardo 32-18; J Santana 45-32. Ground balls-fly balls: Y Bazardo 4-1; J Santana 2-1. Batters faced: Y Bazardo 7; J Santana 12. UMPIRES: HP--Chad Fairchild. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Greg Gibson. 3B--Larry Vanover. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 4 0 0 4 5 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 0 1 0 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: L RODRIGUEZ (.216, 2 HR, 11 RBI) N PUNTO (.199, 1 HR, 22 RBI) J BARTLETT (.270, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">DETROIT (4) VS MINNESOTA (0) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS DETROIT ab r h rbi bb so lob avg R Raburn lf 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 .305 P Polanco 2b 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 .342 G Sheffield dh 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 .270 M Ordonez rf 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .356 C Guillen ss 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 .295 I Rodriguez c 2 0 1 3 0 0 0 .285 M Thames 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .244 B Inge 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .241 B Clevlen cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .200 Totals 14 4 5 4 1 3 7 BATTING: 2B - I Rodriguez (29, J Santana). RBI - C Guillen (95), I Rodriguez 3 (61). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - B Inge 1. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (Y Bazardo-C Guillen-M Thames). MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270 J Kubel lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .268 J Mauer c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .293 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .272 G Jones dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .167 L Rodriguez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .199 Totals 6 0 1 0 1 1 2 BATTING: GIDP - J Mauer. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT - 400 -- 4 MINNESOTA - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- DETROIT ip h r er bb so hr era Y Bazardo 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 2.57 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era J Santana 3 5 4 4 1 3 0 3.22 Pitches-strikes: Y Bazardo 32-18; J Santana 52-37. Ground balls-fly balls: Y Bazardo 4-1; J Santana 4-2. Batters faced: Y Bazardo 7; J Santana 15. UMPIRES: HP--Chad Fairchild. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Greg Gibson. 3B--Larry Vanover. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE WILD PITCH BY YORMAN BAZARDO ALLOWED NICK PUNTO TO SCORE. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J BARTLETT ON FIRST, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: DETROIT 4 MINNESOTA 1 BOTTOM, 3RD DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J KUBEL (.268, 1-FOR-1)</div>
AL: DETROIT at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - DETROIT 4 0 0 4 5 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 1 1 3 0 (TOP 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: DET - YORMAN BAZARDO MIN - JOHAN SANTANA DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M THAMES (.244, 0-FOR-1) B INGE (.241, 0-FOR-1) B CLEVLEN (.200, 1-FOR-1)</div>
