Detroit @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Apr 21, 2010 ) Detroit 4, LA Angels 3
Slow starts are nothing new to Justin Verlander, and this season seems to be no different.
The Detroit Tigers ace didn’t notch a win until his fifth start in each of the past two seasons before turning things around the rest of the way.
Verlander is hoping not to wait that long to get off the snide in 2010 as he looks for a win in his fourth try of the campaign in Thursday’s series finale with the Los Angeles Angels.
The right-hander is off to a tough beginning, sporting a record of 0-1 with an ERA of 6.88 in three appearances. He has surrendered 13 runs on 18 hits with 15 strikeouts over 17 innings of work.
On an encouraging note, Verlander is fresh-off his best outing to date, allowing seven hits and three runs with six strikeouts in a hard-luck loss to the Seattle Mariners.
Verlander put together a career year in 2009, winning 19 games with a 3.45 ERA and 269 strikeouts. Finding that form could be difficult against the Angels as his one victory is the lowest total he has posted against any American League opponent. He is 1-2 with a 4.86 ERA in just six career starts versus them.
The Tigers will need a strong outing as they attempt to gather some momentum after a sluggish previous week. Prior to Wednesday’s come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Angels, the Tigers had dropped six of eight contests.
They got back in the win column thanks to Miguel Cabrera, who continued his recent tear with a ninth-inning home run that tied the score. Ramon Santiago followed up with a single for the go-ahead run.
The runs came off Brian Fuentes, who was making his first appearance since spending time on the 15-day disabled list. Fuentes struggled as he regained his closer duties from Fernando Rodney, who filled in admirably in his absence.
The Angels, who had captured five straight before the setback, will lean on Joe Saunders on Thursday.
Saunders followed up two mediocre starts with a strong performance in his last outing, going eight innings and allowing two unearned runs on five hits.
The left-hander hasn’t had much luck against the Tigers, sporting a 1-1 record with a 5.18 ERA in seven career starts.
Detroit outfielder Magglio Ordonez has hit Saunders hard, recording eight hits, including a home run, in 20 at-bats with five RBIs.