Detroit @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 21, 2010 ) Detroit 1, LA Dodgers 4
The lack of a designated hitter during interleague games at National League ballparks often leaves a good American League player on the bench.
The Detroit Tigers know that feeling quite well and are playing the outfield shuffle during the three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Johnny Damon was the player on the outside looking in during Friday night’s opening game, even though right-handed pitcher Chad Billingsley was on the mound for the Dodgers.
Detroit manager Jim Leyland indicated that Damon, who is batting .290, will definitely start Saturday’s game against Los Angeles hurler John Ely.
So someone among the trio of Magglio Ordonez, rookie Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch will not be in the starting lineup for Saturday’s contest.
Boesch hits left-handed and is batting .349 since being recalled in late April, Jackson has been one of the top rookies in baseball and is hitting .333 while Ordonez is hitting .311 and is second on the Tigers with 27 RBIs.
Interestingly enough, the Tigers are without usual designated hitter Carlos Guillen, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. It was Guillen’s injury that led to the recall of the hot-hitting Boesch.
At least Detroit has a lot of good options. That can’t be a bad thing while going up against Ely (2-1), who has been pitching superbly for the Dodgers.
Ely has 21 strikeouts without walking a single batter in 19 2/3 innings over his last three starts. He’s allowed just five runs in that span and has posted back-to-back wins over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros.
The hurler has a 3.51 earned run average.
Armando Galarraga will oppose Ely and Galarraga is making his second start of the season. He gave up just one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings while beating the Boston Red Sox on May 16 to earn Saturday’s start against the Dodgers.
Galarraga won 13 games in 2008 before struggling badly last season. He blanked the Dodgers on three hits over seven innings during a 2008 interleague game in Detroit.
The Dodgers have won 11 of 12 games to move into a first-place tie in the NL West with the San Diego Padres.
Left fielder Manny Ramirez (toe) was back in the lineup on Friday and went 1-for-4 with one RBI. Catcher Russell Martin will be back in the lineup Saturday after receiving a rare day off. Martin is currently riding a 15-game hitting streak.