Minnesota @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2010 ) Minnesota 3, Detroit 7
Nick Blackburn and Jeremy Bonderman could hold the key to the success of their respective teams in their quest to win the AL Central title.
Whether that's good news for either club is a question that can't be answered at this time.
The right-handers will be on the mound on Saturday as the Minnesota Twins will face the Detroit Tigers in the second game of their series between the division contenders.
Both have had moments when they've looked like solid front-of-the-rotation starters that a team can rely upon in big games down the stretch. Conversely, there have been other times where both have left their managers contacting their bullpens far earlier than they would prefer.
Blackburn had Twins manager Ron Gardenhire smiling after posting a 5-0 mark in May. Blackburn pitched one complete game and worked at least seven innings in all five starts in the month. He allowed 40 hits and 11 earned in 37 1/3 innings.
His good work seems like a distant memory.
Blackburn is 1-5 in his last seven starts and has managed to pitch seven innings only twice in that stretch. He has lasted less than four frames four times and has allowed 54 hits and 33 earned runs in 32 innings.
Blackburn lost his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays, permitting four runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Bonderman has also had his ups and downs.
In a stretch of nine starts from May 1-June 23, he allowed three runs or less seven times and pitched at least seven innings on five occasions.
Just when it looked like Bonderman was getting past the arm problems that ruined his 2008 and 2009 seasons, his last three starts have been a much different story. He has lasted only 16 1/3 innings, allowing 25 hits, 15 earned runs and four homers.
Bonderman was shaky in losing his his last start to the Seattle Mariners, allowing seven runs and nine hits in five innings.
The Tigers lead the AL Central by a half-game over the Chicago White Sox and three games over the Twins. Detroit has won four straight and six of seven while Minnesota has lost three in a row and six of eight.
The Twins are also dealing with an injury to a key player. First baseman Justin Morneau has missed the last two games and is questionable because of a concussion suffered Wednesday night in Toronto. He was hit in the head by John McDonald's knee while sliding into second base .
Morneau still has a headache and is also questionable for next week's All-Star Game.
The Tigers won the series opener Friday night, 7-3, behind three RBIs from Magglio Ordonez and Justin Verlander's sixth victory in his last seven starts.