Texas @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2010 ) Texas 8, Detroit 6
The Detroit Tigers are in the midst of yet another second-half slump.
Searching for answers, the floundering Tigers hope Armando Galarraga’s return can give them a spark as they try to end a six-game slide against the red-hot Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
Detroit has made a habit of starting out strong and fading down the stretch. The Tigers are a combined 21 games under .500 after the All-Star break over the last four seasons.
In 2009, the Tigers led the AL Central for 146 days before collapsing and allowing the Minnesota Twins to win the division. Detroit became the first team in major league history to lose a three-game lead with four contests to play.
It appears history is repeating itself early in the second-half of 2010. The Tigers entered the All-Star break in first place in the AL Central.
But, true to form, they have faltered since returning from the break and now find themselves two games back of the first-place Chicago White Sox.
Detroit was swept in a four-game series by the woeful Cleveland Indians. The Tigers then dropped the series opener with Texas, 8-6, in 14 innings on Monday. Miguel Cabrera belted a pair of home runs, but it was Nelson Cruz’s two-run shot in the 14th inning that proved to be the difference.
The Tigers look to rebound behind Galarraga (3-2, 4.45 ERA), who will make his first start in two weeks. He was sent to the minors on July 7 so that he would continue pitching through the All-Star break.
Galarraga is 1-1 with a 5.61 ERA since his near perfect game on June 2.
He allowed three runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles on July 6. Acquired from Texas after the 2007 season, Galarraga is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in three starts against his former team.
The AL West-leading Rangers send rookie Tommy Hunter (6-0, 2.39) to the hill on Tuesday. Hunter is the first Texas pitcher to begin a season 6-0 since Esteban Loaiza in 1999. The 24-year-old allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 7-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
He will try to help the Rangers to their first series win at Comerica Park since June 2007.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are looking to avoid losing seven straight for the first time since 2008.
They won’t have the services of third baseman Brandon Inge as they try to end their losing streak, however.
Inge is expected to be sidelined as much as six weeks with a broken pinkie, which he suffered after being hit by a fastball from Scott Feldman in the third inning of Monday's loss.