Detroit @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2010 ) Detroit 3, Cleveland 6
Two starters coming off complete-game victories share the mound in the second half of Wednesday’s doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.
Justin Verlander (18-8, 3.31 ERA) is expected to make his final start of the season for the Tigers in today’s second game. He has thrown back-to-back complete games, giving up a single unearned run while striking out 11 in a 10-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.
In four straight wins, Verlander has piled up 37 strikeouts and now sits with 209 punch-outs on the year. One concern the Tigers may have with their big right-hander today is the amount of innings he has logged. He has gone at least eight innings in five of his last seven starts and is tied for third in the American League with 217 1/3 innings pitched this season.
Verlander, who is 4-0 over the last two seasons at Progressive Field, will share the hill with Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin (5-4, 4.50 ERA). The 25-year-old rookie is also coming off a complete game, the first of his career. He needed only 112 pitches to put away the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Friday, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out a season-best six batters.
Tomlin struggled the only other time he faced Detroit, giving up five runs on seven hits over six innings in a 5-2 loss back on Aug. 21. Since then he has gone 4-0 through six starts leading up to today’s game.
Both the Indians and Tigers have been getting some strong performances out of their bullpens lately. Detroit’s relievers have worked 26 1/3 innings over the last three games, posting a 3.46 ERA, while Cleveland’s bullpen has logged 28 1/3 innings over its last three with a 3.16 ERA.
Cleveland has beaten Detroit six straight times at Progressive Field, outscoring the Tigers 34-15.