Rich Harden (4-3, 5.27) vs.
Rick Porcello (8-4, 3.54), 7:05 p.m. EST
Last night's thrilling finish extended the Tigers' winning streak to five games, and put them a season-high eight games over .500. Can they keep the good times rolling tonight?
In his last start, Rich Harden was bombed by the Indians for seven runs and seven hits in five innings. Two of those hits were three-run homers. It was easily his worst outing of the season, resulting largely from falling behind hitters and leaving pitches up in the zone. Maybe Harden was tired out, as it was only his second start since coming off the disabled list for a strained back. In five career starts against the Tigers, he has a 3-1 record and 3.48 ERA.
Rick Porcello ended Detroit's four-game losing streak last Thursday, with an impressive 97-pitch performance in the grueling St. Louis heat. He allowed just one earned run in 5.2 innings, picking the Tigers up when Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson couldn't, and winning his second straight start. Porcello has a 3-2 record and 4.22 ERA in six starts at Comerica Park.
Lineup-wise, it's the same for the Tigers as last night, except for Adam Everett back at shortstop and batting ninth.
The Tigers will also be holding a Twitter event tonight during the game, if you're interested. From 7 p.m. until the seventh inning stretch, Ron Colangelo, the team's VP of communications, will take questions from fans at @Official_Tigers. You'll also have a chance to win tickets. Other guests will be answering questions, as well, but we don't know who those will be yet. I'm guessing players and coaches won't be among them.