Rick Porcello (9-7, 4.62) vs. 
Jeremy Sowers (3-7, 5.15), 7:05 p.m. EST
Was tonight really supposed to be Victor Martinez Bobblehead Night at Progressive Field? Instant collector's item, to be sure. Unless they begin to litter the field. (But who would do that? Everyone loves a bobblehead. I still have my Joey Harrington one on top of my TV.) The Indians are also proceeding as planned with the Victor Martinez Chest Protector Backpack Night on Thursday! (I guess it was either that or donate them to kids in the Congo.)
Jeremy Sowers is coming off his best start of the season for the Indians. At Seattle, he shut out the Mariners for seven innings, holding them to just four hits. In his two starts prior to that, however, Sowers allowed nine runs and 16 hits in 11.1 innings. The Tigers have hit Sowers pretty hard in the five games they've faced each other. His record is 2-3 with a 6.66 ERA, with 35 hits allowed in 25.2 innings.
Rick Porcello gets an extra day of rest after Thursday's off-day. He probably didn't need the break after a long hiatus in July, but maybe that gave him a chance to work on sharpening off-speed pitches that seemed to hang at the plate last Sunday night. In his past four starts, Porcello has allowed 19 earned runs in 18.2 innings. He's also giving up the long ball, with six served up in those four games. Porcello has faced Cleveland once this season, holding the Tribe to one run and five hits over five innings back in early May.