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Game 81: Orioles at Tigers, 1:05 p.m.

By Kurt Mensching

Current Series

3 game series vs Orioles @ Comerica Park

Baltimore Orioles
@ Detroit Tigers

Monday, Jul 5, 2010, 1:05 PM EDT
Comerica Park

Kevin Millwood vs Andrew Oliver

Sunny. Winds blowing from right to left field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around .

Complete Coverage >

Tue 07/06 7:05 PM EDT
Wed 07/07 7:05 PM EDT

Kevin Millwood

#34 / Pitcher / Baltimore Orioles

6-4

230

R

R

Dec 24, 1974

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2010 - Kevin Millwood 2-8 17 17 1 0 0 0 106.2 131 70 64 20 33 83 5.40 1.54

vs.

Andy Oliver

#41 / Pitcher / Detroit Tigers

6-3

210

L

L

Dec 03, 1987

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2010 - Andy Oliver 0-2 2 2 0 0 0 0 12.0 13 7 4 2 3 10 3.00 1.33


No offense to the Baltimore Orioes, but this is the kind of series the Tigers pretty much have to sweep and have a good opportunity of doing so. They're not just in last, for awhile they were nearly on the same pace as the 2003 Tigers. And we know how that team turned out.

The first step in that is the rookie Andy Oliver getting a win, or at least keeping his team close enough to get the win in late innings.

If Oliver threw for a quality start, he'd be the first Tigers rookie since 1989 to have one in each of his first three starts. Brian DuBois did it that year. However, the last two do it for two games was west Michigander Andy Van Hekken in 2002. He even threw a complete game shutout his first appearance. Sadly he never made it back to the big leagues after that September callup.

A few more tidbits from the game notes:

  • Tigers record in their five game: 2-3
    ... last 10: 5-5
    ... last 15: 7-8
    ... last 20: 12-8
  • Brennan Boesch is hitting .418 with three home runs during his last 14 games at Comerica Park.
  • The Tigers' bullpen has a 16-7 record and 3.30 ERA. (However 47 of 137 inherited runners, or 34.7 percent, scored)

Links:

  • The Tigers signed a top hitting prospect in Venezuela, Danry Vasquez. Lynn Henning provides more info.
  • Lee Panas notes Austin Jackson was one of the AL's best baserunners in the first half of the season.
  • The Diamondbacks ended their Dontrelle Willis experiment a lot faster than the Tigers. He was designated for assignment. That very well could be the end of his MLB career, though I wouldn't bet on it. People will keep hoping the best for him and giving him more chances than he otherwise deserves.

Lineup:

Tigers: Jackson CF, Damon DH, Ordonez RF, Cabrera 1B, Boesch LF, Guillen 2B, Inge 3B, Avila C, Santiago SS

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