@ Comerica Park
Game 1: Monday, August 3rd, 7:05 PM ET.
Chris Tillman, RHP (0-0, 5.79) Vs. Justin Verlander, RHP (12-5, 3.16)
Orioles: Tillman added his name to the ever-growing list of Oriole pitchers to make their major league debuts this season. The rookie went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. All three runs came on solo home runs, however, but Tillman was able to avoid the loss as the Orioles won, 7-3.
Tigers: With wins in three of his last four starts, including Wednesday at Texas, Verlander is now jostling among the Major League leaders in that category as well as his AL lead in strikeouts. He fanned 13 Rangers over seven innings Wednesday, tying the career high he set against the Twins in May. Now he'll get another shot at an Orioles lineup he has tended to own over the last few years, His quality start May 30 at Camden Yards improved his record to 4-0 in five starts against the O's with a 1.85 ERA.
Game 2: Tuesday, August 4th, 7:05 PM ET.
Brian Matusz, LHP (0-0, -.--) Vs. Jarrod Washburn, LHP (8-6, 2.64)
Orioles: Matusz will join the growing list of Orioles rookie pitchers this season when he makes his Major League debut against the Tigers. Although it had not been confirmed by the Orioles as of Saturday, it is likely the 2008 first-round Draft pick will get the start. Matusz has spent the majority of the 2009 season with the team's Double-A affiliate, the Bowie Baysox, where he's compiled a 7-0 record.
Tigers: Washburn will make his Tigers debut at Comerica Park trying to continue the dominant midsummer stretch that made him such an appealing starter on the trade market in the first place. He has allowed just three runs on 20 hits in 36 2/3 innings over his last five starts, all of them Mariners victories, including seven scoreless innings at Detroit July 23 and a complete-game one-hitter against the Orioles July 6 in Seattle. He has allowed one run on seven hits over 16 innings against the O's this year.
Game 3: Wednesday, August 5th, 7:05 PM ET.
Jeremy Guthrie, RHP (7-10, 5.37) Vs. Edwin Jackson, RHP (7-5, 2.64)
Orioles: The Orioles ace continued to struggle with the long ball in his last start. Guthrie gave up three home runs in a loss to the Red Sox, bringing his total to 26 this season. The right-hander lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits and two walks while striking out four.
Tigers: Though Jackson lasted just four innings Friday at Cleveland, he needed 115 pitches to get there, the highest pitch count by a starter who didn't last into the fifth since at least 1988. More worrisome than the statistics is the stuff, which hasn't been quite as crisp in his last two starts. After racking up at least seven strikeouts in seven starts over a 12-start stretch, Jackson hasn't gotten the same swings and misses, more like several foul balls. Indians hitters fouled off 28 of Jackson's pitches in his last outing, including some quality sliders that left Jackson surprised. The good news for Jackson is that he's facing the Orioles, whom he blanked for eight innings of two-hit ball May 31 at Camden Yards.
Game 4: Thursday, August 6th, 1:05 PM ET.
David Hernandez, RHP (3-3, 3.22) Vs. Rick Porcello, RHP (9-7, 4.36)
Orioles: Facing the Red Sox lineup for the second time in one week, Hernandez struggled with command in his last start on Saturday. The rookie lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, but issued four walks and gave up two home runs over the 23 batters he faced.
Tigers: Porcello didn't get a win from his eight innings of four-hit, one-run ball Saturday at Cleveland, but he got an infusion of confidence. So, for that matter, did the Tigers, who had watched him go six straight outings without a quality start. He induced just six swings and misses out of his 91 pitches, but he drove his sinker into Indians bats for 16 ground balls, nearly twice the number of fly balls he got. It's an outing that looks huge in a Detroit rotation that now has three workhorse arms ahead of him. He'll face the O's for the first time in his career.
