DRays vs Tigers (5/28-5/30)
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:35 pm
Monday, May 28 Tropicana Field | 7:10 PM ET
DET Chad Durbin, RHP (4-1, 4.74)
Tigers (29-20) @ TB Edwin Jackson, RHP (0-6, 7.78)
Devil Rays (20-28)
Scouting Report:
Tigers: Durbin's string of seven consecutive starts in which he lowered his ERA ended with his start against the Angels on Wednesday night, but he still got the victory in an 8-7 win. Durbin has been much improved after he began the season with three rough outings that had his ERA at 10.54. He appears to be more comfortable in his role as the team's fifth starter. Durbin will start the first game of the year for the Tigers against Tampa Bay, a team he holds a 1-1 record against with a 3.93 ERA in three career starts.
Devil Rays: Jackson's turn was skipped a couple of days, then was bypassed another day after a rainout at Chicago on Saturday. He has had nine days off to tinker with his delivery with the help of pitching coach Jim Hickey.
Tuesday, May 29 Tropicana Field | 7:10 PM ET
DET Jeremy Bonderman, RHP (3-0, 3.57)
Tigers (29-20) @ TB Casey Fossum, LHP (3-4, 7.15)
Devil Rays (20-28)
Scouting Report:
Tigers: Blister? What blister? Bonderman pitched one of his best games of the season in his last start on May 24 against the Angels after he missed two starts with a blister on his right middle finger. He worked out of two bases-loaded jams in the first and fourth innings and allowed four hits over eight innings in a 12-0 win. Bonderman walked a season-high five in that game, but he made the key pitches when he needed them to go along with his six strikeouts.
Rays: Fossum earned the hard-luck loss even though he gave up just a single earned run over 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday. He kept his pitches down and out of Seattle's reach for the most part, something he had struggled to do in his previous outing. It was his fourth quality start of nine tries, but he's been the victim of poor run support more than once -- the Rays have averaged only 3.89 runs in his starts.
Wednesday, May 30 Tropicana Field | 7:10 PM ET
DET Nate Robertson, LHP (4-4, 4.03)
Tigers (29-20) @ TB James Shields, RHP (3-0, 3.15)
Devil Rays (20-28)
Scouting Report:
Tigers: Make it four rough starts in a row for Robertson. He gave up 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 7-4 loss to the Indians on Friday. Opponents are hitting the ball at an alarming rate against Robertson, who has given up 37 hits over his past 20 1/3 innings. Robertson said he can't figure out why he isn't fooling more hitters, though the biggest key will be keeping the ball low in the zone. Robertson will have to figure it out before his start against the Rays. He's 0-2 with a 5.56 ERA in three starts against them.
Rays: Elijah Dukes hit a three-run home run to take Shields off the hook for what would have been his first loss of the season on Friday night, as the young right-hander struggled a bit against the Chicago White Sox. He allowed four runs, 10 hits and three walks over seven innings. The biggest blow against him came via Luis Terrero, who hit his own three-run homer in the fourth. Shields has allowed nine home runs in 10 starts this season, perhaps the only significant statistical blotch against him.
DET Chad Durbin, RHP (4-1, 4.74)
Tigers (29-20) @ TB Edwin Jackson, RHP (0-6, 7.78)
Devil Rays (20-28)
Scouting Report:
Tigers: Durbin's string of seven consecutive starts in which he lowered his ERA ended with his start against the Angels on Wednesday night, but he still got the victory in an 8-7 win. Durbin has been much improved after he began the season with three rough outings that had his ERA at 10.54. He appears to be more comfortable in his role as the team's fifth starter. Durbin will start the first game of the year for the Tigers against Tampa Bay, a team he holds a 1-1 record against with a 3.93 ERA in three career starts.
Devil Rays: Jackson's turn was skipped a couple of days, then was bypassed another day after a rainout at Chicago on Saturday. He has had nine days off to tinker with his delivery with the help of pitching coach Jim Hickey.
Tuesday, May 29 Tropicana Field | 7:10 PM ET
DET Jeremy Bonderman, RHP (3-0, 3.57)
Tigers (29-20) @ TB Casey Fossum, LHP (3-4, 7.15)
Devil Rays (20-28)
Scouting Report:
Tigers: Blister? What blister? Bonderman pitched one of his best games of the season in his last start on May 24 against the Angels after he missed two starts with a blister on his right middle finger. He worked out of two bases-loaded jams in the first and fourth innings and allowed four hits over eight innings in a 12-0 win. Bonderman walked a season-high five in that game, but he made the key pitches when he needed them to go along with his six strikeouts.
Rays: Fossum earned the hard-luck loss even though he gave up just a single earned run over 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday. He kept his pitches down and out of Seattle's reach for the most part, something he had struggled to do in his previous outing. It was his fourth quality start of nine tries, but he's been the victim of poor run support more than once -- the Rays have averaged only 3.89 runs in his starts.
Wednesday, May 30 Tropicana Field | 7:10 PM ET
DET Nate Robertson, LHP (4-4, 4.03)
Tigers (29-20) @ TB James Shields, RHP (3-0, 3.15)
Devil Rays (20-28)
Scouting Report:
Tigers: Make it four rough starts in a row for Robertson. He gave up 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 7-4 loss to the Indians on Friday. Opponents are hitting the ball at an alarming rate against Robertson, who has given up 37 hits over his past 20 1/3 innings. Robertson said he can't figure out why he isn't fooling more hitters, though the biggest key will be keeping the ball low in the zone. Robertson will have to figure it out before his start against the Rays. He's 0-2 with a 5.56 ERA in three starts against them.
Rays: Elijah Dukes hit a three-run home run to take Shields off the hook for what would have been his first loss of the season on Friday night, as the young right-hander struggled a bit against the Chicago White Sox. He allowed four runs, 10 hits and three walks over seven innings. The biggest blow against him came via Luis Terrero, who hit his own three-run homer in the fourth. Shields has allowed nine home runs in 10 starts this season, perhaps the only significant statistical blotch against him.