Detroit (16-24) at Kansas City (18-21)

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det

Tigers look to avoid chasing pitches

Jason Beck / MLB.com
The Royals have been pitching the Tigers "backwards," says Jim Leyland, getting hitters to chase balls for third strikes or easy outs. Looking for Kenny Rogers to stay hot, the club hopes to improve its plate control and prevent a sweep.
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Tigers probable pitcher

Kenny Rogers

  • LHP
  • (3-3) 5.82 ERA
Tigers: Rogers pitched well in his second start against the Yankees this season. He threw six solid innings against his old club, allowing two earned runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking three. He gave up a solo home run to Jason Giambi in the second inning, but did not surrender another run until reliever Zach Miner allowed an inherited runner to score in the seventh. In the second game of the season, Rogers took the loss against the Royals after giving up two runs on five hits in six innings.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 213-146 4.22 3172.1 1125 1908 .269
Season 3-3 5.82 43.1 21 22 .305
May 1-0 3.55 12.2 2 9 .294
Vs. Kansas City 0-1 3.00 6.0 1 4 .217

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/15/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Detroit Tigers (AL Central) 16 24 .400 5.0 8-12 8-12
Kansas City Royals (AL Central) 18 21 .462 2.5 9-12 9-9
Stats - 05/15/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
DET .262 182 38 175 18 233 4.96 350.0 365 165 223
KC .260 138 19 133 19 233 4.19 344.0 345 107 263
kc

Now at DH, Guillen weighing options

Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
It is up to Jose Guillen whether he will be in the lineup for Thursday's homestand finale as the Royals go for a sweep against the Tigers. Subbing at DH, the outfielder is debating whether to sit in preparation for Interleague Play.
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Royals probable pitcher

Gil Meche

  • RHP
  • (2-5) 6.31 ERA
Royals: After a promising seven-inning shutout performance at Cleveland, Meche hit a bump at home against the Orioles last Friday night. His curveball, which had revived sharpness against the Tribe, got "loopy" against the O's. They whacked two home runs and scored five runs in Meche's five innings. There has to be some concern about his ERA, 6.31 after eight starts, and the eight homers he's given up in 45 2/3 innings. Last season, he had a 3.67 ERA and surrendered just 22 homers in 216 innings.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 66-62 4.52 1077.0 442 760 .262
Season 2-5 6.31 45.2 17 29 .291
May 1-1 3.75 12.0 2 6 .222
Vs. Detroit 0-0 4.50 6.0 4 5 .320

Tigers hitters vs Gil Meche

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Avila, Alex - - - - - - - -
Boesch, Brennan - - - - - - - -
Cabrera, Miguel .333 3 1 1 .214 14 2 3
Ciriaco, Audy - - - - - - - -
Dlugach, Brent - - - - - - - -
Granderson, Curtis - - - - .296 27 1 3
Guillen, Carlos .667 3 0 0 .258 31 0 1
Inge, Brandon .500 2 0 0 .310 29 1 4
Kelly, Don - - - - - - - -
Laird, Gerald - - - - .417 12 0 0
Larish, Jeff - - - - .200 5 0 1
Ordonez, Magglio .667 3 0 0 .343 35 1 9
Raburn, Ryan - - - - .000 2 0 0
Ramirez, Wilkin - - - - - - - -
Ryan, Dusty - - - - .500 2 0 0
Santiago, Ramon - - - - .300 10 0 1
Sizemore, Scott - - - - - - - -
Strieby, Ryan - - - - - - - -
Thomas, Clete - - - - - - - -
Wells, Casper - - - - - - - -

Royals hitters vs Kenny Rogers

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Josh - - - - - - - -
Aviles, Mike - - - - .300 10 0 0
Betancourt, Yuniesky - - - - .333 18 1 5
Bianchi, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Bloomquist, Willie - - - - .364 11 0 0
Buck, John .000 2 0 0 .167 24 1 1
Butler, Billy .333 3 0 1 .444 18 2 10
Callaspo, Alberto - - - - .500 8 0 0
DeJesus, David - - - - .130 23 0 1
Dyson, Jarrod - - - - - - - -
Fields, Josh - - - - .333 6 1 2
Getz, Chris - - - - - - - -
Gordon, Alex .000 3 0 0 .111 9 0 0
Guillen, Jose .500 2 0 1 .304 23 2 7
Hernandez, Luis - - - - - - - -
Jacobs, Mike - - - - - - - -
Ka'aihue, Kila - - - - - - - -
Lisson, Mario - - - - - - - -
Maier, Mitch - - - - .000 3 0 0
Parraz, Jordan - - - - - - - -
Pena, Brayan - - - - - - - -
Pina, Manuel - - - - - - - -

How sweep it is (16-25) (19-21)

Royals 8, Tigers 4

Tigers have no answer

Jason Beck / MLB.com
Kenny Rogers took the Tigers out of the game early, giving up eleven hits over four innings.Late Tigers rallies cut into the deficit, but were not enough for the club to avoid its second sweep vs. the Royals this season.

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Series at a Glance

 

Bring out the brooms

Mark Dent / MLB.com
With three starters resting, the Royals kicked things off with a three-spot in the first and never looked back, with every starter notching a hit as the club finished up its season-long homestand with its second sweep of the the Tigers.
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Royals 8, Tigers 4

DetroitABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Granderson, CF4011010.234
Polanco, 2B4010000.273
Guillen, 3B4110022.291
Ordonez, RF4121000.310
Cabrera, M, 1B3000112.264
Sheffield, DH3000112.196
Joyce, LF3112000.292
Inge, C4010030.228
Santiago, SS4110002.344
Totals33484288 

BATTING
2B: Ordonez 2 (11, Meche, Peralta), Santiago (4, Meche), Guillen (11, Peralta).
HR: Joyce (3, 7th inning off Meche, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Granderson; Polanco; Guillen 2; Ordonez 4; Joyce 4; Inge; Santiago 2.
RBI: Joyce 2 (5), Granderson (11), Ordonez (26).
2-out RBI: Granderson.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Santiago; Guillen; Sheffield.
SF: Joyce.
GIDP: Sheffield.
Team LOB: 5.

FIELDING
E: Santiago (1, fielding).
 
Kansas CityABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Gathright, CF4111113.255
German, 3B3210100.120
Butler, 1B4112101.278
Guillen, DH4123111.224
Olivo, C5121014.271
Teahen, RF5011015.276
Callaspo, 2B4020001.291
Gload, LF4110002.265
  DeJesus, D, LF0000000.298
Pena, T, SS4120012.182
Totals3781384519 

BATTING
2B: Butler (9, Rogers), Olivo 2 (7, Rogers, Rogers), Gload (4, Rogers).
HR: Guillen (4, 4th inning off Rogers, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Gathright; German; Butler 2; Guillen 5; Olivo 4; Teahen; Callaspo 2; Gload 2; Pena, T 2.
RBI: Butler 2 (17), Olivo (11), Gathright (6), Guillen 3 (22), Teahen (10).
2-out RBI: Guillen; Teahen.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Callaspo; Teahen 2; Gathright 3; Gload.
S: German.
Team LOB: 10.

BASERUNNING
SB: Pena, T (3, 2nd base off Rogers/Inge), German (2, 2nd base off Jones, T/Inge).

FIELDING
DP: (German-Callaspo-Butler).
 
DetroitIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Rogers (L, 3-4)4.011773116.65
Lopez 2.00000301.85
Seay 1.01000101.98
Jones, T 1.01111004.80
 
Kansas CityIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Meche (W, 3-5)7.06332615.98
Peralta 1.02110106.23
Ramirez, R 1.00000101.00

Pitches-strikes: Rogers 92-53, Lopez 21-14, Seay 18-12, Jones, T 20-12, Meche 109-65, Peralta 15-9, Ramirez, R 11-6.
Groundouts-flyouts: Rogers 5-6, Lopez 2-1, Seay 1-1, Jones, T 3-0, Meche 9-6, Peralta 1-1, Ramirez, R 0-2.
Batters faced: Rogers 26, Lopez 6, Seay 5, Jones, T 5, Meche 28, Peralta 5, Ramirez, R 3.
Umpires: HP: Jerry Layne. 1B: Phil Cuzzi. 2B: Jim Wolf. 3B: Ed Montague.
Weather: 67 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 8 mph, In from LF.
T: 2:53.
Att: 34,734.
May 15, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner