Tigers, Rangers resume series in Motor City

Sep 12, 2007, 14:58 GMT

- The Detroit Tigers try to stay afloat in the AL wild card race this evening when they continue their four-game series with the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park.

Detroit lost a half-game to the New York Yankees on Tuesday, as it split a day/night doubleheader with the Rangers, falling 13-6 in the opener before winning the nightcap, 4-1. The Tigers are now four games behind New York for the wild card lead and 6 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central.

The loss in the second game for the Rangers halted their season-high six-game winning streak, but they have still won 13 of their last 16 games. Texas, which belted seven home runs in Tuesday's opener, is also just a game back of the Oakland Athletics for third place in the AL West after spending the majority of the season in the cellar.

Justin Verlander gets the call for the Tigers this evening, as he tries to win his fourth straight start. Verlander was brilliant against the Seattle Mariners on Friday, holding them to a run and seven hits in eight innings to run his record on the year to 16-5, while lowering his earned run average to 3.56.

Verlander scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings in beating the Rangers back on June 6 and is 2-1 lifetime against them with a 2.95 ERA in three starts.

Texas will counter with righty Edinson Volquez, who is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. Volquez was superb against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, as he surrendered just two hits in six scoreless innings to get the win. He had allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings in beating the Los Angeles Angels in his season debut on September 1.

Volquez lost his only other start to the Tigers, as he gave up three runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of that one.

Texas has split its eight matchups with the Tigers this season after the two teams split 10 meetings a year ago. Since the start of the 2004 campaign Detroit holds a slight 17-16 edge in the series.

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