Tigers start a 3-game series this afternoon in Boston. Kenny Rogers faces Daisuke Matsuzaka. Tomorrow night it’s Jeremy Bonderman against Jon Lester and Thursday it’s Nate Robertson vs. Tim Wakefield. Expectation level: 1-2.
Rogers is 5-6 with a 5.48 in 90.1 IP at Fenway Park. That’s 24 games, 14 starts.
Detroit’s starters are 0-3 with a 5.82 ERA this year. They’ve given up 32 hits and 16 walks in 34 IP. They’ve got 20 K. The relievers are 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 22 IP. They’ve given up 25 hits and 11 walks while striking out 15.
Yorman Bazardo, Aquilino Lopez and Jason Grilli have combined to permit all 7 of the first batters they’ve faced to reach base. Overall, the bullpen has allowed 9 of 19 first batters to get on. (Boston has allowed 4 of 19 to reach.)
The Red Sox are off to a slow start, but might be energized by finally coming home. Boston opened the campaign with an 18-day, 4-city, 3-nation road trip, logging about 16,000 miles.
Dice-K is coming off a sharp outing against Oakland in which he retired 16 of the final 17 batters he faced. Last year, he got his first CG against Detroit, winning at Fenway. This is probably not the guy the Tigs want to face while in a funk. If they're patient, they might have a chance, but if they're pressing he could make them look silly with his assortment of crazy moving pitches.
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