Interleague Preview from The Sports Network
Sunday, June 167th
(All times Eastern)
Colorado Rockies (25-39) at Detroit Tigers (31-34), 1:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Jeremy Guthrie (3-5, 6.91)
Detroit - Max Scherzer (5-4, 5.76)
(Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers will host the Colorado Rockies on Sunday
as both teams will be vying for a series win after splitting the first two
games in this three-game interleague series at Comerica Park.
After dropping a 12-4 decision in extra innings on Friday, the Tigers got a
lift from Doug Fister on Saturday. Pitching in his first game since coming off
the disabled list, Fister tossed six scoreless innings and kept the Rockies
bats quiet en route to a 4-1 win.
Fister had been out for a month with a strain in his ribcage.
"This is definitely a step in the right direction," said Fister. "I felt no
pain, no discomfort today, so it was a good day overall.
Miguel Cabrera led the Tigers on offense, going 2-for-4, including a solo home
run, his 14th of the season. The home run also gave Cabrera 53 RBI on the
season which is the second best mark in the AL behind the Rangers' Josh
Hamilton.
Chirstian Friedrich got pegged with the loss for Colorado, as he surrendered
three runs, one of which was unearned, on just three hits. Friedrich walked
five batters in the game as well, a season-high for the rookie.
"The walks just are unacceptable," said Friedrich. "That's me just being a
little too tentative and feeling like I have to throw a strike instead of just
letting me body take care of everything else."
With Fister dealing most of the Colorado lineup didn't pack much of a punch
except for Carlos Gonzalez who went 3-for-4 with a run scored in the loss. The
Rockies are now 1-10 this season in interleague play.
Making the start for Detroit in the series finale will be the erratic Max
Scherzer.The former first-round pick has had periods of dominance this season,
but more often than not has struggled.
Scherzer had a decent outing in his last start against the Chicago Cubs, as he
allowed three runs on five hits and five walks while striking out eight over
six innings of work. However, he didn't factor in the decision and is 5-4 on
the season with an ERA of 5.76.
Scherzer has never beaten the Rockies in four career starts, going 0-3 with a
5.48 ERA against them.
Colorado is currently at the bottom of the NL West and a big reason for that
is the team's inability to find decent starting pitching. Jeremy Guthrie was
brought in this offseason to help alleviate that issue, but the 33-year-old
veteran has been no better than any other pitcher to make a start for the
Rockies this season.
Guthrie is off to one of the worst starts of his career with a 3-5 record to
go with a 6.91 ERA.
Guthrie allowed seven runs on eight hits in an 8-5 loss to Oakland in his last
start. It was the fifth straight game he has surrendered at least five runs in
a game and the seventh time in 10 starts overall.
These teams also met in a three-game series a season ago with Colorado taking
two of three at Coors Field.
06/17 10:35:10 ET

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