Detroit Tigers Notes And Quotes 5-10-11

--DH Victor Martinez crushed two doubles and a two-run home run in a three-RBI night. His RBI double over the center fielder's head jump-started a six-run fourth inning that overcame a 2-0 Toronto lead. His home run, on a 1-0 fastball in the seventh, sparked a four-run outburst. "They were pitching me inside a lot," Martinez said. "I was a little late on some of those fastballs and finally got a hold of one. Sometimes you have to look for a pitch and make sure you do something with it."

Manager Jim Leyland said, "It's just nice to be able to write his name in the lineup behind Miggy's (Miguel Cabrera's)."

--CF Austin Jackson might be getting back on track offensively. Jackson followed back-to-back three-hit games with a four-RBI night, hammering a three-run double and knocked in another run when he reached on a bases-loaded error with one out. While he did strike out twice, Jackson hit two ground balls and crushed a 3-2 changeup to deep center for his three-run double. Manager Jim Leyland says Jackson is the catalyst for his offense.

--RHP Max Scherzer struggled with his control all five innings he pitched but still hung on to improve to 6-0. Scherzer allowed single runs in the first and third innings. He gave up a single in the fourth and two walks in the fifth, pushing his pitch count to 97. "I wasn't sharp," Scherzer said. "I didn't have command of any of my pitches, but I was able to make some pitches with runners on."

"He was able to get through it," manager Jim Leyland said, "and that's nice."

--RHP Al Alburquerque looks like one of those rare one-pitch pitchers whose ticket isn't a fastball. Alburquerque made another strikeout-filled appearance, throwing maybe 90 percent sliders for two innings. Alburquerque had four strikeouts and a walk while facing seven batters. His slider has curveball bite to it, which is why it's so effective.

--3B Don Kelly was hit on the right foot by a pitch in the seventh inning. 3B Brandon Inge came in to run for Kelly when he showed he was in some pain. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

--RHP Joaquin Benoit made his first appearance since May 1, working a scoreless, four-batter eighth inning. Benoit had a week off to work on mechanical issues that contributed to him allowing as many runs in three straight appearances as he did all of last season. His velocity seemed to be down a bit during his inning, but his control was better and he got his final out on a 1-2 changeup.

--RHP Ryan Perry worked a rusty, ugly two-thirds of an inning before manager Jim Leyland was forced to take him out. Perry was brought in strictly to get some work at the start of the ninth with Detroit holding a 10-2 lead. He couldn't command his fastball, mostly leaving it outside to right-handed batters. He couldn't throw his slider for a strike either and walked the first three batters he faced. "He hadn't pitched in seven days," Leyland said. "It's not his fault. I don't have any problem with that. He got some work in, it just wasn't good work." The first out he got was a throw-out at the plate on a bases-loaded double by CF Cory Patterson. Perry threw 24 pitches, only seven for strikes, and was removed after hitting a batter with two outs and three runs in.

--RHP Jose Valverde had to come in to nail down Detroit's 10-5 win, working a non-save situation one night after becoming the 41st person to get 200 saves. The Tigers held a 10-2 lead going into the ninth, but RHP Ryan Perry couldn't throw strikes, and three runs were in when manager Jim Leyland reluctantly summoned his closer to finish off Detroit's third win in a row at Toronto.

--1B Miguel Cabrera is battling injuries but declines to come out of the lineup. He went 0-for-4 with a walk and was 1-for-14 with four walks in four games at Toronto. "He's the least of my problems, the least," manager Jim Leyland said. "He's been hurting a little bit. His back was sore, he had a big bruise on his leg. He's all right, he plays. He's a champ, that kid. He just plays. I ask him if he needs a day, and he says no. He's like the mailman -- rain, snow, sleet or hail, never fear you'll get the mail."

--RHP Justin Verlander was named co-winner of the American League Pitcher of the Week honor. Verlander, who hurled his second career no-hitter Saturday, shared the award with another no-hit pitcher, Minnesota LHP Francisco Liriano.

BY THE NUMBERS
8-0 -- RHP Jeremy Bonderman's start to the 2007 season, the last Detroit pitcher to get off to a better beginning than the 6-0 record posted by RHP Max Scherzer after he was the winning pitcher in Detroit's 10-5 victory over Toronto.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"He hadn't pitched in seven days. It's not his fault. I don't have any problem with that. He got some work in, it just wasn't good work." -- Manager Jim Leyland, on RHP Ryan Perry's ugly two-thirds of a ninth inning in Detroit's 10-5 win. Perry walked the first three batters he faced, allowed three runs to shrink a 10-2 lead and threw just seven strikes out of 24 pitches.

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