Detroit Tigers Notes And Quotes 8-10-11

--CF Austin Jackson searched 14 innings for a hit and didn't find one. Jackson went 0-for-6 and is now hitting .243. He put the ball in the air twice, struck out twice and grounded out two times. His second-inning groundout scored Detroit's second (and last) run of the game. Jackson isn't making the kind of consistent contact he did in his rookie season and is hitting too many balls too high in the air.

--RHP Joaquin Benoit pitched two scoreless innings in his longest outing of the season. Benoit had a wicked changeup, which got him one strikeout, and a fastball that touched 96 mph and earned him a second strikeout. He faced just six batters in his two innings.

--RF Andy Dirks got a start as manager Jim Leyland overloaded with left-handed bats against Cleveland RHP Justin Masterson. Dirks, who had two hits, remained in the game even after Masterson was relieved following a long rain delay. A solid defensive player, Dirks stayed in for his defense as the Indians went through their bullpen in a tie game.

--DH Victor Martinez returned to the lineup after missing one game due to a left knee strain. Martinez, who also benefited from Detroit's day off Monday, singled in his last two turns at bat and showed no effects from the Saturday night injury. He singled to center and then grounded a single to right, showing he had no difficulty putting pressure on his knee. His ability to catch should something happen to C Alex Avila was not known. He was removed for a pinch runner after leading off the ninth with a single.

--LHP Duane Below was perfect in four innings of relief following a 2-hour, 3-minute rain delay. Below was brought in to start the bottom of the third inning in Cleveland and retired all 12 batters he faced. He worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings Sunday, and he has not been scored upon in all three of his relief appearances since being shifted from starting to relieving. His key pitch at Cleveland was a sharp breaking ball. As usual, he was throwing strikes.

--RHP Doug Fister lasted just two innings in his second start for Detroit -- due to a long rain delay. Manager Jim Leyland opted not to bring Fister back following a 2-hour, 3-minute break after the bottom of the second. Fister allowed three straight hits plus a sacrifice fly with one out in the first as Cleveland took a 2-0 lead. Fister, a ball-in-play kind of pitcher, helped himself in the second, getting on the back end of a 3-6-1 double play following a leadoff single. "When it was about two hours, I just didn't want to take a chance on putting him out there," manager Jim Leyland said.

--RHP Justin Verlander endorsed the one-year contract extension given manager Jim Leyland. "Besides being a great baseball manager, he's a good people person," Verlander said. He also welcomed the four-year extension given to GM Dave Dombrowski.

"They've been here together since I've been here, so I've really got nothing to compare it to," Verlander said. "But you see the product they put on the field, and the way Jim handles everybody in this clubhouse, and what I hear other guys say that come in from other teams. I'm definitely excited."

--3B Brandon Inge has been told by the organization that he will be added to the Tigers' roster no later than Sept. 1. Inge accepted an outright assignment to Class AAA Toledo last month after hitting .177. He is hitting .308 (24-for-78) with five home runs and 14 RBI in 20 games for Toledo.

BY THE NUMBERS
12 -- Consecutive victories for Cleveland over Detroit at Progressive Field dating back to last season. The Indians beat the Tigers 3-2 in 14 innings Tuesday.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"He knows how to handle the clubhouse. He knows how to handle the veterans, rookies. We have a good mix of that here on this team, so (he is) able to put guys in situations where they are best able to succeed." -- RHP Justin Verlander, reacting to the one-year contract extension given to manager Jim Leyland by club owner Mike Ilitch.

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