Detroit Tigers Notes And Quotes 8-12-11

--RHP Justin Verlander wasn't at his sharpest, but he still allowed just three hits in seven innings, improved to 17-5 this season and earned his 100th major league win. Manager Jim Leyland lifted Verlander after 108 pitches, and RHP Joaquin Benoit and RHP Jose Valverde finished the Tigers' 4-3 victory over Cleveland. The pitch count was Verlander's lowest in a game since May 24, but he still struck out 10 Indians. Leyland also announced before the game Verlander would get an extra of rest after his next start, which means he won't face Cleveland on Aug. 21. Instead he will open a series with Tampa Bay.

Verlander is in his sixth full season, a season in which other notable Detroit pitchers got their 100th win, including RHP Jack Morris and LHP Mickey Lolich.

"It's exciting to get there," Verlander said of the milestone, "but in the big scheme of things, it doesn't mean all that much. It's never like 100 wins was ever a goal of mine. And there are other things going on here with this team. Obviously, this win was special because of the other circumstances surrounding it."

--RHP Jose Valverde set a club record by converting his 33rd consecutive save chance. Valverde went almost exclusively with his fastball -- throwing just one split-finger -- in setting Cleveland down without a baserunner in the ninth inning. Valverde entered the game tied with LHP Willie Hernandez, who set the club record for consecutive successful save conversions in 1984, when he won the AL MVP and the Cy Young Award.

--CF Austin Jackson may not be enjoying the same success he had as a rookie last year, but he made two key contributions to Detroit's win over Cleveland without getting a hit. Jackson laid down a successful suicide-squeeze bunt in the Tigers' three-run second inning that drove in Detroit's fourth run in a 4-3 victory. Then in the sixth inning, he went to the center field fence to catch a shot hit by 1B Carlos Santana with a runner on first to keep the Indians from mounting any kind of threat.

"He made a great play, no question about it," manager Jim Leyland said. "That's what he does out there. He does it as good as anybody."

Jackson went hitless but opened the game with a grounder to third that was thrown away for a two-base error. He wound up scoring Detroit's first run in the inning.

--RF Magglio Ordonez made a couple of key plays in Detroit's win. His sacrifice fly in the first inning scored CF Austin Jackson with the first run of the game. Ordonez also threw out a runner at second base in the fifth on what should have been a single to right by C Lou Marson. The sinking line drive fell a good five feet in front of Ordonez, but 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, who singled to open the inning, started back to first to avoid getting doubled off in case the ball was caught. It wasn't, but Chisenhall was forced out at second on a snap throw by Ordonez.

--DH Victor Martinez still can't catch, which means C Alex Avila can't get hurt and can't get a day off. Martinez hurt his left knee Saturday night but only missed one game. However, he still isn't running well, and his knee can't take the pounding that a game behind the plate would give it.

"We're in a little bind with that," manager Jim Leyland said. "Victor can't catch right now. That's another day-to-day thing."

UT Don Kelly would go behind the plate should something happen to force Avila out of a game. Detroit doesn't want to make a roster move if it can avoid it, but Leyland would like to give Avila a day off in Baltimore this weekend if he can. However, C Omir Santos, who caught one game for Detroit earlier this season, just came off the disabled list and is in the early stages of a rehab assignment.

"He's our one likely guy," Leyland said, "but we're not to that stage. This is still a day-to-day thing."

--LF Brennan Boesch did not play against Cleveland in the series finale, and he might miss a couple more day as his right thumb continues to bother him. An MRI showed it is a sprain and trainer Kevin Rand said the swelling is minor, but Boesch still can't grip a bat well enough to play.

"Day-to-day," manager Jim Leyland said. "I don't know how many days that means yet."

BY THE NUMBERS
100 -- RHP Justin Verlander got his 100th career victory with the help of RHP Jose Valverde's club-record 33rd straight save this season.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I really don't have a lot of experience with injuries of any sort. I've never been on the (disabled list). I've never missed more than a game or two, including the minor leagues. This sucks. I hate it." -- LF Brennan Boesch, who came out of Wednesday's game with a right thumb sprain and didn't play Thursday.

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