Detroit Tigers Notes And Quotes 8-3-11

--LF Brennan Boesch won a duel with new Texas RHP Mike Adams and gave the Tigers a 6-5 victory with a solo home run in the eighth inning. Boesch had two singles plus a home run and has eight hits in his last five games. He began slowly out of the All-Star break to bring back thoughts of his poor second half to 2010 repeating itself, but he was not floundering at the plate this year and quickly got back on track. Boesch was down 0-2 against Adams but fouled off four straight pitches before seeing his first ball. On the next pitch, a slider, he hit his 16th home run.

--RHP Jose Valverde stubbed his toe a little but still managed to make it 29-for-29 in saves this season. Going almost exclusively with his fastball, Valverde got two quick outs before seeing two runners reach on an error plus a single. However he got RF Nelson Cruz to fly out to left on a 2-1 fastball to end the game.

--RHP Max Scherzer had a win snatched from him when RHP Joaquin Benoit gave up two home runs in the eighth to create a 5-5 tie. Scherzer had another high pitch-count game, throwing 99 in six innings, but only gave up six hits plus a walk in that time. He allowed two runs and stranded six runners in his stretch on the mound.

--RHP David Pauley made his Detroit debut with the Tigers holding a 5-2 lead in the seventh. Pauley, who has family from the southwest Michigan town of Sawyer (his wife went to Lake Michigan Community College with LHP Duane Below), gave up a leadoff double but retired the next two hitters and was relieved by LHP Phil Coke, who retired the only batter he faced. "I've always liked coming here," Pauley said. "I've always liked coming here as a visitor, and it's even better being a home guy now. It's a great place for pitchers to be here, and they have a solid offense. Everything you look at is a plus for me right now."

--C Alex Avila's catching workload isn't having a negative effect on his hitting. Avila had a solo home run in the fourth and a two-run single in the fifth as Detroit defeated Texas 6-5. He had eight hits in his last three series and batted .197 with one RBI in July.

--RHP Joaquin Benoit had his first multi-run outing since May 16, allowing a two home runs good for three runs to obliterate a 5-2 Detroit lead in the eighth. However, he picked up a victory when LF Brennan Boesch hit a home run in the bottom half of the inning to break the tie. Benoit made two mistakes and paid for both. In 28 appearances since giving up three runs on May 16, Benoit had allowed a run only four times.

--RHP Al Alburquerque apparently won't need to go on the disabled list. Alburquerque hasn't pitched in more than a week because of elbow soreness but was warming up in the fifth inning after manager Jim Leyland said he was available to pitch in the series opener against Texas if needed. He wasn't needed this time.

--RHP Justin Verlander may or may not face Cleveland a week from Thursday as manager Jim Leyland decides whether he wants his ace to face the Indians in successive series or not at all. Verlander was named co-American League Player of the week (with New York's CC Sabathia) after pitching seven no-hit innings in his 15th win Sunday. They were the first two pitchers in the league win have 15 wins before Aug. 1 since 1997. Verlander is the first Tigers pitcher to reach 15 wins before Aug. 1 since RHP Joe Coleman, who had 16 by that time in 1973. Leyland is mulling over having Verlander open a series against Baltimore on an extra day of rest instead of pitching against Cleveland, the downside being he would miss facing the Indians the following weekend.

--LHP David Purcey was designated for assignment to make room for incoming RHPs Doug Fister and David Pauley. RHP Jacob Turner already had been sent to Class AAA Toledo. Purcey is 1-2 with a 7.23 ERA in 19 games.

BY THE NUMBERS
4 -- Earned runs allowed by RHP Joaquin Benoit in 28 appearances bookended by three-run outings May 16 and Aug. 2.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"You play this game for a reason. It's exciting. I'm thrilled to be here. This lineup from top to bottom is a threat. It's good to be on their side." -- RHP Doug Fister, who makes his first start for the Tigers on Wednesday night, on his move from Seattle to Detroit.

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