Detroit Tigers Notes And Quotes 9-2-11

--CF Austin Jackson doubled and hit a two-run home run in Detroit's 11-8 loss to Kansas City. Jackson had six hits in the final two games of the series. He struck out once but hit the ball sharply in his other plate appearances.

--RF Magglio Ordonez displayed his old offensive prowess with his best offensive game of the year. He had two doubles, stole third base and hit a two-run home run. Ordonez also reached first on a strikeout/wild pitch before being removed for a pinch runner in the sixth. "Usually when a guy has a day like that it's in a winning cause," manager Jim Leyland said. "It was great to see." Ordonez had not had a stolen base and a home run in the same game since 2003.

--C Alex Avila might be wearing down. He finished August, when he hit .400 most of the month, in an 0-for-13 slide and began September with two more outs before doubling and singling his last two times up Thursday. The double ignited a three-run sixth. Avila will play all three games of Detroit's series against the White Sox this weekend, then Monday afternoon's game at Cleveland before he has a chance to get rest. Detroit can't recall C Omir Santos from Toledo until the Mud Hens end their season Monday because he has not spent 10 days in the minors since his last appearance for the Tigers.

--RHP Luis Marte had his contract purchased so he could help in Detroit's bullpen, and manager Jim Leyland didn't wait long to find out what he's got. Marte was brought in to pitch in the seventh after LHP Phil Coke gave up a walk and two run-scoring hits. "Marte has been striking out a lot of guys down there," Leyland said, "but I don't know much about him other than that. His name came up kind of late." Marte gave up a bloop two-run single to left and a two-out infield single plus a walk, but no more runs scored while he was pitching. His fastball didn't look as impressive as his breaking ball.

Marte, 25, had gone 3-0 with three saves and a 1.70 ERA in 23 appearances for Class AA Erie.

--RHP Jacob Turner, called up from Class AAA Toledo before the game, had a fair second major league start and will stick with the Tigers the remainder of the season to observe major league life. Turner, 20, who will have a good chance to make Detroit's roster next year, was charged with six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep the team in the game," he said. "I gave up too many runs early on. I felt comfortable out there. It was just a matter of making pitches. My fastball command was OK, my changeup was there from time to time, but the biggest thing was my breaking ball was inconsistent."

"He was fine," manager Jim Leyland said of the rookie, inserted into the rotation for another spot start so RHP Justin Verlander could open against the Chicago White Sox on an extra day of rest. "He paid a price for a hanging curveball to (Jeff) Francoeur, (who hit a two-run home run in the second)."

--LHP Phil Coke saw his streak of 13 consecutive scoreless appearances end in a big way, as all three runners he faced in the seventh reached base and scored. Coke took the loss in Detroit's 11-8 defeat to Kansas City. Coke was brought in with a man on second and one out in the seventh. He walked the first batter he faced and then gave up a run-scoring double plus a run-producing single. Both runners scored on a bloop single to left as the Royals scored four times to erase an 8-6 Tigers lead.

"The walk is what hurts the most right there," Coke said.

Manager Jim Leyland said, "Cokie's been doing an unbelievable job for us. He just didn't it done, that pretty much sums it up for us. The seventh inning was a disaster for us."

--RHP Ryan Perry worked two decent innings, getting charged with one run on three hits. Perry has been more consistent throwing strikes since a month of exile in the minors. He's keeping his fastball down and working his slider low in the strike zone. "I think he's getting a little more confidence," manager Jim Leyland said. "He's getting a little more compact in his delivery, not flying all over the place. He's having some success in getting outs, and that breeds confidence." Perry gave up a two-run double when he came in, but he got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam with nobody else scoring, then pitched a scoreless sixth. He gave up a leadoff double in the seventh but got the next batter before being removed.

--RHP Al Alburquerque, out since Aug. 12 due to a concussion, threw a 30-pitch bullpen session, and he could be activated off the disabled list during the weekend. His value to the Tigers was shown in the seventh inning, when Kansas City scored four runs off RHP Ryan Perry, LHP Phil Coke and RHP Luis Marte. Alburquerque was effective being used in the sixth and seventh innings before his concussion. He has appeared in just eight games since June 29 due to arm issues and the concussion. Detroit was expected to decide by Friday whether to have Alburquerque work a game or two on a rehab assignment for Class AAA Toledo or activate him and let him work in a one-sided game to get his sharpness back.

--OF Andy Dirks, recalled when rosters expanded, could get some at-bats that normally would go to injured RF Brennan Boesch. Dirks was sent down to Class AAA Toledo two weeks ago after hitting .257/.301/.411 with six homers and 21 RBI in 61 games.

--INF Will Rhymes was called up for his third big-league stint of the season. He hit .221/.321/.235 in 20 games for Detroit earlier this season. He spent most of the summer with Class AAA Toledo, where he batted .306/.377/.390 with 13 stolen bases in 104 games.

--2B Carlos Guillen was activated from the disabled list, but he didn't play in the series finale against the Royals. Guillen had been out since Aug. 13 due to a sore left wrist.

BY THE NUMBERS
1.83 -- ERA of Detroit's bullpen for the month of August. The relievers opened September by allowing Kansas City five runs in 4 2/3 innings.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I felt comfortable out there. It was just a matter of making pitches. My fastball command was okay, my changeup was there from time to time, but the biggest thing was my breaking ball was inconsistent." -- Rookie RHP Jacob Turner, 20, who was charged with six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings while making his second spot start for Detroit this season.

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