Verlander, Yawn, Dominates Again

We're late getting to you tonight, but we've been pretty busy cutting up tape from Lions practice--#1 pick Nick Fairly (broken bone in foot) is out of his cast and is in a walking boot--and from Jim Leyland's pre-game presser.  The big news that came out of that is that Al Alburquerque is expected back once his stay on the 7-day concussion Disabled List ends Saturday.  The key word is "expected".  Leyland said he's pretty sure, but not 100% sure.  Alburquerque did throw on the side today, which was good news.  After spending Friday night in a Baltimore hospital for a head injury sustained when he was clocked in the temple by a line drive as he stood in left field during batting practice, Alburquerque was driven back to Detroit Sunday.  He was unable to fly because doctors were concerned about the effects of pressurization.  But, as we say, he's much better now. All in all though, it was pretty scary stuff.

I've also been sending texts to Dan Dickerson in the radio booth to keep him up to date on the Cleveland at Chicago game tonight at US Cellular Field where the White Sox lead 2-0 in the 4th, and where Chicago's Gavin Floyd has 7 strikeouts through three innings.  Oh, and he's perfect so far: 9 up and 9 down.

Here at Comerica Park, things are going as one would expect them to with Justin Verlander on the mound.  It's men against boys, again.  The Tigers lead 7-0. We are in the top of the 7th.  Minnesota has played dreadful defense tonight, and look every bit the part of a ballclub which is 14 games under .500.  We'll keep you up to date...

Verlander gets the standing "O" as he departs here in the top of the 8th.  The Twins put three singles together in the 8th to score their first run of the game--it's 7-1 Tigers.  Verlander had retired 14 of the last 15 hitters he faced starting the 8th.  After three of the first six Twins he faced in the game reached, Verlander retired 18 of the next 20.  A pretty routing performance for a guy who, after starting the season 2-3, had gone 15-2 with an ERA of 2.00 since that game heading into his start tonight.  Phil Coke is in to mop up.  Over in Chicago, it's 3-2 White Sox in the middle of the 5th.

Chicago's up 5-2 now in the 5th and Ubaldo Jimenez is out after allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits in 4.2 innings.  He responsible for a man on second.  We've got two out in the 9th here and things appear well in hand with Detroit up 7-1. So...off to the locker room!