Detroit Tigers (11-9) vs Chicago White Sox (11-8)
U.S. Cellular Field @ 8:11pm EST
FSND / ESPN / AM 1270 / FM 97.1
Chad Durbin (0-1, 10.54 ERA) vs John Danks (0-2, 5.06 ERA)
So they meet again. Chad Durbin and John Danks locked up in their last start with neither getting the decision and the Tigers Grilli getting tagged with the loss. It was Durbin’s best start of the year and his longest lasting start at 5 full innings. He looked pretty good through the first four innings allowing a single run before going downhill in the fifth, so hopefully he’s starting to pick up a bit on how to produce at the major league level.
As for John Danks, The Tiger battery gave him his toughest and shortest outing thus far scoring 4 runs over 4.2 innings of work with Brandon Inge knocking a solo homerun. With the hitters seeming to turn things around at the start of this road trip against the Angels they could end up doing more damage against the White Sox. Hopefully Sheffield will continue hitting and Polanco and Maggs are both pretty hot.
This one will be nationally televised through ESPN and the Tigers have not won a nationally televised game through last year.
A common on Jones yesterday and those calling for his head; it is quite a bit early to be doing that. He’s had a handful of bad innings. In the 10th inning yesterday he was simply trying to do to much to make up for the blown save and was obviously emotional, he’s that kind of pitcher and he understands that they are counting on him.
“I didn’t want to start the inning off with a hit like that, so I tried to make a play,” Jones said. “Pudge yelled, I think it would have rolled foul, but it was too late.”
Reggie Willits replaced Morales on the bases, and after advancing to third on a sacrifice, Willits came around to give the Angels the win on an infield single by Erik Aybar.
“I [messed] the whole game up,” Jones said, “I blew it in the ninth and gave it up in the 10th.”
While I hope to see the game not close enough to call for Jones I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the game to gain some of that confidence back and redeem himself. Todd Jones is a veteran and he will be just fine moving forward, the good news yesterday was Rodney looking like he is righting the ship so cheer up!