Tune in at 7:05 PM ET as the Cardinals take on the Tigers. Callum Hughson will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
As dominant as Justin Verlander has been against the NL, his starts against the St. Louis Cardinals have been downright forgettable. The Detroit Tigers ace might not have much room for error given the way Lance Lynn is pitching for the Cardinals.
Verlander will try to stay unbeaten at home in interleague play Tuesday night when the reigning AL MVP squares off against Lynn and the Cardinals. Over his past six outings, Verlander (6-4, 2.66 ERA) has lost three times -- all to AL teams -- but he's gone 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in three interleague starts.
The Tigers (32-34) have won all 11 regular-season home games he's pitched versus the NL as he's gone 10-0 with a 1.73 ERA.
However, his one playoff outing against an NL team in Detroit came at the 2006 World Series versus St. Louis, getting ripped for seven runs in five innings of a 7-2 loss in Game 1. Verlander also went on to lose the series-deciding Game 5.
Including those outings, he's 2/3 with a 5.59 ERA in five starts against the Cardinals. Against the rest of the NL, Verlander is 17-1 with a 2.37 ERA.
He had gone winless since throwing a one-hitter against Pittsburgh on May 18 until beating the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, giving up two runs and striking out eight in eight innings of a 5-3 victory.
While Lynn (10-2, 2.42) doesn't have the experience or accolades that Verlander does, he's quickly making a name for himself.
Lynn joins the New York Mets' R.A. Dickey as the only pitchers to have reached double digits in victories. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in 11 of his 13 starts.
The right-hander posted a second straight double-figure strikeout game Wednesday, setting a career high with 12 as he gave up three hits in 7 1/3 innings of a 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Lynn takes the mound after the Cardinals (34-33) lost two of three to Kansas City over the weekend to finish a 4-5 homestand. They scored more than three runs twice during that stretch.
St. Louis went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position Sunday in a 5-3, 15-inning loss to the Royals.
Carlos Beltran went 1 for 6 with two strikeouts, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. He was 17 for 34 with four homers during the first nine games.
While the Cardinals open a nine-game road trip in an offensive slump, the Tigers are riding their best stretch since opening the season 9-3. They've won three straight series, taking two of three in each.
Leadoff man Austin Jackson has provided a spark since coming off the disabled list just over a week ago, hitting .333 with 10 RBIs in his last seven games.
Since losing to the Cardinals in the World Series, Detroit has won six of nine against St. Louis.
In away games, Carlos Beltran is hitting 28 for 116 (.241), which is significantly lower than home games, where he is 42 for 113 (.372).
Yadier Molina is 5 for 8 (.625) in his career against Justin Verlander with 4 RBI; 3 of his 5 hits have been for extra bases.
Lineups:
St. Louis Cardinals
Furcal
Beltran
Holliday
Craig
Molina
Freese
Adams
Schumaker
Descalso
Lynn (P)
Detroit Tigers
Jackson
Berry
Cabrera
Fielder
Young
Boesch
Peralta
Santiago
Laird
Verlander (P)
Justin Verlander begins warming on the mound. He leads the Major Leagues with 103 strikeouts in 101.1 innings pitched. He'll face Furcal, Beltran and Holliday in the top of the 1st.
The first pitch from Verlander is high and outside for ball 1. We're underway!
Furcal lines the next pitch to right-fielder Brennan Boesch for the 1st out. That brings up Carlos Beltran.
Beltran pops up on the first pitch he sees. 2 out and Matt Holliday, DH-ing tonight, will come to the plate.
Verlander's fastball is sitting at 92mph early-on. He'll ramp that up to 98-100 in the late innings.
Holliday lines a 92mph fastball down the left field line for a 2-out double. That brings up the left-fielder Allan Craig, batting cleanup tonight.
Craig grounds out to Jhonny Peralta at shortstop for the 3rd out. Jackson, Berry and Cabrera will bat for the Tigers in the home-half of the 1st.
Lance Lynn takes the mound for the Cards. Like Verlander, he's among the league leaders in strikeouts. He's got 86 in 83.2 innings pitched.
Tigers centrefielder Austin Jackson steps into the batter's box.
Austin Jackson has been a bit of a stud this season. To go along with stellar defense, he gets on base at a .415 clip.
Jackson flies out to Skip Schumaker in CF for the 1st out. That brings up Quintin Berry.
Berry goes down swinging on a 95mph Lynn fastball. 2 away and perennial MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera steps to the plate.
Cabrera goes with an outside fastball and hits it the other way, off the top of the right field wall for a 2-out double.
With first base open, it looks like Lynn will unintentionally intentionally walk Fielder. 2 on, 2 out and Delmon Young comes to the plate.
Young hits a base hit through the left side. Cardinals left fielder Allan Craig comes up throwing and David Freese cuts it off to tag out the hung-up Prince Fielder... but not before one run scores. After one inning, the Tigers lead 1-0.
If the throw had not been cut off, Cabrera was dead-on-arrival. Smart baserunning from Fielder. Molina, Freese, Adams due up for the Cards in the top of the 2nd.
Yadier Molina flies out to shallow right field for the 1st out. That brings up David Freese.
Freese hits a hard ground ball to Cabrera at 3B for the 2nd out. Cardinals' first baseman Matt Adams steps to the plate and quickly grounds out to Ramon Santiago at 2B for the 3rd out.
Boesch, Peralta and Santiago will bat for the Tigers in the bottom of the 2nd.
Boesch gets jammed on a fastball but is still able to lift a base hit to RF. 1 on, none out for Jhonny Peralta.
Peralta hits a base hit up the middle and now the Tigers have a little something going here. The weak-hitting Ramon Santiago will most likely try to move the runners over in this situation with none out.
Tigers time!!!by alanavalacak via twitter 6/19/2012 11:02:19 PM
ohhh yeahhh! tigers and the cardinals! my boy quintin berry hittin in the #2 spot! :)by deesireee via twitter 6/19/2012 11:02:31 PM
Lynn is on the mound. That means a W. #Cardinalsby Doucet613 via twitter 6/19/2012 11:02:33 PM
Cardinals vs. Tigers. Lynn vs. Verlander. Doesn't get much better #gocardsby bmjohnson15 via twitter 6/19/2012 11:02:37 PM
Justin Verlander just makes everyday betterby Julia_Humenny via twitter 6/19/2012 11:12:17 PM
Verlander's curve is just nastyby snowdigitwa via twitter 6/19/2012 11:12:25 PM
I've seen 2 pitches from verlander and I can already tell he's on tonight..he's gonna be solidby C_Schneider152 via twitter 6/19/2012 11:12:31 PM
SMART running by Fielder, otherwise Cabrera is probably out at home. #Tigersby gladdyontherise via twitter 6/19/2012 11:24:35 PM
Ugghhh horrible base running by fielder. Pay attention man.by ThePunisher1023 via twitter 6/19/2012 11:24:38 PM
Miguel Cabrera is walking around gingerly after that slide. He will stay in the game. #Tigersby Jon Morosi via twitter 6/19/2012 11:25:07 PM
