=== Detroit Tigers Team Report - September 30 === (My Sportsbook) - The Detroit Tigers open a season-ending five-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays this afternoon with a doubleheader at Tropicana Field. The double-dip was made necessary when Hurricane Frances caused the postponement of games from September 4-5. Following today's games, the teams will head to Detroit to close their season at with a three-game set at Comerica Park. Heading to the hill in the opener for the Tigers will be righthander Jeremy Bonderman, who has lost his last two starts. In his most recent outing on Saturday, Bonderman allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings to fall to 10-13 on the season. Bonderman, who has pitched to a 5.14 earned run average this season, defeated Tampa earlier in the year and is 2-1 in his career against it with a 3.20 ERA in three games. Starting for Detroit in the nightcap will be lefty Wilfredo Ledezma, who is 4-3 on the year with a 4.47 ERA. Ledezma has split his time between the rotation and bullpen this season. Manager Alan Trammell has said that he can go anywhere from two to five innings today. Ledezma will be making his first start against the D-Rays. Detroit comes into today's doubleheader after falling to the Chicago White Sox, 11-2, on Wednesday. Jason Johnson (8-15) suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked none and fanned six. Johnson fell to 0-7 in his last 11 starts and hasn't won since beating the White Sox on July 29. Brandon Inge was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Tigers, who have dropped six of their last eight contests. Detroit won the lone meeting this season between these teams, but Tampa won the season series 4-2 last year and is 8-5 in the last 13 meetings. |
