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Pavano has history of caging Tigers
Detroit (78-69) at Minnesota (75-72), 3:10 p.m. CT
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
09/18/09 11:35 PM ET
MINNEAPOLIS -- No matter how you look at them, Carl Pavano's numbers this season against the Tigers are impressive. The veteran right-hander has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.48 ERA against Detroit. In his four starts, he's struck out 18 batters while walking just one. And of the five total runs he's allowed, he's never surrendered more than two in a game. Yet as well as he's pitched against Detroit, Pavano insists there's no secret to his success. "I don't think there's any rhyme or reason," Pavano said. "There's a lot of variables that go into having a good start, and a little bit of luck. I think in that case, yeah, I've been successful against them. But I don't take that for granted." Pavano will look to continue his dominance of Detroit Saturday at the Metrodome in one of the FOX Games of the Week. Dick Bremer and Rod Allen will have the call. Pavano admits he's caught a few breaks along the way during his four starts against the Tigers this year. In his only outing versus Detroit in a Minnesota uniform, his first start with the Twins, Pavano was able to work out of a big jam in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on the corners and just one out, Pavano escaped with Minnesota's 3-0 lead intact thanks in large part to an inning-ending double play. "If that ball gets through the hole, it's a totally different ballgame," Pavano said. "It's those breaks that you get and those pitches that you make in tough jams to keep the damage control down. I've been able to do that against [Detroit]." "A lot of younger pitchers end up having to try to pour it in there on these guys," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "These guys are good hitters, and good fastball hitters. [Pavano] knows how to use his pitches and he knows how to pitch, and that's probably why [he's had success]." Against Pavano, it's been a rough go this season for the likes of Miguel Cabrera (1-for-11), Placido Polanco (1-for-9) and Gerald Laird (2-for-12), among others. But Pavano wasn't about to speculate whether his success has changed the mind-set of Detroit's batters as they prepare to face him. "There's going to be times where you can't figure out a guy and you have a tougher time with this guy than that guy," Pavano said. "I don't know what the reason is, but you've got to figure it out. For me, there's lineups that I have a tough time with that you have to deal with every time you pitch against them." When Pavano took to the hill for the Twins against the Tigers on Aug. 8, he was opposed by Detroit starter Justin Verlander. The two will square off again Saturday, although this time on a slightly bigger stage as Minnesota battles Detroit in an attempt to gain ground in the American League Central. "He's a tough guy, but we've got a tough lineup," Pavano said. "I'm looking forward to it." Pitching matchupMIN: RHP Carl Pavano (12-11, 4.91 ERA)
Coming off a win against Toronto, Pavano allowed three runs on six hits through six innings of work against his former team Monday in a no-decision versus the Indians. On the hook for the loss late in the game, Pavano was bailed out by a six-run inning from the Twins' offense. He avoided falling to 0-2 against Cleveland on the season. Pavano has been a Tigers killer during his career, going 4-0 lifetime against Detroit and 1-0 with the Twins. DET: RHP Justin Verlander (16-8, 3.34 ERA)
Verlander is winless in his past two starts after being among the AL wins leaders into September, but it was a five-run sixth inning that cost him a chance at a victory Monday against the Blue Jays. He had been dominant up to that point, and still racked up nine strikeouts with no walks over seven innings, but he paid for some secondary pitches that Toronto hitters tagged. Now the Tigers turn to their staff ace for a critical start against the second-place Twins, the one division opponent Verlander hasn't beaten this year. He's 1-4 in four starts against Minnesota since 2007. He gave up five runs over six innings in a matchup last month at Comerica Park. Tidbits
Gardenhire said Justin Huber is still a few days away from being ready to return to action. Huber pulled his oblique during batting practice prior to Monday's game and hasn't played since. ... Denard Span went 1-for-3 Friday against the Tigers and is now hitting .464 (26-for-56) this season against Detroit. ... When reliever Jose Mijares entered Friday's game in the seventh inning, he made his 62nd appearance of the season, moving into sole possession of third place on the Twins' all-time list for games by a rookie. He is third in the American League in appearances by a rookie, trailing New York's Phil Coke (66) and Oakland's Andrew Bailey (63). Tickets
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• Sunday: Tigers (Nate Robertson, 1-2, 5.35) at Twins (Scott Baker, 13-8, 4.35), 1:10 p.m. CT
• Monday: Twins (Nick Blackburn, 10-11, 4.34) at White Sox (D.J. Carrasco, 5-1, 3.66), 7:11 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: Twins (TBD) at White Sox (TBD), 7:11 p.m. CT
Tyler Mason is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
