Diamondbacks at Tigers
THE STORY: The Arizona Diamondbacks, who had the third worst record in the majors last season, continue to turns heads with solid play in 2011. The visiting Diamondbacks, who have won five of seven, will send Zach Duke to the mound against the Detroit Tigers Friday in the first of a three-game series. Former Tigers’ great Kirk Gibson will return to Detroit as the Arizona manager for the first time. He was a bench coach for the Diamondbacks when the Tigers won two of three in Detroit last June. The Tigers return after going 2-4 on a road trip to start a 10-game home stand.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS-DET, FS-ARIZ.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Phil Coke (1-7, 3.95) vs. Diamondbacks LH Zach Duke (1-2, 4.66)
Coke allowed four runs in five innings his last start June 18 vs. Colorado. He has not won since April 14 but has given up two runs or less in six of 10 starts since. Coke has 35 strikeouts and 26 walks. He has faced Arizona once in a relief role last season and got the win by retiring two batters.
Duke allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the White Sox his last start June 18. He has allowed 10 runs his last two starts after giving up five in his first three. Duke beat the Tigers in 2009 as a member of the Pirates in his only appearance against them, allowing three runs in eight innings. Miguel Cabrera is 5-for-12 with three RBIs lifetime against Duke.
ABOUT THE TIGERS (40-35): Detroit has five regulars batting .298 or better and is second in the American League in batting at .265. The Tigers possess one of the best one-two punches in baseball in Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. Cabrera is batting .371 in June with a .494 on-base percentage and has 15 homers and 50 RBIs overall. Martinez was batting .286 in the middle of a doubleheader against Boston May 26 and is 35-for-87 since to raise his average to .332. Brennan Boesch is also 9-for-18 the last four games with five runs scored.
ABOUT THE DIAMONDBACKS (42-34): Arizona is looking like a surprise team that could stick around. The Diamondbacks are getting contributions throughout the lineup. Justin Upton has been a major threat the last 10 games, going 19-for-40 to raise his average to .301 with a home run and eight RBIs. Chris Young had a homer and four RBIs in the three-game sweep of Kansas City to push his team-leading totals to 15 home runs and 42 RBIs. Juan Miranda was 3-for-7 in that series as well after a 1-for-23 stretch the previous eight games. J.J. Putz has 20 saves, his highest total since 2007 with Seattle (40).
FINAL PITCH: The Tigers activated third baseman Brandon Inge Thursday, after his rehabilitation stint at Triple-A Toledo. Inge, batting .211, has been out since June 1 with mononucleosis. Inge was 7-for-28 with two homers in Toledo. Detroit also recalled right-handed pitcher Ryan Perry and sent infielder Danny Worth and left-handed pitcher Adam Wilk to Toledo.