It’s almost getting cruel – unless you are a Rangers fan – how many injuries
are striking the Detroit Tigers in this year’s American League Championship
Series. Yet Detroit remains resilient, taking Game 3 in Motown 5-2 on Tuesday
night with Game 4 a quick turnaround this afternoon again at Comerica Park. The
Rangers opened as slight road favorites on Bodog’s MLB baseball odds. The Tigers may have lost outfielder Delmon Young for the
rest of this series (again). You may remember Young was originally ruled out
after Game 1, yet shockingly was re-added to the roster and played in Game 2
when Magglio Ordonez went out with a season-ending ankle
injury. Well, that oblique injury clearly is still bothering Young as he was a
scratch from Tuesday’s Game 3. Young was originally batting third and playing left field, the same spot he
had in Game 2. But just like Monday, Young's spot was tentative depending on how
he felt before the game. Once he reported to Comerica Park and met with the
team's medical staff, it was decided that Young couldn't go. Rookie Andy
Dirks took Young's spot in left field, making his first start of this
postseason. He hit ninth and was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Meanwhile, Tigers DH Victor Martinez led off the bottom of
the fourth with a home run off Texas right-hander Colby Lewis
(one of three Tigers homers in the game), but he seemed hurt even
before leaving the batter's box. In completing the swing that tied the game at
1, Martinez landed awkwardly on his twisted lower right leg. Martinez made his
way around the bases very slowly and was visibly limping by the time he reached
the Tigers' dugout. He didn’t leave the game, however, even though Fox-TV
reported he had an oblique injury as well. So he could be iffy for today. Detroit may need a great performance from Rick Porcello with
all these hitters ailing. Porcello will be making his first start in eight days,
since his assignment in Game 4 of the AL Division Series against the Yankees.
But Porcello pitched two relief innings in Game 1 of this series, retiring all
six batters he faced. He made one start vs. Texas during the season, allowing
six hits and one run in six innings on June 7 in an 8-1 victory. The Rangers go with lefty Matt Harrison. He is just 1-4 with
a 6.89 ERA in seven career appearances vs. Detroit. Back in June, Harrison
allowed eight hits and four runs in four innings vs. Detroit but said he passed
a stubborn kidney stone later that night. Harrison's other start against the
Tigers this season was a 5-4 loss on Aug. 3, when he went six innings and gave
up four runs on nine hits. His lone playoff outing so far was in the Game 4
clincher of the ALDS vs. Tampa Bay when he allowed two runs in five innings. Tuesday's win guaranteed Detroit will get to start ace Justin
Verlander in Game 5 of the ALCS. Get the best MLB baseball odds and props at the Web’s gaming leader
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