Tigers turn it up a notch in rout of Rangers

ESPN.com

Updated: April 23, 2008

AP Photo/Duane Burleson

Miguel Cabrera watches his three-run homer in an 11-run sixth inning for the Tigers on Wednesday.

POURING IT ON

By Mark Simon, ESPN Research

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The Tigers seem to have found their offensive stride in the past two nights, scoring 10 runs Tuesday and then bettering that in the sixth inning alone Wednesday against the Rangers. Detroit is starting to show signs of being the team everyone expects them to be, though not all the kinks are worked out yet (Kenny Rogers' struggles still haven't been solved). A lineup that seems capable of scoring 1,000 runs for a season got Curtis Granderson back and showed what it could do when everyone was clicking.

The Cubs, meanwhile, have been trying to work out the kinks for the past 99 years, but against the Rockies on Wednesday they got the kind of win that has often eluded them. Chicago blew a ninth inning lead but was undaunted and won anyway. It was a milestone victory -- the 10,000th in team history. They became only the second team to reach that mark. More importantly, it made them 15-6 and continued the kind of solid start that Lou Piniella was hoping for this season.

INSIDE THE SIXTH INNING
Rangers vs. Tigers:
• Tigers: 11 runs, seven hits, three walks, one HBP.
• Length of the inning: Top: Three minutes, 24 seconds. Bottom: Thirty-one minutes, 57 seconds.
• Most runs by Tigers in an inning in exactly four years (vs. Indians).
• Most runs allowed by Rangers in inning since 2001 (vs. Tigers!).
• Every Tigers starter had a hit except Ramon Santiago, who had three runs scored and two RBIs.

MOST WINS ALL TIME
Team Wins
Giants 10,193
Cubs 10,000
Braves 9,706
Source: Elias Sports Bureau

Past Baseball Tonight Clubhouses: April 22 | April 21 | April 20 | April 17 | April 16 | April 15

FORWARD THINKING: THURSDAY

Johnny Cueto • Astros at Reds, 12:35 p.m. ET: Jack Cassel (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his first start and appearance for the Astros. He'll be opposed by Johnny Cueto (1-1, 3.42 ERA), who in four starts has 29 strikeouts and just three walks in 26 1/3 innings.

Francisco Liriano • Twins at A's, 3:35 p.m. ET: Francisco Liriano (0-2, 6.52 ERA) will make his third start for the Twins. In his first two starts, he issued more walks (10) than he had strikeouts (seven). He'll face Greg Smith (1-0, 3.00 ERA), who has a .222 batting average against in three starts.

Tim Lincecum • Giants at Padres, 10:05 p.m. ET: Tim Lincecum (3-0, 1.57 ERA) has allowed a combined three runs in three starts. He'll be opposed by Chris Young (1-1, 4.57 ERA), who has struggled with his control, walking 15 batters in 21 2/3 innings.

• Complete list of pitching probables for Thursday's games


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BBTN ON THE AIR: THURSDAY

TIME WHO'S ON?
10 p.m. ET
ESPN		 Host: Steve Berthiaume
Analysts: Tim Kurkjian, Orestes Destrade
12 a.m. ET
ESPN		 Host: Steve Berthiaume
Analysts: Tim Kurkjian, Orestes Destrade

BASEBALL TONIGHT MINUTE: CUBS' MILESTONE WIN

WEDNESDAY'S NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES

GOOD
Johan Santana• Johan Santana gave up two runs in seven innings and was perfect at the plate, hitting two doubles and drawing a walk in the Mets' 7-2 win over the Nationals. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Mets.
BAD
Twins• The Twins were shut out for the third time this season in losing to the A's 3-0. Minnesota has scored 76 runs in 21 games, the second-fewest in the American League.
UGLY
Bronson Arroyo• Bronson Arroyo allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings in the Reds' 9-3 loss to the Astros. Arroyo gave up four consecutive singles and five hits in a seven-run fourth inning for the Astros.

ERIC KARABELL: FIELDING FANTASY QUESTIONS

FANTASY: PREVIEW OF THURSDAY'S GAMES

Will Harris examines the pitching matchups in store for the 15 games on Thursday's schedule in the American League and National League.

Fantasy Will also looks at current injuries and details player reports that could help shape the way you put together your roster for Thursday's games. Daily Notes

NEWS AND NOTES

Ken Griffey Jr.• Ken Griffey Jr. hit the 597th home run of his career in the first inning of the Reds' game against the Astros on Wednesday.