http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?g...ew&c_id=cws

 

Tigers (5-2) vs White Sox (4-2)

Saturday 4/14, 4:10 PM ET at U.S. Cellular Field

Radio: DET: 97.1 The Ticket CWS: WSCR 670, 97.5 ESPN Deportes

TV: DET: FS-D CWS: CSN

 

Tigers' Wilk ready for first Major League start

Rookie lefty opposes White Sox right-hander Floyd

 

By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com | 4/13/2012 6:00 PM ET

 

It's never too early for a contingency plan. Detroit rookie Adam Wilk will make his first big league start Saturday against the White Sox, an opportunity born out of an injury to Doug Fister. Wilk, 24 years old, will be matched against veteran Gavin Floyd in a clash of division rivals.

 

Friday's series opener saw Jake Peavy hold down the electric Detroit offense, and the White Sox pulled within a half-game of the first-place Tigers in the early standings with a 5-2 victory. Fister, who had been on turn to make this start, was placed on the disabled list with a strained left rib muscle.

 

Wilk, an 11th-round selection in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, steadily moved through the ranks in the Minor Leagues and made five relief appearances for the Tigers last year. And now that he's making his first start for the Tigers, he thinks that he'll be able to savor the experience.

 

"It helps that this isn't my first game and it isn't my first couple days up here in the Majors," he said. "Last time, I was here for a couple days and I got my first outing in on my third day, so now I'm coming up with some experience under my belt. I'm not so nervous like I was last year."

 

The White Sox have won three straight games and have scored at least four runs in each of those victories, but Floyd will be hoping to rebound from a tough debut. Floyd pitched to a 4-7 record with a 5.66 ERA at home last season compared to an 8-6 record and a 3.41 mark on the road.

 

Wilk went 24-12 with a 2.58 ERA in 60 career Minor League starts, and he's struck out (263) more than five times as many batters as he's walked (46). The southpaw threw five one-hit innings in his first start for Triple-A Toledo this season, priming him for a chance to step in for Fister.

 

"It's special to come up either time. Obviously, last year was my debut and the first time I got up as a Major League player," said Wilk. "So that was a lot of fun for me, and that was a great time. This year it'll be a little bit more organized, obviously, because I have a start. So my mom's coming out so she can see me [pitch] for the first time. She's actually seen me in L.A. and Anaheim in uniform but I've never pitched there, so this is actually the first time she's seen me pitch professionally."

 

Tigers: Jackson's homecoming streak ends

 

The White Sox managed to keep Austin Jackson off the scoreboard for the first time this season, snapping the Tigers' longest streak in more than two decades. Detroit's lead off man had scored in each of his first six games, the best streak since Darrell Evans did it in eight games in 1986.

 

Jackson made it to third base with one out in the eighth inning on Friday -- and he represented the tying run at the time -- but the threat was extinguished on a double play. The center fielder went hit-less in the series opener, but he's a career .306 (44-for-144) hitter against the White Sox.

White Sox: Captain steering the ship

 

Paul Konerko has been his usual steady presence in the middle of the lineup thus far, notching a hit in each of Chicago's first six games. Konerko delivered a key run-scoring single off Max Scherzer in the sixth inning on Friday, and he's batting .435 with six RBIs and four runs scored.

 

Konerko has had at least two hits in four of his first six games, and he's four home runs away from No. 400 for his career. He'll break a tie with Joe Carter -- 51st all-time -- with his next home run, and he's 21 hits from tying Eddie Collins for the fourth-most hits in franchise history.

 

Worth noting

 

• Detroit and Chicago combined to strike out 25 times in the series opener, including four by White Sox DH Adam Dunn.

 

• Konerko has started in 12 consecutive Opening Day games for Chicago, the second-longest active streak in baseball.

 

• The Tigers will likely activate veteran utility man Brandon Inge (sore left groin) from his Minor League injury rehab stint in time for Saturday's game.

For the Division lead fellas! Let's hit the rookie back to the minor leagues.

Rookie making his first MLB start vs the Sox... and a lefty to boot?

 

DISASTER

 

Time to prove those days are over.

Don't Stop Now Boys! I want to say Your First Place Chicago White Sox tonight

Pitching matchup in our favor. Floyd usually pitches well against Tigers. He had a 4.50 ERA in 3 starts against them last year. He has a career 3.68 ERA against them.

 

With the lefty pitching against us, I hope that Dunn gets the day off. Dunn is already 0-8 against LHP, but hitting a respectable .286 against RHP. Maybe start tlb in the field and put Viciedo or Paulie in DH. I wish.

 

Hope this rookie is nervous and the White Sox are patient. Early battle for first place. GO WHITE SOX!!!!!

Rookie making his first MLB start vs the Sox... and a lefty to boot?

 

DISASTER

 

Time to prove those days are over.

Agreed, let's hope this ends today.

No faith in April Floyd, hope I'm wrong.

No faith in April Floyd, hope I'm wrong.

 

Thankfully she (April) isn't pitching today. It is Gavin Floyd for the win.

 

If the White Sox win and Texas lose today, the White Sox will have the best record in the AL!

Edited April 14, 201213 yr by sunofgold

I vote that knight always makes the game thread. I love how professional it is, and how I don't have to jump to different sites to see info about the game before it starts.

 

In other words, thanks for the work on these knight!

 

Lets win boys!

De Aza, Morel, Dunn, Konerko, Rios, Ramirez, Viciedo, Flowers, Beckham. Floyd

 

De Aza, Morel, Dunn, Konerko, Rios, Ramirez, Viciedo, Flowers, Beckham. Floyd

 

Dunn could have used a day off vs. a lefty, but I guess the season is only 7 games old

De Aza, Morel, Dunn, Konerko, Rios, Ramirez, Viciedo, Flowers, Beckham. Floyd

Hopefully good enough. Would have liked to see tlb in there.

I wish Escobar would get a start at 2B.

 

Dunn could have used a day off vs. a lefty, but I guess the season is only 7 games old

 

 

Hopefully good enough. Would have liked to see tlb in there.

 

 

I wish Escobar would get a start at 2B.

 

Sunday lineup to be featured.. tomorrow possibly?

Probably figures no reason to shake things up when we've won 3 in a row...and then the mysterious "rainout" line-up with Beckham leading off which might have been tongue-in-cheek.

 

Surely there'll be some changes if Beckham, Morel and Rios struggle today again with multiple K's. Maybe Dunn too, although Porcello's a righty so not sure you'd want to sit him in punishment for a bad performance against a LHP when he should be playing every game against RH pitching.

De Aza

Morel

Dunn

Konerko

Rios

Ramirez

Viciedo

Flowers

Beckham

Floyd - P

 

Feeling good about Flowers today.

2 strike fastball to Jackson = bad pitch selection

Great recovery G.

And good work De Aza being the OF captain.

And good work De Aza being the OF captain.

 

Routine fly ball

Another nice dp turned by the White Sox.

 

Great recovery G.

 

Didn't you think Gavin got squeezed on the pitch to Boesch?