Boston Red Sox @ Detroit Tigers (07/06 - 07/08)

[H1Man]

• Friday: Julian Tavarez, RHP (5-6, 4.39) vs Andrew Miller, LHP (3-2, 3.81), 7:05 p.m. ET

Red Sox: Tavarez held his own against the Texas Rangers on Sunday at Fenway Park, but received a single run of support in what has become an all-too familiar trend for the Boston rotation. He allowed two runs, only one of them earned, in 5 2/3 innings, but allowed 10 baserunners. He threw 62 of his 106 pitches for strikes.

Tigers: Miller allowed six runs over five innings in his first start against an American League team in an 8-5 loss to the Twins on Saturday. Miller had experienced few problems in his first four starts, with a 3-1 record and 2.70 ERA, all of which came in Interleague Play. While the stats against the Twins may not have looked good, Miller said he felt good that his curveball and changeup have continued to develop into usable pitches to complement his fastball.

• Saturday: Kason Gabbard, LHP (2-0, 5.79) vs Jeremy Bonderman, RHP (9-1, 3.58), 7:05 p.m. ET

Red Sox: Gabbard couldn't make it out of the sixth on Monday against the Rangers, but he was otherwise effective in a game in which he received seven runs of support. The second-year lefty struck out five, allowing three earned runs over 5 2/3 frames and earned his second win of the season. He has never faced Detroit.

Tigers: Bonderman will know his fate in the All-Star Final Vote a couple days before he takes the mound for his final start before the break. He followed up his first loss of the season by tossing eight scoreless innings last Sunday night in a nationally televised duel with Minnesota's Scott Baker, earning the win in a 1-0 victory. He's 3-4 in his career against the Red Sox, but had two quality starts against them last year while striking out 14 batters over 15 1/3 combined innings.

• Sunday: Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (10-5, 3.53) vs Nate Robertson, LHP (4-6, 4.86), 1:05 p.m. ET

Red Sox: On July 3, there was no stopping Matsuzaka, who has recovered from a late-May poor spell with all the force of a freight train. Matsuzaka's recent hot streak likely began one start too late; otherwise, he'd be pitching in Tuesday's All-Star game after starting on Sunday in Detroit. Matsuzaka's only complete game of the season came against the Tigers on May 14. Against the Devil Rays last Tuesday, he threw eight innings and struck out nine.

Tigers: The good news for Robertson was the season-high eight strikeouts in his last start on Tuesday against the Indians. The bad news was that he had to labor to get those strikeouts, with 108 pitches in just five innings. He allowed three runs on six hits and didn't factor in the decision of a 5-4 Tigers loss. Robertson will start in the final game before the All-Star break for the Tigers against the Red Sox, a team that recorded 11 hits and three runs over five innings against him in a game earlier this season. Robertson is 1-3 with a 6.55 ERA in six career games against the Red Sox.

[Hermy]

I'm there on Sat./Sun. I wish one of the days was bondy V diceK instead of the split.

[DrRay11]

We had better win the first two, because we're gonna get pwned on Sunday.

[Tahoe]

Sox looked good last night. I think they were up 6-0 or something when I stopped watching. I started watching hoping they'd have to go to their pen or go extra innings. Not so.

[Jethro34]

We had better win the first two, because we're gonna get pwned on Sunday.

Werd. Co-signed.

[Tahoe]

Nice play by Grandy and Rabelo.

[Tahoe]

BTW...It was Vikings 20 Bears 14 in the first of the weekend series.

Here are some of the era's for the pitchers in that game.

5.71
5.35
5.40
and a 4.20 but he only pitched 2/3rds of an inning. Continuing...
3.92
7.21
6.75
4.38

[Tahoe]

Rod: Rabelo was borderline safe. I have never heard that one befor.

[Tahoe]

Damn I'm thinking they should drug test Grandy too. He is fired up tonight. Offense and defense.

[Tahoe]

Shef hit and warning to both benches.