• 1

DETROIT TIGERS (58-61) vs. TEXAS RANGERS (61-58)

RHP Justin Verlander (1-5, 4.11) vs. RHP Colby Lewis (13-5, 4.49)
Friday, August 21, 2015 at 7:08 p.m.
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI

RECENT RESULTS: The Tigers completed a two-game sweep of the Cubs with a 15-8 win on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. Nick Castellanos hit two doubles and two home runs and drove in five runs in the win, while Rajai Davis, J.D. Martinez and Daniel Norris also added home runs. Miguel Cabrera went 3×5 with two runs scored, a double and a RBI in the victory. Neftali Feliz received the win after allowing a run on two hits with one strikeout in 1.1 innings. The Tigers begin a seven-game homestand tonight as they open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. Following this weekend’s series, the Tigers travel to Cincinnati on Monday for a makeup game against the Reds, before continuing the homestand on Tuesday with a three-game series vs. the Angels.

ROSTER UPDATE: The Tigers today have announced the following roster moves: ● The Tigers today have placed lefthanded pitcher Daniel Norris on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain. ● The Tigers today have placed righthanded pitcher Anibal Sanchez on the 15-day disabled list with a right rotator cuff strain. ● The Tigers have purchased the contract of righthanded pitcher Guido Knudson from Triple A Toledo. In 38 appearances, including one start, between Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo, Knudson has a 1-2 record with 11 saves, a 2.70 ERA (56.2IP/17ER) and 56 strikeouts. ● The Tigers have recalled the contract of righthanded pitcher Jose Valdez from Triple A Toledo. Valdez, who is in his second stint this season with the Tigers, has pitched in 38 games with the Mud Hens and has a 4-4 record with three saves, a 3.44 ERA (52.1IP/20ER) and 40 strikeouts.

PILING UP THE HITS: The Tigers established a season high with 21 hits in last night’s game. The 21 hits were the most the Tigers have had in a game since August 10, 2014 at Toronto, when they had 22 hits. The Tigers, who had 19 hits in Tuesday’s game, recorded 19-or-more hits in back-to-back games for the fourth time since 1914 and the first time since June 30, 1935 in a doubleheader at the St. Louis Browns. Eleven different Tigers had at least one hit in the win, the most in a single game since September 5, 2006 vs. Baltimore, when 12 players had at least one hit.

NICK’S BIG NIGHT: Nick Castellanos recorded the first multi-home run game of his career last night vs. the Cubs. The homers were the 12th and 13th of the season for Castellanos, establishing a new single-season career high. Castellanos finished the game with five RBI, which marked a career high. Along with his two home runs, Castellanos also had a pair of doubles in the game. He became the first Tiger to have four extra base hits in a game since Ivan Rodriguez on April 5, 2006 at Kansas City.

J.D. POWER: J.D. Martinez hit his 32nd home run of the season last night, blasting a two-run shot off James Russell in the ninth inning. Martinez’s 32 home runs are a single-season career high and are the sixth most in the American League. Martinez enters tonight’s game with a home run every 13.84 at bats, which ranks sixth in the American League.

HOMETOWN CHAMPIONSHIP CEREMONY: The nine winning teams, the winners of the Pitch, Hit and Run Competition, and the Home Run Champions from the Detroit Tigers Hometown Championship will be honored during an on-field ceremony at Comerica Park. Joining the winning teams on the field will be nearly 2,000 players and coaches who played in the Detroit Tigers Hometown Championship as they participate in a parade of teams around the field. The 2015 Detroit Tigers Hometown Championship was a youth baseball and softball tournament held earlier this month in Detroit for children ages 6-18. 2015 marked the 20th year of the popular tournament hosted in partnership by the Youth Development Commission, the City of Detroit Recreation Department and the Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities. The tournament is funded through a grant provided by the Detroit Tigers Foundation as part of Play Baseball Detroit in an effort to grow youth baseball and softball in the greater Detroit region. Major League Baseball and USA Baseball announced the launch of “PLAY BALL,” a significant new initiative that will encourage widespread participation in all forms of baseball activities among all age groups, especially youth.

TONIGHT’S TIDBITS

• The national anthem will be performed by the MacArthur Middle School Concert Choir, of Southfield, Michigan.
• The first 10,000 fans 18-and-over will receive a Detroit Tigers All-Star Poster, sponsored by the Michigan Lottery.

TIGERS AT A GLANCE

Record: 58-61 / Streak: W2
Game #120 / Home #59
Home: 28-30 / Road 30-31

TIGERS VS. RANGERS

2015 Record: 0-0
2015 at Home: 0-0
2015 at Texas: 0-0
All-Time Record: 354-302
All-Time at Home: 187-143
All-Time at Comerica Park: 38-30
All-Time at Texas: 167-159

2015 GAME LOG

STREAKS

Last five games: 3-2
Last 10 games: 5-5
Last 15 games: 8-7
Last 20 games: 10-10

This content was originally published on August 21, 2015. It was delivered electronically to specific media contacts and the entire Detroit Tigers front office staff, as well as being available to media in the press box and distributed to fans at program stands around Comerica Park.