Detroit Tigers Back In First After Verlander Gem

Justin Verlander has been the most dominant pitcher in baseball this season.  He racked up his 10th win tonight by striking out 14 Arizona Diamondback hitters in  a 6-0 Tiger victory.  The win pulls the Tigers back into a first-place tie with the Cleveland Indians, who lost 1-0 to San Francisco today. 

The American League Central race got even tighter as Chicago won today and is only 3 and a half games back of the Tigers and Indians. 

Verlander matched a career-high with 14 strikeouts in 8 innings, Alex Avila drove in 4 runs with 3 hits, including a 3-run homer.

The Tigers and Diamondbacks will wrap up their 3-game series tomorrow afternoon at Comerica Park in Detroit.  Before the game, the Tigers will retire Sparky Anderson's #11 with a special ceremony.  It's appropriate that they do so with the Diamondbacks  in town, as Kirk Gibson is the D-Backs manager and played for Sparky.  Allen Trammell is the Arizona bench coach and also played many seasons under Anderson in Detroit.  Brad Penny will start for Detroit vs. Arizona's Joe Saunders.  1:05 start for tomorrow's game.