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Marcus Thames hasn’t had a hit keeping him on the basepaths in more than a week, but his production at the plate has been invaluable to the Detroit Tigers’ current surge.
Thames looks to continue his home run barrage and help the Tigers win their third straight series when they wrap up their three-game set with the San Francisco Giants Wednesday at AT&T Park.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Detroit -143 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 85% of bets for this game have been placed on Detroit -143 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Detroit (33-38) defeated the Giants 5-1 on Tuesday for its ninth win in 11 games. The Tigers had only nine victories in their previous 25 games, and have won just three of their last 12 series.
Thames has been instrumental to Detroit’s turnaround, as he homered in his fifth straight game Tuesday, matching the franchise record for home runs in consecutive games.
"He’s been impressive,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We’re all marveling at it right now. He hits some big ones. I don’t mean long ones, but big ones, with the score tied."
Thames has seven hits in his last seven games and all seven have been home runs. He has driven in 11 runs in those contests.
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The last time Thames had a hit that didn’t leave the ballpark came in the Tigers’ 8-4 win over Cleveland on June 7 – the first victory of Detroit’s current run. Just for good measure, though, Thames had a solo homer later in that game, giving him eight home runs for each of his last eight hits.
Detroit shortstop Edgar Renteria recorded his 2,000th career hit Tuesday, and is 8-for-20 (.400) in his last six games. Renteria is 4-for-8 lifetime against Wednesday’s scheduled starter Barry Zito (2-10, 5.88 ERA), who is just 13-23 since leaving Oakland and signing a $126 million, seven-year contract with the Giants (31-41) before last season.
Zito allowed four runs, six hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-1 loss to his former team on Friday to become the majors’ first 10-game loser.
"I can’t sit around and pity myself and get depressed," Zito said. "I can’t afford that luxury.”
Zito is still looking for his first win of the season at AT&T Park, where he’s 0-6 with a 6.50 ERA in seven starts this season. The left-hander has only one win in his last 16 starts at San Francisco.
Zito has won his last three decisions against the Tigers, but has not faced them in the regular season since April 20, 2006 when he pitched for the Athletics. He is 7-5 with a 2.68 ERA in 14 career starts versus Detroit.
The Tigers counter with rookie Armando Galarraga (6-2, 3.31), who looks to build off the best outing of his brief career and win his fourth straight start.
Galarraga allowed three hits, walked none and struck out five in seven innings of a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. The right-hander has posted a 1.71 ERA in winning his last three starts.
Galarraga, who didn’t start the season in the majors, has also been outstanding on the road this season, going 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA in five starts.
This will be his first career start against the Giants, but he has already had success against the NL, going 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two interleague starts.
San Francisco has lost six of its last eight games, and has scored only 10 runs in those defeats.
Fred Lewis went 2-for-4 on Tuesday, and is 12-for-29 (.414) with two home runs and six RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.
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