Dirks Has Rough Day, But Keeps Streak Going
--LF Andy Dirks ran his hitting streak to eight games Sunday with a single to center in the first inning. While Dirks has prospered since moving into the second spot in the batting order, a wart has appeared. Twice against Oakland he came up with a runner on third and less than two outs, striking out both times. He also popped out with the bases loaded and two outs, in the second.
--RHP Justin Verlander, facing an Oakland lineup featuring five players with sub-.200 batting averages, retired the first 11 batters he faced Sunday before giving up a bloop single to center and allowed just two hits in his seven innings. "Verlander was good," manager Jim Leyland said. "He had a callous on the right side of the thumb and that's why we took him out after seven innings. It broke open and started bleeding a little bit so that's why we got him out of there. I don't think it's much of (a concern).
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