Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners: Game Time, TV/Radio Coverage, Lineup

May 31, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman

Ian Kinsler

(3) misses the tag on Seattle Mariners left fielder

Cole Gillespie

(16) while stealing second base during the fourth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Tigers lost last night and finished the month of May at 17-12. While that isn’t great (considering how they started the month), it’s pretty good when you consider they faced the longest road-heavy streak of their season, heading to five cities wrapped around a brief home series last weekend. Also, for how much fans complained about all the off-days and rain-outs during April, the team faced a brutal stretch with just one day off after May 2.

This is a big game for the Tigers to win today as they head home, after an off-day on Monday, to face a red-hot, first-place Toronto Blue Jays and suddenly resurgent Boston Red Sox before heading on the road again to play (for now) the second place Chicago White Sox for four games.

Detroit Tigers (31-21) at Seattle Mariners (27-28) — 4:10 P.M. EDT

Safeco Field — Seattle, WA

TV: Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for radio affiliates)

Weather: 65 degrees, partly cloudy

When We Last Met

Drew Smyly was “Porcello’d” a bit last night with the Mariners grabbing an early 2-0 lead with a couple of bloop hits and infield dribblers. The M’s added a run and while Smyly was a bit wild (throwing more than 40 balls by the middle innings), he limited the damage. Chris Young was a bit better on the evening. The journeyman starter kept the Tigers at bay, allowing just a pair of runs. Former Tiger Fernando Rodney and his crooked hat allowed the first two Tigers to reach in the ninth, but recorded two strikeouts and a bounce out to earn the save.

Pitching Matchup

Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Max Scherzer (6-1, 3.00) hopes to recapture his early season dominance and fall in line with the rest of the starters who have had better starts this turn through the rotation. Last time out, Scherzer could not hold on to a pair of two-run leads, allowing five runs in six innings, striking out a season-low four batters. After winning six straight decisions from April 19 to May 16, Scherzer has received no-decisions in his last two outings, allowing 12 earned runs over that span. Max also notched a no-decision in his one start against Seattle last season, going eight innings of six-hit, shutout ball. He struck out 12 in that game.

Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Cuban rookie Roenis Elias (3-4, 4.02) will be looking for his first win in nearly a month when he heads to the mound for Seattle. He was hit hard his last time out, allowing five runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 6-4 loss to the Angels. Elias could poise a challenge to the free-swinging Tigers’ batters. The lefty has fanned five or more batters in all but two of his starts this year, including a season (and career) high of 10 against the Yankees exactly one month ago.

Tigers Lineup

Injuries