Tigersground.com | Detroit Tigers News, tigers Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> --LF Clete Thomas contributed a sparkling catch and a pair of singles Tuesday to Detroit's attack. Thomas reached above the left field wall in the first to steal a two-run home run from C Joe Mauer, who hit one his next time up. Thomas hasn't hit for much power, but he has been a plus in the upper part of the Tigers' batting order since being recalled from the minors.</div>--RHP Ryan Perry is inexperienced -- and shows it. But he's talented, and shows that, too. Perry was brought in with runners on base in the sixth inning and two out Tuesday. He got a strikeout, got two more in the seventh and got two out in the eighth before giving up an RBI single and being relieved. Perry was throwing mostly high-90s fastballs with an occasional slider mixed in, fewer than he'd thrown in his previous two outings. He did a nice job against the raft of left-handed hitters in the Minnesota lineup, but the Twins' contact hitters were giving him trouble at the end of his night. --C Gerald Laird remains locked in a slump. Laird went 0-for-3 Tuesday night and now does not have a hit in his last 21 official at-bats. He's just out of sync at the plate, hitting the ball foul when he hits it solid or missing badly when he doesn't. --3B Brandon Inge was chasing high pitches Tuesday night and seems to be struggling through a slump after reaching base in Detroit's first 24 games. Inge was hitless at Minnesota and is just 3-for-25 with 11 strikeouts as his batting average has sunk from .316 to .269. He seems to be pressing, going after bad pitches he was laying off of earlier in the season. --RHP Jeremy Bonderman threw 87 pitches in an extended spring training game Monday and might soon begin a rehab assignment. Bonderman has been on the disabled list since the last week of spring training dealing with a right shoulder that has been slow to come back from surgery last spring. His velocity has been creeping back up to the area of the low 90s where the Tigers need it to be. Bonderman will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, and if he comes out of that OK, Detroit might start the 30-day clock ticking by beginning his rehab stint. Bonderman threw 87 pitches Monday at the Tigers' facility in Lakeland, Fla., according to head athletic trainer Kevin Rand, and supposedly felt fine. Staying pain-free, plus gaining velocity, have been the keys for Bonderman as he tries to progress from the sore shoulder that has shelved him since the season began. The next step for Bonderman, Rand said, will come after his side session Wednesday. Rand didn't speculate on where Bonderman might go. --RHP Joel Zumaya has pitched five times since Detroit activated him from the disabled list April 25. He's struck out two batters. Occasionally dialing down on his fastball, increasing use of his curve and mixing in more changeups have helped Zumaya throw more strikes in his comeback from his latest injury, a sore shoulder muscle in the spring. Zumaya has no walks thus far this season and only gone to 3-0 on one hitter. He has pitched six innings and allowed five hits and no runs. --RHP Juan Rincon was designated for assignment by the Tigers, who needed to clear a roster spot with LHP Dontrelle Willis coming off the disabled list to start Wednesday at Minnesota. Rincon had appeared in seven games for Detroit this season, going 1-0 with a 5.23 ERA. MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Dontrelle Willis (anxiety disorder) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. The disorder was diagnosed through blood tests. He made a rehab start for Class A Lakeland on April 21, and he started for Class AA Erie on April 26. He pitched for Class AAA Toledo on May 1 and May 6, and he was activated to start for Detroit on May 13. LF/DH Carlos Guillen (left shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 5. DH/OF Marcus Thames (left ribcage muscle strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19. He won't begin any physical activity for two to four weeks, and he will need a rehab assignment before returning to the Tigers. RHP Jeremy Bonderman (right rib removal, blood clot surgery in June 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He might begin a rehab assignment in mid-May. C Matt Treanor (torn labrum in right hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 24. He had surgery April 30, and is likely out for the season. ROTATION: RHP Justin Verlander RHP Edwin Jackson RHP Armando Galarraga RHP Rick Porcello LHP Dontrelle Willis BULLPEN: RHP Fernando Rodney (closer) RHP Joel Zumaya RHP Brandon Lyon LHP Bobby Seay LHP Nate Robertson RHP Ryan Perry RHP Zach Miner CATCHERS: Gerald Laird Dane Sardinha INFIELDERS: 1B Miguel Cabrera 2B Placido Polanco SS Adam Everett 3B Brandon Inge INF Jeff Larish INF Ramon Santiago OUTFIELDERS: LF Josh Anderson CF Curtis Granderson RF Magglio Ordonez DH Clete Thomas OF Ryan Raburn

--LF Clete Thomas contributed a sparkling catch and a pair of singles Tuesday to Detroit's attack. Thomas reached above the left field wall in the first to steal a two-run home run from C Joe Mauer, who hit one his next time up. Thomas hasn't hit for much power, but he has been a plus in the upper part of the Tigers' batting order since being recalled from the minors.

--RHP Ryan Perry is inexperienced -- and shows it. But he's talented, and shows that, too. Perry was brought in with runners on base in the sixth inning and two out Tuesday. He got a strikeout, got two more in the seventh and got two out in the eighth before giving up an RBI single and being relieved. Perry was throwing mostly high-90s fastballs with an occasional slider mixed in, fewer than he'd thrown in his previous two outings. He did a nice job against the raft of left-handed hitters in the Minnesota lineup, but the Twins' contact hitters were giving him trouble at the end of his night.

--C Gerald Laird remains locked in a slump. Laird went 0-for-3 Tuesday night and now does not have a hit in his last 21 official at-bats. He's just out of sync at the plate, hitting the ball foul when he hits it solid or missing badly when he doesn't.

--3B Brandon Inge was chasing high pitches Tuesday night and seems to be struggling through a slump after reaching base in Detroit's first 24 games. Inge was hitless at Minnesota and is just 3-for-25 with 11 strikeouts as his batting average has sunk from .316 to .269. He seems to be pressing, going after bad pitches he was laying off of earlier in the season.

--RHP Jeremy Bonderman threw 87 pitches in an extended spring training game Monday and might soon begin a rehab assignment. Bonderman has been on the disabled list since the last week of spring training dealing with a right shoulder that has been slow to come back from surgery last spring. His velocity has been creeping back up to the area of the low 90s where the Tigers need it to be. Bonderman will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, and if he comes out of that OK, Detroit might start the 30-day clock ticking by beginning his rehab stint.

Bonderman threw 87 pitches Monday at the Tigers' facility in Lakeland, Fla., according to head athletic trainer Kevin Rand, and supposedly felt fine. Staying pain-free, plus gaining velocity, have been the keys for Bonderman as he tries to progress from the sore shoulder that has shelved him since the season began.

The next step for Bonderman, Rand said, will come after his side session Wednesday. Rand didn't speculate on where Bonderman might go.

--RHP Joel Zumaya has pitched five times since Detroit activated him from the disabled list April 25. He's struck out two batters. Occasionally dialing down on his fastball, increasing use of his curve and mixing in more changeups have helped Zumaya throw more strikes in his comeback from his latest injury, a sore shoulder muscle in the spring. Zumaya has no walks thus far this season and only gone to 3-0 on one hitter. He has pitched six innings and allowed five hits and no runs.

--RHP Juan Rincon was designated for assignment by the Tigers, who needed to clear a roster spot with LHP Dontrelle Willis coming off the disabled list to start Wednesday at Minnesota. Rincon had appeared in seven games for Detroit this season, going 1-0 with a 5.23 ERA.

MEDICAL WATCH:

LHP Dontrelle Willis (anxiety disorder) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. The disorder was diagnosed through blood tests. He made a rehab start for Class A Lakeland on April 21, and he started for Class AA Erie on April 26. He pitched for Class AAA Toledo on May 1 and May 6, and he was activated to start for Detroit on May 13.

LF/DH Carlos Guillen (left shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 5.

DH/OF Marcus Thames (left ribcage muscle strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19. He won't begin any physical activity for two to four weeks, and he will need a rehab assignment before returning to the Tigers.

RHP Jeremy Bonderman (right rib removal, blood clot surgery in June 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He might begin a rehab assignment in mid-May.

C Matt Treanor (torn labrum in right hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 24. He had surgery April 30, and is likely out for the season.

ROTATION:

RHP Justin Verlander

RHP Edwin Jackson

RHP Armando Galarraga

RHP Rick Porcello

LHP Dontrelle Willis

BULLPEN:

RHP Fernando Rodney (closer)

RHP Joel Zumaya

RHP Brandon Lyon

LHP Bobby Seay

LHP Nate Robertson

RHP Ryan Perry

RHP Zach Miner

CATCHERS:

Gerald Laird

Dane Sardinha

INFIELDERS:

1B Miguel Cabrera

2B Placido Polanco

SS Adam Everett

3B Brandon Inge

INF Jeff Larish

INF Ramon Santiago

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Josh Anderson

CF Curtis Granderson

RF Magglio Ordonez

DH Clete Thomas

OF Ryan Raburn