The second half of the baseball season is set to begin for the Detroit Tigers on Friday evening, as Jim Leyland's team will open a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
The Orioles, easily one of the sport's biggest surprises of the first half at 45-40 overall, will give the ball to 29-year-old right-hander Jason Hammel to kick off the series. In addition to his impressive 8-5 record, the ground ball specialist Hammel currently sports a 3.47 ERA and has racked up 102 strikeouts on the season. For the Tigers, pitcher Doug Fister will take the mound in search of his third victory of the year.
Offensively, Detroit will employ its usual Austin Jackson-Quintin Berry 1-2 punch atop the order, with Brennan Boesch once again in right field and batting sixth. Continuing his futile quest for production for the second base position, Leyland has opted to kick off the second half with much-maligned infielder Ryan Raburn in the No. 9 spot.
Here are Friday's lineups:
Tigers
1. Austin Jackson - CF
2. Quintin Berry - LF
3. Miguel Cabrera - 3B
4. Prince Fielder - 1B
5. Delmon Young - DH
6. Brennan Boesch - RF
7. Jhonny Peralta - SS
8. Alex Avila - C
9. Ryan Raburn - 2B
Doug Fister - SP
Orioles
1. Nick Markakis - RF
2. J.J. Hardy - SS
3. Jim Thome - DH
4. Adam Jones - CF
5. Matt Wieters - C
6. Chris Davis - LF
7. Mark Reynolds - 1B
8. Wilson Betemit - 3B
9. Robert Andino - 2B
Jason Hammel - SP
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