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Center fielder Franklin Gutierrez made a rare error on Kelly Johnson’s deep fly ball to begin the bottom of the seventh. For Gutierrez, the miscue was his first in 301 games. He had gone 846 chances without an error, an AL record for outfielders.

Wedge said Gutierrez, a Gold Glove winner in 2010, couldn’t recover after getting turned around on the play.

“It’s just one of those things that happen, for him once in about three years,” Wedge said.

Share of first on the line in Tigers-White Sox finale

By Anthony Odoardi / MLB.com | 9/13/2012 2:57 AM ET

Tigers manager Jim Leyland made the accurate prediction on Tuesday that his club would either be one or three games back in the American League Central race depending on the result of Wednesday night's game against the White Sox.

Fortunately for the Tigers, it was the former, as Max Scherzer led them to an 8-6 victory to pull within one game of the division lead.

Now the Tigers will hand the ball to the reigning AL Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner, Justin Verlander. And for the second time in less than two weeks, it will be Verlander vs. White Sox left-hander Chris Sale with a share of first place on the line.

"I don't think you get much more than a game of this magnitude at this time of year," said Verlander after the Sept. 2 outing, likely not expecting the same situation on Thursday.

The Tigers won that game, 4-2, to sweep the White Sox for the second straight series. Now, just like then, Verlander is coming off a start in which he was roughed up. He gave up six runs on nine hits and didn't reach 97 pitches for the first time in 80 starts, as Leyland elected to conserve him for the series finale.

The 23-year-old Sale isn't coming off a poor start, having contained the Royals to one run on five hits on Saturday, but being the starter in the thick of a pennant race isn't something he's used to, given this is his first season in the rotation. However, he sounded like a veteran as he downplayed Thursday's game.

"Whoever is pitching, whatever team you're pitching against, you just keep going, not really focus on who it is or all the hype behind it," Sale said. "I've still got to go out there and make pitches. He's good. They've got a good lineup, but they've been beaten."

They've been beaten 67 times this season, in fact, but not once by Sale. The left-hander has six losses, three of them to the Tigers, and the 12 earned runs they've scored off him are the most he's allowed to any team.

"I'm not going to sit here and dwell on the past and talk about 'what ifs,'" Sale said. "Got to focus on what we've got ahead of us."

And what the White Sox have ahead of them is a tall task. But with Sale being 8-0 and compiling an impressive 1.20 ERA in his last nine starts at U.S. Cellular Field, things could very well could lean in their favor. That, or the Tigers could prove they have the lefty's number.

Rain delay. It's cold and wet here. Perhaps if the game is delayed long enough, I might get home in time to catch a few innings. Should be a dandy.

Chris Archer was the tough luck loser in that 14 inning game against the Orioles today. He's pitched some very good games for the Rays during his limited exposure this year. I think he'll make a stellar run for the 5th spot in the rotation next year.
Archer's numbers for this afternoon:
Archer just pitched 7 innings against the Rangers 4 days ago (7inn, 2r, 4h, 2w, 11k)

Crap! Sox and Tiger game rained out.

Indians couldn't do much with Verlander tonight, but there is no shame in that.
I'm watching the A's feed of the OAK-BAL game now. Pulling for the O's, since the Skankees lost tonight. CC was underwhelming.

J.R. wrote:Indians couldn't do much with Verlander tonight, but there is no shame in that.
I'm watching the A's feed of the OAK-BAL game now. Pulling for the O's, since the Skankees lost tonight. CC was underwhelming.

Come on, now....

Tough to root against Oakland with our Ray Fosse doing the color....

"Let's Go Oakland......blare blare....blare blare blare......Let's go Oakland.....blare blare....blare blare blare"

When I was in personal attendance for our Tribe series win in Oakland early in the season, I had no idea how rare those Tribe series wins might become in 2012.

I just saw the announcers. No Fosse, but Duane Kuiper's brother Glen is doing pbp.

J.R. wrote:I just saw the announcers. No Fosse, but Duane Kuiper's brother Glen is doing pbp.

Yes, they always had different broadcasting combos dependent upon the various Bay Area affiliates with game rights each night. I never tracked the reasons, and just tuned into the A's game after The Tribe was over most season nights. In my real time days out there it was usually Ray Fosse on my telecast, with Duane's brother by his side.

Here tonight on my mlb.tv feed, Fosse is indeed absent from this A's telecast.

I guess Hatteburg is handling the catching duties tonight, to give Ray a break.

I wonder how many times Fosse has had to answer that question about Pete Rose.

J.R. wrote:I guess Hatteburg is handling the catching duties tonight, to give Ray a break.

Billy Beane probably had that planned when he went to Hatteburg's house to convince him to sign.....and play first.

(at least in Moneyball)

I was at the featured game with the Hatteburg homer to keep the featured Moneyball streak in play.

J.R. wrote:I wonder how many times Fosse has had to answer that question about Pete Rose.

He gentlemanly offers an "ole" when asked. Ray Fosse is well grounded and knows his baseball and broadcasting career has been blessed and he has had a better life through baseball for himself and his family than most who never played baseball ever have in their earnings lives.

CALI/FLA: Well, I guess one of us is happy that the A's won tonight. 3-2 final