=== Detroit Tigers Team Report - May 27 ===

(My Sportsbook) - They may still have the lowest batting average in all of baseball, currently coming in at .215 after 49 games, but the Detroit Tigers are no longer a team that the rest of the American League can take lightly.

On Monday the club opened a three-game set with the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park with a 6-5 win thanks to a solo home run by Brandon Inge in the seventh inning.

Dmitri Young also homered and drove in four runs, while Carlos Pena had an RBI for the Tigers, who have won four of their last five outings.

Steve Avery picked up the win in 1 1/3 innings of relief. The lefty allowed three runs on two hits and Franklyn German threw a perfect ninth for his second save of the year.

Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman surrendered two runs on three hits in six innings, while striking out seven. The victory for the Tigers gave them a 4-17 mark at home and a 2-3 record versus the Indians so far in 2003.

Heading to the hill for the Tigers tonight is Nate Cornejo, who has won two of his last three decisions to improve to 3-3 on the season.

However, in his last outing, Cornejo failed to earn a decision against these Indians on Thursday, despite allowing only two runs on four hits in 7 1/3 frames. He walked one and struck out two.

Cornejo is winless against Cleveland in his career, going 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts.

Detroit hitters have struck out 331 times in just over 1600 at-bats, with Pena coming in with 43 K's against 37 hits. Opponents have a combined batting average of .259 against the Tigers, which has been low enough of late to get the team some victories.