Miami MarlinsMiami Marlins vs. Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers Pick Center

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Marlins aim to extend Tigers' losing streakFLMThe Miami Marlins possess a mostly inexperienced roster, but in their visit to Detroit's Comerica Park this week, Curtis Granderson is returning to the outfield where he began his long career.Granderson, 38, haunted his former club in the first game of a three-game series on Tuesday, reaching base three times and scoring a run from the leadoff spot. Miami won the game 5-4 in 11 innings to increase its season-best winning streak to four games.Granderson played with the Tigers from 2004-09."I never thought I'd stay this long," Granderson told the Miami Herald, "so I'm very fortunate and blessed to get a chance to play this long, which has been really cool." The second game of the series is scheduled for Wednesday evening.Right-hander Jose Urena (1-6, 4.44 ERA), Miami's starter on Wednesday, has pitched a lot better than his record would suggest. He has gone at least six innings in each of his past six outings, and he allowed two or fewer earned runs in five of those contests. However, he went 1-3 with two no-decisions during that span.Urena held the Tampa Bay Bays to one run on six hits in six innings on May 15, but the Marlins were blanked 1-0."For me, it's attacking those hitters," Urena said to MLB.com afterward. "We tried to get quick outs, to help me go deep into the game." Urena will be facing the Tigers for the first time in his career.Miami catcher Jorge Alfaro, who strained his left calf on Saturday, returned to the lineup on Tuesday as the designated hitter but went hitless in five at-bats."It gives him an extra day with the leg," manager Don Mattingly said of using Alfaro as a DH. "We think he's fine. Then we will figure out the lineup (Wednesday)." Detroit's Wednesday starter, Daniel Norris (2-2, 4.50 ERA), also will be facing an unfamiliar foe as his club tries to end a seven-game losing streak. His lone career appearance against the Marlins came in 2016, when he allowed two runs in five innings.Norris is coming off his worst outing statistically this season. The 26-year-old left-hander gave up six runs on seven hits, including two homers, over 5 1/3 innings to the Oakland A's on Friday.Norris tossed three scoreless innings before some defensive miscues and the long ball ruined his night. One positive is that he hasn't endured any health setbacks after missing most of last season when he required groin surgery."At the end of the day, I've got to keep in mind where I was and where I am now," Norris told the Detroit News. "I feel good about that." Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire wasn't feeling good about an overturned call in the ninth inning on Tuesday, and it led to his ejection. Marlins left fielder Harold Ramirez apparently dropped a Ronny Rodriguez fly ball during Detroit's two-run rally. Upon replay review, it was a ruled a catch, and Rodriguez was credited with a sacrifice fly.The Tigers forced extra innings before coming up short in the 11th."Everybody's frustrated," bench coach Steve Liddle said. "It was nice to see us come back. We got some key hits, had some good at-bats, but obviously, frustration boils over. Then again, it didn't look like (Ramirez) had the ball secured." --Field Level Media

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