Two games today pit division contenders head-head-to-head. The Tigers and Indians are in a dead heat for the AL Central as they open up a two game series with each other. They'll play five over the next nine games, with the Tigers facing the Yankees in two four game series following each Cleveland tussle. It's a do-or-die stretch for Detroit, as the Indians take on the Devil Rays and Royals while the Tigers are battling the Yankees.

Tonight, Jeremy Bonderman visits C.C. Sabathia. Bonderman is simply having a strange year. His strikeouts, walks and home runs are all good, but his ERA remains high. He appears to allow more hits than would be expected, making me question the defense behind him despite Polanco's errorless streak. Sabathia leads the American League in innings pitched and may come close to 240 IP this season. Detroit is one of the few teams with success against C.C. this season, scoring 15 runs in 18 1/3 innings against the lefty, and five of the seventeen home runs Sabathia allowed came off Detroit bats.

In the west, Colorado visits San Diego as Jeff Francis faces Greg Maddux. A Rockies sweep of the three game series puts them ahead of current lead San Diego in the wild card race. Francis is undefeated since the All-Star break, a period in which he's walked just one man every seven innings. The slugging percentage against him drops 100 points away from Coors. Maddux hasn't won in six starts since the break despite a 3.78 ERA.

There are some other good pitching matchups tonight as Orlando Hernandez faces Ian Snell, Roy Halladay host Joe Saunders and Aaron Harang visits Carlos Zambrano. And St. Louis goes north to Milwaukee, not out of the division chase. They're 5 1/2 games out with three against Milwaukee now and three at the end of September.

Enjoy!