Detroit @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2010 ) LA Angels 4, Detroit 9

THE STORY: The Detroit Tigers will have a new pitching coach Monday when they open a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Pitching coach Rick Knapp was fired after Sunday’s victory and replaced by bullpen coach Jeff Jones as the Tigers attempt to get their porous pitching in order. Detroit lost games by scores of 14-3, 16-9 and 15-3 in a five-game span last week. Despite having American League All-Stars Justin Verlander and Jose Valverde on the staff, Detroit’s collective ERA is 4.39, fifth-worst in the majors. The Angels beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday to move within a half-game of first-place Texas in the AL West.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, FSD, FSW.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Charlie Furbush (1-1, 2.49) vs. Angels RH Joel Pineiro (3-3, 4.14)

Furbush is making his first major-league start after 12 relief appearances. He replaces Phil Coke (1-8) in the rotation after Coke allowed 16 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings over his last three starts. Furbush’s longest outing of the season is three innings on June 6 against Texas. He has struck out 17 and walked nine in 21 2/3 innings.

Pineiro has just one victory in his nine starts dating back to May 10. He took a no-decision in his last outing against Washington when he gave up three earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He is 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 13 career appearances (11 starts) against the Tigers. Magglio Ordonez is batting .393 in 28 career at-bats against Pineiro.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (44-41): Los Angeles beat the Dodgers in the final two games of a three-game series, including a 3-1 victory on Sunday. The Angels had just three hits but the big one was Russell Branyan’s two-run tiebreaking homer in the seventh. The homer was Branyan’s first in 43 at-bats since joining the Angels. The victory was the 132nd interleague victory for Mike Scioscia, surpassing Joe Torre’s mark. Starting pitcher Jered Weaver and infielder Howie Kendrick are the Angels’ representatives in the All-Star Game. Weaver leads the AL with a 1.92 ERA and is a candidate to draw the starting assignment. Outfielder Torii Hunter (hand) came in for defense late in Sunday’s game and could return to the lineup on Monday. Hunter was hit by a pitch on Friday.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (45-40): Detroit’s 6-3 victory over San Francisco on Sunday was just its second in six games. The Tigers trail Cleveland by a half-game in the American League Central race. Verlander and Valverde were joined on the All-Star squad by catcher Alex Avila and first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Avila, who is hitting .298 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs, was voted in as a starter as Tigers’ fans rallied around his starting bid. Designated hitter Victor Martinez has a shot at being voted in during fan voting for the squad’s final roster spot. Brennan Boesch has homered in back-to-back games and has 12 overall. Ordonez delivered a two-run, go-ahead single on Sunday and is batting .360 during a seven-game hitting streak.

FINAL PITCH: Detroit manager Jim Leyland said he believes the change in pitching coaches marks the first midseason change on any of his staffs in his 20-year major-league managerial career. Leyland said he and general manager Dave Dombrowski were in agreement a change was necessary. “We felt like it just wasn’t working, and that pretty much sums it up,” Leyland said after Sunday’s game.