conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week.

DETROIT -- Detroits bullpen is doing everything it can to help the Tigers get into the postseason.The relievers just arent getting any help from the starting rotation.In the final three games of Detroits home series with the floundering Minnesota Twins, the starters lasted 9 1/3 innings, allowing 17 runs. Mike Pelfrey gave up four runs Thursday while getting only five outs in a 5-1 loss.I dont know how many innings our relievers threw in this series -- maybe 20 or something, Pelfrey said. We cant keep expecting those guys to pitch eight innings a night.The Tigers were able to salvage Wednesday nights game, thanks to five scoreless innings from the bullpen, but lost Tuesday and Thursday to end up with a split of the four-game series.The bullpen is doing a great job, and keeping us in games, but we cant get anything started, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.By going 2-2 against a team that is on pace to lose 100 games, the Tigers hurt themselves in a crowded AL wild-card race.This is obviously not what we wanted, Ausmus said. Any time you lose four out of seven, it isnt a good homestand.Hector Santiago (12-8) held Detroit to one run in 5 2/3 innings to continue his rebound after a post-trade slump.Hector had to dance out of trouble a few times, but he did a nice job, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. If he pitches like this, his spot with us next year will take care of itself.After moving from the Angels to the Twins at the trade deadline, Santiago lost his first four starts, posting a 10.89 ERA. Hes 2-0 in the last four with a 1.82 ERA.I made some adjustments when I got here, but I ended up leaving a bunch of pitches over the plate, he said. Now Im back to trying to throw good pitches, not just getting strike one.Santiago got only one groundball out and three strikeouts.I had really good command of the fastball, so I was able to keep jamming guys up and in, he said. They kept popping it up, so I kept throwing it.Pelfrey (4-10) lost in his first major league appearance since July 31. He started the game with a 60-pitch limit, but only lasted 36.The Twins took the lead in the second on Max Keplers RBI single, and he moved to third when first baseman Miguel Cabrera missed a pickoff attempt. Eduardo Escobar singled to make it 2-0, and Eddie Rosario beat out a bunt single.Juan Centeno bunted the runners over, and Pelfrey retired Byron Buxton. That brought up Brian Dozier with two on, two out and first base open. Despite his torrid numbers in the second half, Ausmus decided to pitch to him.With the bases loaded, you dont have any room to maneuver, he said. If he grounds out to third, no one is asking me about it.Instead, Dozier lined a soft single to left to give the Twins a 4-0 lead and bring Blaine Hardy out of the bullpen.Our guys were going to attack Mikes fastball, Molitor said of Pelfrey, who spent the last three seasons with the Twins. That helped us get those two early runs, and then Dozier came up with that huge hit to get the lead from two to four.The Tigers had two runners on in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but Santiago escaped all three jams without allowing a run.James McCann finally broke the shutout with a two-out RBI double in the sixth, but J.T. Chargois replaced Santiago to get out of the inning. He walked Tyler Collins, but Andrew Romine flew out to the track in right, stranding two more runners.Hardy kept the Tigers in the game with 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief and Kyle Ryan added two more, but the offense couldnt take advantage. Alex Wimmers, who came into the game with a 7.56 ERA, faced the top six in Detroits order in the seventh and eighth without trouble.Wimmers getting those six outs was huge, Molitor said. Hes had some tough luck in limited innings, but hes a reliever with four pitches and hes starting to trust his stuff.Byron Buxtons RBI single made it 5-1 in the ninth, and Brandon Kintzler finished Detroit off in the bottom of the inning.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: 3B Miguel Sano flew back to Minnesota to have more tests run on his sore back. Sano left Mondays game, and said that the problem hasnt improved. He will miss the weekend series against the Mets, but could return next week when the Twins return home.OLYMPIC WEEK CONCLUDESFor the fourth day in a row, the Tigers had a Rio Olympic medalist throw out the ceremonial first pitch. On Thursday, it was swimmer Connor Jaeger, who won silver in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Jaeger swam for Michigan.UP NEXTTwins: Travel to New York for a three-game weekend series against the Mets. Friday night, Minnesotas Jose Berrios (2-6. 9.27 ERA) faces New Yorks Bartolo Colon (13-7, 3.27).Tigers: Head to Cleveland for a three-game series and their last chance to get back into the AL Central race. Rookie of the Year favorite Michael Fulmer (10-6, 2.76 ERA) goes up against Cy Young Award candidate Corey Kluber (16-9, 3.05) in the opener. Cheap Air Max Shoes From China .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. Nike Air Max Mens Shoes Sale .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. http://www.cheapairmaxshoesonline.com/ . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Buy Air Max Shoes Online .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Cheap Nike Air Max Shoes For Sale . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No.BETHESDA, Md. -- Jordan Spieth, playing with nothing to lose, gave himself another chance to win going into the weekend at the AT&T National. Spieth hit every green in regulation Friday and extended his streak to 29 holes without a bogey on a tough Congressional course, giving him a 5-under 66 and a share of the lead with Roberto Castro (69) before storms halted the second round. They were at 7-under 135, with the round to be completed Saturday morning. Players went back out to the practice range after a two-hour delay, only for more storms to approach and extended the suspension until the PGA Tour called it for the day. Andres Romero was at 5 under with five holes remaining. No one else was within four shots of the lead. Spieth is the 19-year-old Texan who started the season with no status, uncertain where he was going to play. He now has earned over $900,000 -- the equivalent of being No. 39 on the PGA Tour money list -- and is assured of a tour card when the new season starts in October. But he wont be eligible for the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs unless hes a PGA Tour member, and he cant be a member this year unless he wins. "Honestly, I think its a great position to be in," Spieth said. "Im just free swinging. I cant be in the playoffs unless I win, and that makes winning the No. 1 goal. Youd like to get in the playoffs and play against the top players, the best players from this year. Its everyones goal out here to win the FedEx Cup. My goal is to move up the world rankings as much as I can, and thats the way to do it, is to get into those playoffs." D.H. Lee had a 66 and was two shots behind at 5-under 139. Cameron Tringale (67) and James Driscoll (69) were another shot behind, while the group at 3-under 139 included former British Open champion Stewart Cink (69), Gary Woodland (69) and David Lingmerth, who went from around the cut line to contention with a 65. Spieth has lived up to the hype he first generated when he played late on Sunday in the Byron Nelson Championship at age 16 and tied for 16th. In one year at Texas, the Longhorns won the NCAA title. And in six months as a pro, he has shown quickly that he belongs. He already has four top 10s and has special temporary membership, meaning he gets unlimited exemptions. His goal was to somehow get a PGA Tour card for 2013-14 season, and a win would be over the top. Even so, the teenager who was born just three years before Tiger Woods turned pro is savvy to realize the tournament is not even halfway over. "I cant really think about that at this point," he said. "Theres a long wway to go.dddddddddddd Im kind of free swinging. Ive gotten in a position where I can play a pretty full schedule this year, and I know Ill have my card for next year. Now all theres left to do is try and get a win to make the playoffs. So Im just going out there trying to win and being aggressive, and hopefully, it will work out for me." Scoring was slightly better at Congressional, a course that has hosted the U.S. Open three times. Warmer weather in the morning made the ball fly a little farther and shortened the longest PGA Tour course on the mainland. Spieth began his day with a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole, avoided a long three-putt from above the hole on No. 4 by making a 12-foot par putt and then picked up four birdies over the final five holes on the front nine for a 31. He made nine pars on the back nine, never coming close to a bogey. It was a clean round, executed well by a teenagers who plays like he knows where he is going. "Im excited for what the weekend is going to bring," he said. Castro tied the course record on the TPC Sawgrass in May with a 63 to lead the opening round of The Players Championship, and then he followed with a 78 and never seriously challenge the rest of the week. After opening with a 66 at Congressional, he dropped a shot early from a fairway bunker on No. 3 and was plodding along until finishing the back nine with a pair of birdies, and then adding a birdie on the par-5 16th. "I felt good," he said. "I probably learned a lot there (at Sawgrass) and realized that one round doesnt mean anything -- just got to keep going. And I was able to do that." Defending champion Woods is not playing because of an elbow injury, and U.S. Open champion Justin Rose withdrew earlier in the week because of fatigue. Some of the other big names most likely wont be around for the weekend, such as Hunter Mahan, who had a 72 and was at 5-over 147. Masters champion Adam Scott traded birdies and bogeys in his round of 71 that left him nine shots behind. Brandt Snedeker had to salvage a scrappy round with two late birdies for a 71, leaving him five shots behind. DIVOTS: The tee on the par-5 ninth hole was moved forward Friday, making it play only 613 yards. Six players went for the green in two -- compared with none Thursday when the hole was 635 yards -- with Angel Cabrera and Jason Day going just over the back. Both made birdie. ... Charlie Beljan, who opened with an 84, called officials Friday morning to say he had withdrawn. ... Russell Henley holed out from 149 yards for eagle on No. 9. He was at 3-under 139. ' ' '