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DETROIT — Justin Verlander can expect a warm welcome Monday night when he pitches against his former team http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-brian-mccann-jersey , the Detroit Tigers, for the second time in his career and first time in Comerica Park.Verlander (14-9, 2.73 ERA) remains a popular figure in Detroit even after the Tigers dealt him away at the waiver trade deadline last year. It was a trade he agreed to only at the last minute as his desire to pitch for a championship team overcame his reluctance to leave the franchise where he made his bones as a major league pitcher.“I am sure he had this series marked on his calendar for a while,” Detroit catcher James McCann told reporters. “Regardless of what we did to him last time. You know he’s going to want to come out and pitch well, coming back to Comerica.Article continues below ...He has faced his ex-team just once so far and it didn’t go so well for him.Detroit visited Houston earlier this year and pounded the ace of the World Series champions for four home runs among six hits good for six runs (one unearned) on July 15. Verlander took the loss but struck out 12 in six innings and didn’t walk a batter.Since his first appearance against Detroit, Verlander is 5-4 with a 3.93 ERA in his last nine starts.The Astros head to Detroit after losing 6-5 at Boston on Sunday night on a walk-off single by Red Sox pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland. Houston is 89-54 and 2 1/2 games ahead of Oakland in the AL West while Detroit (59-84) is riding out the rest of the season, though it is 6-3 in its last nine games.“It will be a completely different animal the first time I go back to Comerica,” Verlander said in July.He will be opposed by left-hander Francisco Liriano, who at this time a year ago was pitching for the Astros.Liriano (4-9, 4.90) faced Houston in the other series against the Astros but did not figure in the decision during a start in which worked three innings, giving up a run on one hit with three walks and three strikeouts.Liriano picked up his first win since April 28 on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox when he allowed three runs, on seven hits in 5.0 innings.For his career, Liriano is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA over four starts against the Astros.Rookie left fielder Christin Stewart can expect to get his first major league at-bat against Verlander after being called up to Detroit on Sunday when his team (Toledo) was eliminated by Durham from the International League playoffs. He hit .264 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI for the Mud Hens.“That’s one of the things we’ve been waiting for,” said manager Ron Gardenhire of the Tigers. “He’s going to play a lot this month. He’s going to get a lot of swings. He’s part of the future.“I want him playing (left field). I don’t want him DHing.”Also called up from Toledo by Detroit were veteran Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who will give the Tigers a third catcher, plus right-handed reliever Zac Reininger.Another pitcher or two will be called up by Detroit soon but Gardenhire declined to identify them because they haven’t been told yet. He said another infielder might be brought up if shortstop Jose Iglesias is unable to return from an abdominal strain.At least one of the pitchers is joining the rotation Josh Reddick Jersey , the manager said, and Detroit will be going to a six-man rotation at that point.“I’ll tell those guys to keep doing what you’ve been doing,” Gardenhire said. “There’s a reason you’ve been called up here.” Two games down, two games to go for the Boston Red Sox.A 108-win juggernaut during the regular season, the Red Sox have been rolling through the postseason and could be on their way to their fourth World Series championship since 2004.At least that's the way the Fall Classic looks after the Red Sox have taken a 2-0 World Series lead over the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers following back-to-back wins at Fenway Park.After an off day Thursday, the series moves from the East Coast to the West Coast. Dodger Stadium is likely to be a more friendly venue for the Dodgers based on their familiarity with their home ballpark and a return to their homes and more familiar routines.The Dodgers have been on the road since last Friday as they played two games in Milwaukee鈥攍osing Game 6 of the NLCS and winning Game 7鈥攂efore going directly to Boston for a day off, a workout and two losses in the first two games of the series.If the Dodgers are not rejuvenated by returning home, the World Series could end shortly. Boston has been the team that has taken advantage of its opportunities in both games. The Dodgers have battled hard, put runners on base in the first game and through the first four innings of the second, but have failed to get the big hit when they needed it.The Red Sox have excelled at delivering the big hit with two out and runners in scoring position. The numbers are eye-catching, as they are17-for-41 with seven extra-base hits and 31 runs batted in those situations this postseason, per MLB.com's Ian Browne.MLB MLBThe RedSox are 8-0 this #postseason when they score first. 馃憖#WorldSeries fNPzMy8uzzSecond baseman Ian Kinsler explained that the Red Sox have a never-give-in attitude at the plate."It doesn't matter how many outs there are鈥攐ne, two, none鈥攚e're going to battle all the way up and down the lineup, and we understand that with two outs, if you can keep the inning alive Tyler Clippard Jersey , anything can happen," Kinsler said, per Browne.The Dodgers have struggled to score runs against left-handed starters Chris Sale and David Price along with the Boston bullpen.Right-hander Rick Porcello will get the Game 3 start Friday night at 8:09 p.m. ET against Walker Buehler of the Dodgers. The game will be televised by Fox. World Series ScheduleTuesday, October 23 (Game 1): Boston 8, Los Angeles 4Wednesday, October 24 (Game 2): Boston 4, Los Angeles 2Friday, October 26 (Game 3):Boston Red SoxatLos Angeles Dodgers, 8:09 p.m. ETSaturday, October 27 (Game 4):Boston Red SoxatLos Angeles Dodgers, 8:09 p.m. ETSunday, October 28 (Game 5, if necessary):Boston Red SoxatLos Angeles Dodgers, 8:15 p.m. ETTuesday, October 30 (Game 6, if necessary):Los Angeles DodgersatBoston Red Sox Marwin Gonzalez Jersey , 8:09 p.m. ETWednesday, October 31 (Game 7, if necessary):Los Angeles DodgersatBoston Red Sox, 8:09 p.m. ETAll World Series games will be televised by Fox.Live Stream:Fox Sports Go Porcello has a 1-0 record with a 4.22 earned run average in the postseason. He has started two games and come out of the bullpen in two more for manager Alex Cora.He was sharp in his first start against the New York Yankees, but he had some difficulty against the Astros in his second.The Game 3 start could have gone to Nathan Eovaldi, but he has been used in relief in the first two games of the World Series. He said on a postgame interview on MLB Network that he is more likely to get the ball for Game 4.Porcello was 17-7 with a 4.28 ERA in the regular season while striking out 190 batters in 191.1 innings. Opponents hit .241 against him and he allowed 27 home runs with a WHIP of 1.18.Buehler is a hard thrower who was on the mound for the Dodgers in Game 163 that gave Los Angeles the National League West Division title over the Colorado Rockies. He also took the ball in Game 7 against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, pitching 4.2 innings while allowing six hits and one earned run.Buehler was 8-5 with a 2.62 ERA during the regular season and he held opponents to a .192 average while giving up 12 home runs with a WHIP of 0.96. His overall postseason numbers have not been as impressive, as he is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA. His effort in the decisive game against the Rockies was considered a regular-season game.According to OddsShark, the Red Sox are -650 favorites to win the World Series at this point, while the Dodgers are +450 underdogs. Those betting on the Red Sox have to risk $650 to win $100, while a $100 bet on the Dodgers will return a profit of $450. The Dodgers are -165 favorites to win Game 3, while the Red Sox are +140 underdogs.The key for the Dodgers will be finding a way to deliver the clutch hits that have been a big part of Boston's success to this point. If they can, they have a much better chance to get back into the World Series. If not, the Red Sox have an excellent chance to finish off their remarkable season with a World Series title.