Toronto @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 29, 2010 ) Detroit 2, Toronto 2

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander has 76 career major-league victories to his credit – but he's still looking for his first against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Verlander aims to improve a dismal career showing against Toronto on Thursday as the Tigers host the Blue Jays in the first of a four-game series at Comerica Park. It's the first meeting of the season between the geographical rivals, with Toronto winning five of eight meetings with the Tigers in 2009.

The Tigers ended a seven-game losing streak Wednesday with a 4-1 victory over the Texas Rangers, Detroit's first triumph since July 10. Gerald Laird hit a two-run homer to pace the Tigers' offense while Max Scherzer threw seven shutout innings for his fifth win in the last six decisions.

Detroit puts its hopes of a win streak in the hands of Verlander (11-5), who is looking a lot like the pitcher who won 19 games last year while leading the majors with 269 strikeouts. The 27-year-old is 6-1 over his last eight starts dating back to June 5, and his 119 Ks rank him sixth in the American League.

Verlander was up-and-down in his last start, allowing three runs on six hits over six inning against the rival Cleveland Indians. He walked five, struck out nine and settled for a no-decision in the Indians' 4-3 victory.

The Blue Jays are the only American League team Verlander hasn't beaten in his major-league career. Toronto has torched the tall right-hander to the tune of an 0-2 all-time record and an unsightly 11.40 ERA over three starts. He last faced the Jays Sept. 14 of last year, allowing five runs on 10 hits over seven innings to earn a no-decision in a 6-5 Tigers win.

The Jays are hitting a ridiculous .397 off Verlander for his career.

Toronto hopes to continue that trend as it comes off a disappointing series against the woeful Kansas City Royals. The Jays dropped two of three at Kauffman Stadium to fall back to one game above .500, good for a distant fourth in the American League East standings.

Toronto had its hands full with Royals ace Zack Greinke, who lifted Kansas City to a 5-2 win in Wednesday's series finale. The powerhouse Blue Jays lineup was held without a home run for the first time in 14 games while managing just six singles and a pair of doubles against Greinke and closer Joakim Soria.

The Jays hope to have shortstop Yunel Escobar back in the lineup at some point during the Tigers series. Escobar, acquired during the All-Star break in a trade with the Atlanta Braves, hurt his hand when he was hit by a pitch in Monday's 5-4 loss. He has two home runs and seven RBIs in four games with the Jays.

Toronto sends left-hander Ricky Romero (7-6) to the hill in Thursday's series curtain-raiser. Romero ended a personal three-game losing skid in his previous appearance, limiting the Baltimore Orioles to a pair of unearned runs over seven innings in a 4-2 Toronto victory.

The outing was much-needed for the 25-year-old, who had surrendered 17 runs over his previous two outings spanning just five innings.

Romero is 1-1 lifetime against the Tigers with a 4.50 ERA over 12 career innings. Their previous meeting was one he'd rather forget, as he allowed four runs on 10 hits over six innings in a 7-2 loss last Sept. 13.