Detroit @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2012 ) Detroit 6, Oakland 0

The surprising Oakland Athletics look to extend their winning streak to nine games on Friday when they return home to begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers, who are coming off an 11-1 rout of Toronto on Thursday. Oakland has outscored its opponents 65-24 during its winning streak, and they’re expected to have right fielder Josh Reddick back in the lineup Friday after he missed three games with a sprained right wrist.

Oakland allowed just 11 runs during their three-game sweep of the Angels, and they’ll face another strong test against the high-powered Detroit lineup. The Tigers became the first team in majors to reach 100 hits this season when they recorded 16 on Thursday, and they’re batting a major league-best .313 through nine games. Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder have driven in a combined 25 runs while batting .378 and .355, respectively.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Max Scherzer (1-0, 7.20 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Bartolo Colón (1-0, 4.50 ERA)

Scherzer struck out seven and allowed four runs over five innings last Saturday against the Yankees. The 28-year-old Scherzer led the American League with 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings last season, and he’s 164 strikeouts shy of reaching 1,000 for his career. He was a hard-luck loser in Game 4 of the American League Division Series against Oakland last October, giving up one unearned run with eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Scherzer, in his fourth season with the Tigers, had a 0.57 ERA in four spring training starts.

Colón earned the win in his season debut last Saturday against Houston, allowing three runs in six innings after retiring 11 of the first 12 batters. Colón was making his first start since being suspended for 50 games on Aug. 22, 2012 for testing positive for testosterone. The 39-year-old Colón is 8-10 with a 5.60 ERA in 25 career appearances (24 starts) against Detroit. Cabrera has five hits in 10 at-bats and Torii Hunter is 14-for-58 (.241) lifetime against Colón, who is seeking his first victory over the Tigers since April 13, 2003.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Athletics’ winning streak is the club’s longest in April since 1981, when they won 11 in a row.

2. Detroit has not committed a single error through its first nine games.

3. Oakland has allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of its 10 games.

PREDICTION: Tigers 8, Athletics 5