Cleveland @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 16, 2014 ) Cleveland 3, Detroit 2
Offense was rarely an issue for the Detroit Tigers on their way to a third straight American League Central title a season ago, but scoring runs has been a bit more difficult in 2014. The Tigers, who look to salvage a split of a two-game home set with the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, finished second in the majors with 796 runs last season. However, Detroit’s offense has been mostly invisible recently, scoring two runs or fewer in every loss during a 2-5 stretch after opening the year with four straight wins.
Some of the blame of the Tigers’ offensive woes during their slump falls on the shoulders of Miguel Cabrera, who is 4-for-28 with one extra-base hit and three RBIs over that span. Cleveland finished 4-15 against Detroit in 2013, but battled through near-freezing temperatures Wednesday to nail down only their 12th win in their last 46 road games in this series. "They were able to dominate us last year and we don't want that to happen again,” Indians leadoff hitter Michael Bourn told MLB.com after scoring a run in his return from a season-long layoff due to a hamstring injury.
TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Danny Salazar (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (1-1, 2.57)
Although he matched a career high with 10 strikeouts, Salazar was tagged for five runs on six hits (including two homers) over 3 2/3 innings during last Thursday’s 7-3 setback against the Chicago White Sox. "It's an interesting line score; he obviously had really good stuff to have that many strikeouts. (But) because they had seen so many pitches (93), they did some damage with him," manager Terry Francona told MLB.com. Salazar did not factor into the decision despite a 2.63 ERA in either of his two outings against Detroit last season.
Verlander displayed a bit of his vintage form in Saturday’s 6-2 triumph over the San Diego Padres, giving up two runs while striking out eight to collect his first win of the season. The 2011 AL MVP even notched his first two hits and scored his first run, ending a career-long dry spell that included 29 at-bats and 38 plate appearances (including the postseason). Verlander went 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts versus the Indians last season and is 17-14 with a 4.38 ERA in 35 all-time turns against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland has won two straight meetings after dropping 14 of the previous 15.
2. Verlander’s 17 career victories against the Indians are more than he has against any other team.
3. Since Bourn signed as a free agent prior to the start of the 2013 season, Cleveland is 44-17 when he scores at least one run.
PREDICTION: Tigers 3, Indians 2