Detroit @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 17, 2014 ) Detroit 6, Boston 1

The Detroit Tigers are the best team in the league at the moment and are putting their pitching on display this weekend. The Tigers will attempt to polish off a three-game sweep of the Red Sox when they visit Boston again on Sunday. The Red Sox have totaled one run in the first two games of the series and are searching for offense anywhere they can find it with four losses in the last five games.

Max Scherzer did the damage in a 1-0 victory on Friday and Rick Porcello went eight strong innings in a 6-1 Tigers win on Saturday. Detroit, which is facing Boston for the first time since losing the American League Championship Series in six games last October, has won five straight games as Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez provide the offense with enough to support the strong pitching. The Red Sox placed struggling third baseman Will Middlebrooks on the disabled list with a broken finger on Saturday and gave fellow youngster Jackie Bradley Jr. the day off but their replacements were little help in the loss.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (0-2, 3.13 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Jake Peavy (1-1, 3.94)

Sanchez is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list to make the start after coming through a 60-pitch simulated game on Tuesday with no issues. The reigning AL ERA champ is still looking for his first win of 2014 but did not surrender more than three earned runs in any of his first five starts. Sanchez took a no-hitter through six innings to win Game 1 of the ALCS last fall but suffered the loss in Game 5 after surrendering four runs - three earned - on nine hits in six frames.

Peavy failed to go at least five innings for the first time this season at Minnesota on Tuesday, when he was pounded for a season-high six runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 frames. The 32-year-old allowed a home run for the eighth straight start and has issued 27 walks in 48 total innings. Peavy was lit up for seven runs in three innings to suffer a loss in Game 4 of the ALCS and is 4-5 with a 4.83 ERA in 12 career regular-season starts against Detroit.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox DH David Ortiz is 19-for-40 during his 10-game hitting streak.

2. Cabrera has driven in 12 runs in the last seven games.

3. Boston OF Grady Sizemore is 3-for-20 over his last seven games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 4, Tigers 3