Detroit @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 2, 2016 ) Detroit 3, Tampa Bay 2

The Detroit Tigers have put themselves squarely in the middle of the race for an American League playoff spot after matching their season high with a five-game winning streak. The Tigers look to extend their run to six in a row and complete a four-game sweep when they visit the slumping Tampa Bay Rays for the series finale on Sunday afternoon.

Detroit rallied for eight runs in the ninth to win the opener, pounded out a 10-2 win on Friday and edged the Rays 3-2 on Saturday to push five games over .500 for the first time as it reached the midpoint of the season at 43-38. Sunday starter Chris Archer will try to avoid the sweep for Tampa Bay, but must rebound from a rough outing against the Tigers on May 22 when he surrendered six runs over three innings. The Rays continue to sink with 15 losses in their last 17 games, managing nine hits combined the past two days. Evan Longoria knocked in a run for Tampa Bay on Saturday and is 10-for-23 in his last six games.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Mike Pelfrey (2-7, 5.02 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (4-11, 4.76)

Pelfrey snapped a four-game winless streak despite allowing four runs on 12 hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Miami Marlins last time out. The 32-year-old Wichita State product has permitted 118 hits in 86 innings overall this season and completed more than six innings twice in 16 outings. Longoria is 4-for-8 with a homer against Pelfrey, who is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in three starts versus Tampa Bay.

Archer, an All Star last season, owns the most losses in the majors and has dropped four straight since winning at Arizona on June 6. The North Carolina native completed at least six innings in seven consecutive starts, but walked nine in the past three outings. Miguel Cabrera, expected back after resting Saturday, is 4-for-10 with a homer versus Archer --1-2 with a 3.72 ERA in five career games against Detroit.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe has hit safely in eight straight games, going 14-for-34 in that span.

2. Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler belted his 15th homer Saturday – his first since hitting one in three straight games from June 11-13.

3. Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. went 1-for-3 on Saturday in his first game in almost three weeks after returning from a hip injury.

PREDICTION: Rays 7, Tigers 4