Oakland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 1, 2014 ) Oakland 0, Detroit 3

Designated hitter Victor Martinez is expected to sit out his third straight game when the Detroit Tigers go for a sweep of the visiting Oakland Athletics on Wednesday afternoon in a matchup of division leaders. Despite missing Martinez, who leads the team in homers (20) and batting average (.323), Detroit won the the first two games of the series to improve to 10-2 in its last 12 games. Justin Verlander looks to end a five-start winless drought in the series finale.

Even though they are tied with Milwaukee for the most wins away from home, the Athletics are a tired bunch as they prepare to wrap up an eight-game trek. Oakland has already navigated four road trips of at least nine games before the current swing and the players say it's taking a toll. "We're not robots," shortstop Jed Lowrie said. "When you put as many miles as we have in the first half and especially when you are talking about these East Coast three-city road trips, it starts to grind on you a little bit."

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jesse Chavez (6-4, 2.94 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (6-7, 4.80)

Chavez carried a shutout into the sixth inning at Miami last time out but failed to retire another batter and was charged with four runs while not factoring in the decision. That came on the heels of seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball against Boston and six innings of one-run ball in a win over the New York Yankees. Chavez allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings in a loss to the Tigers on May 29.

Verlander had his second straight quality start in Houston on Friday, giving up three runs on six hits over six innings while striking out eight - a season high - for the second start in a row. Still, he has won only once since May 14 and went through a ragged stretch in which he permitted at least five earned runs on six of seven occasions. Verlander is 8-6 with a 2.48 ERA in 15 career starts versus Oakland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers LF J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer in Tuesday's win, giving him 20 RBIs in his last 17 games.

2. Athletics C Derek Norris (back), who has missed the last four games, is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday.

3. Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler has hit safely in 10 of 11 games, with a pinch-hitting appearance the only blip in that span.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Athletics 4