Los Angeles @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 8, 2014 ) LA Dodgers 5, Detroit 14

The Los Angeles Dodgers turn to Zack Greinke in an effort to slow down the Detroit Tigers in the second of two meetings at Detroit on Wednesday afternoon. Greinke, no stranger to the Tigers from his days with Kansas City, is 13-6 with a 2.74 ERA in 27 career games against Detroit, but will be facing an offense that erupted in a 14-5 rout in the series opener Tuesday night. The Tigers produced season highs in runs and hits (20) while going 12-for-17 with runners in scoring position.

Detroit did its damage without the services of All-Star designated hitter Victor Martinez, who has missed three straight games with a sore back. Because of the approaching All-Star break, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus hinted Tuesday that the club may not place Martinez on the disabled list and rather wait it out and hope that he is available immediately after the break, if not sooner. Los Angeles enters the finale of the two-game set in danger of losing a road series for the first time since May 16-18 at Arizona.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Detroit (Detroit)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (11-4, 2.66 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (10-3, 3.47)

Since giving up a season-high five runs at Kansas City on June 23, Greinke is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts, striking out 18 against just two walks in that span. He matched his longest start of the season with eight innings at Colorado on Thursday and has worked at least into the sixth in eight consecutive starts. Greinke is 8-4 with a 2.62 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) at Detroit.

Like Greinke, Scherzer has also recovered well from a recent rocky outing as he is 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in three starts since giving up 10 runs to Kansas City on June 17. He let up just two hits and struck out seven in eight frames against Tampa Bay on Thursday to improve to 6-1 with a 3.52 ERA at home. The 29-year-old, who owns a 3.89 ERA in eight career meetings (six starts) with Los Angeles, is 4-0 with a 2.76 ERA this year when given five days of rest between starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers 3B Juan Uribe is 10-for-23 with a home run and five RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.

2. Tigers LF J.D. Martinez has hit safely in seven consecutive games, recording three home runs, a triple and two doubles in that span.

3. Los Angeles OF Matt Kemp is 0-for-18 with five strikeouts against Scherzer.

PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Dodgers 3