Detroit @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2013 ) Detroit 7, Cleveland 0
The Detroit Tigers will vie for their fifth consecutive victory when they visit the Cleveland Indians on Saturday for the second contest of their four-game set. Detroit had little trouble extending its winning streak to four games in Friday's series opener, posting a 7-0 triumph as Rick Porcello tossed seven strong innings and Victor Martinez went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Jhonny Peralta and Ramon Santiago also drove in two runs apiece as the Tigers improved to 5-3 on their 11-game road trip.
Justin Masterson turned in his shortest outing of the season for Cleveland as he surrendered six runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. Carlos Santana recorded two of the six hits for the Indians, who have lost three in a row following a five-game winning streak. Cleveland, which fell 2 1/2 games behind first-place Detroit in the American League Central, has scored 12 runs during its skid but has allowed 23.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 2.76 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (0-3, 8.17)
Sanchez was activated from the 15-day disabled list, where he had been since June 16 with a strained shoulder. The 29-year-old Venezuelan missed a start with shoulder stiffness before lasting only 3 2/3 innings on June 15 at Minnesota. Sanchez, who exited his rehab start on Monday for Class A Lakeland early after being hit on the leg with a line drive, is 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA in four career outings against Cleveland.
Carrasco will be making his sixth start of the season in search of his first victory. The 26-year-old Venezuelan surrendered at least six runs in three of his first five outings, including a 5 2/3-inning effort against the Chicago White Sox on June 28 in which he escaped with a no-decision despite yielding six runs and 10 hits. Carrasco fell to 1-3 lifetime against the Tigers when he gave up six runs and 10 hits in four-plus frames on June 8 at Detroit.
WALK-OFFS
1. Sanchez has struggled on the road this season, going 1-4 with a 4.06 ERA in seven starts.
2. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 31-9 during their winning streak.
3. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis enters with a 16-game hitting streak and has reached safely in 36 consecutive contests.
PREDICTION: Tigers 9, Indians 4