Cleveland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2014 ) Cleveland 9, Detroit 3

The Cleveland Indians showed off the quick-strike ability of their offense in the series opener and will go for another pair of wins when they visit the Detroit Tigers for a day-night doubleheader on Saturday. The Indians put up seven runs in the seventh inning on Friday to climb out of a 3-0 hole and improve to 9-4 in July. The American League Central-leading Tigers are losers of two in a row after winning five straight.

Detroit appeared to have its rotation rounding into form before the All-Star break but watched as one of its stalwarts came unglued late on Friday, when Anibal Sanchez could not record an out in the seventh. The biggest hurdle for the Tigers is thought to be the bullpen, which had another rough time in the series opener and is the subject of much focus as the trade deadline looms. Cleveland, which was swept by Detroit in a three-game series last month, pulled within 6 1/2 games of the Tigers in the division with Friday’s triumph and is hoping to cut another chunk off that deficit in the doubleheader.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN (Detroit)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (9-6, 3.01 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Drew VerHagen (NA)

Kluber is 3-1 over his last four starts but allowed four runs against the Chicago White Sox on July 11, ending a string of five straight outings in which he surrendered two or fewer runs. The 28-year-old went into the All-Star break in the top five in the AL with 142 strikeouts - already a career high. Kluber yielded only two runs over seven frames against Detroit on June 20 but was saddled with the loss.

VerHagen is set to make his major-league debut after posting a 6-7 record and 3.67 ERA in 19 starts for Triple-A Toledo. The 23-year-old was the Tigers’ fourth-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2012 and has progressed steadily through the system. VerHagen went seven innings in four of his last five starts for the Mud Hens.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers All-Star 1B Miguel Cabrera stole his first base of the season on Friday and snapped a three-game hitless drought with a pair of singles.

2. Cleveland All-Star LF Michael Brantley has recorded multiple hits in seven of his last 11 games.

3. Detroit All-Star 2B Ian Kinsler has collected seven RBIs in his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Tigers 2