Detroit @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2014 ) Detroit 2, Toronto 3
The Detroit Tigers haven’t been able to find much offense during their road trip to begin August or against the Toronto Blue Jays in general. The Tigers, who conclude their season series on the road Sunday with the Blue Jays, enter the rubber match of their three-game set having dropped four of their five 2014 meetings against Toronto. Detroit wasted a dominant outing by Max Scherzer on Saturday as the Blue Jays rallied for a run apiece in the ninth and 10th innings to secure a 3-2 victory.
The Tigers have totaled 10 runs in their losses to Toronto and fell to 2-4 during their nine-game road trip in part because they have scored two runs or fewer in the four setbacks against the Blue Jays and the New York Yankees. Detroit has dropped seven of its last nine on the road overall and only holds a 1 1/2-game lead over Kansas City in the American League Central. The Blue Jays, who have already secured their first season series win over the Tigers since 2009, are in a virtual tie with the Yankees at 5 ½ games behind Baltimore in the AL East and a game back of the Royals for the second wild-card spot.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, SNET (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH David Price (11-8, 3.11 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (11-8, 3.27)
In his first start since being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, Price fanned 10 over 8 2/3 innings but settled for a no-decision in Detroit’s 4-3, 12-inning win over the Yankees on Tuesday. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner, who yielded three runs on eight hits in the outing, leads the majors with 199 strikeouts and is 6-1 with a 1.84 ERA in his last eight turns. Price is 6-0 with a 2.72 ERA in his last seven starts versus the Blue Jays and 15-2 with a 2.31 ERA in 19 all-time outings against Toronto.
Buehrle, who snapped a six-game losing streak and nine-game winless streak in his last July turn, was tagged for four runs on 10 hits and three walks over four frames in Tuesday’s 9-3 setback versus Baltimore. The five-time All-Star held a 2.10 ERA and became the major’s first 10-game winner following his 12th start on June 1, but is 1-7 with a 4.73 ERA since. Buehrle has only faced the Tigers once since 2011 – giving up six runs (five earned) in a no-decision in April 2013 – but is 18-10 with a 3.49 ERA in 35 all-time appearances (34 starts) against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Eighteen of Toronto’s 27 runs against Detroit this season have been scored in the sixth inning or after, with half of those 18 coming in the ninth alone.
2. Price’s 15 victories over the Blue Jays are four more than he has against any other opponent.
3. Toronto SS Jose Reyes is batting .386 during a 20-game hitting streak against the Tigers while Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera is hitting .140 in 12 games at Rogers Center since 2011.
PREDICTION: Tigers 3, Blue Jays 1