Detroit @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2013 ) Detroit 9, NY Yankees 3

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander seems to have regained his mojo with back-to-back strong outings and he could have an extra bounce in his step entering Sunday's finale of a three-game series at the New York Yankees. Verlander was irked by recent comments from former slugger Jack Clark that he may have used performance-enhancing drugs, an allegation he called "moronic." The 2011 Cy Young Award winner has rebounded from two ugly outings to give up one run and four hits in each of his last two turns.

Verlander will be opposed by veteran left-hander Andy Pettitte, is who struggling through one of the worst stretches of his career with a 2-6 mark over his last 10 starts. New York has dropped 15 of its last 22 games and another loss Sunday would put the team at the .500 mark for the first time since the Yankees were 5-5 on April 13. Left fielder Alfonso Soriano is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in the series and remains one hit shy of 2,000 for his career.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, TBS, FSN Detroit, YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (12-8, 3.50 ERA) vs. Yankees LH Andy Pettitte (7-9, 4.71)

Verlander is coming off one of his best performances of the year, limiting Cleveland to one run on four hits over eight innings. It matched the longest outing of the season for Verlander and marked the first time he has not walked a batter. Verlander has had mixed success against the Yankees with a 5-5 record and 3.74 ERA in 14 starts, including a loss on April 7 in which he yielded three runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Lost in the hoopla of Alex Rodriguez's season debut was a wretched performance by Pettitte his last time out. The 41-year-old left-hander was pounded for seven runs and 11 hits over 2 2/3 innings - his shortest outing in over three years. Pettitte is 0-3 over his last four outings and has received only six runs total from his teammates in that span, but he's also permitted at least four runs in eight of his last 10 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera, riding an eight-game hitting streak, is 4-for-12 with two homers versus Pettitte.

2. Alex Rodriguez, who is expected back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday, is 8-for-24 with three homers against Verlander.

3. Pettitte has allowed a first-inning run in seven straight starts - the first Yankees pitcher to do so in one season since 1920.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Yankees 3