Detroit @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2015 ) Detroit 5, Minnesota 4

Minnesota Twins right-hander Ervin Santana missed the first three months of the season while serving an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. So it makes sense that Santana is in midseason form as he looks to win his fourth consecutive start on Wednesday in the rubber match of a three-game set against the visiting Detroit Tigers.

The Twins had won four of five prior to Tuesday's 5-4 defeat that left them 1 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros for the second wild card in the American League. Ironically for the Tigers, they were officially eliminated from the AL Central race despite their victory, ending their run of four straight division titles. Detroit designated hitter Victor Martinez had three hits and drove in a pair of runs Tuesday, ending a 19-game RBI drought and an 0-for-21 slump with runners in scoring position. Tigers rookie Daniel Norris will come off the 15-day disabled list to make a spot start in the series finale.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Daniel Norris (2-2, 4.43 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (5-4, 4.73)

Norris has been sidelined since Aug. 19 with an oblique strain but will be pressed into service after scheduled starter Anibal Sanchez's ailing shoulder flared up again. Acquired in the trade that sent David Price to Toronto, Norris has taken a downturn since tossing 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his Detroit debut. He has allowed 12 runs in 14 innings in his last three turns and is expected to be limited to about 50 pitches.

Santana is in a groove following an ugly six-start stretch in which he went 0-4 and was battered for 33 runs and surrendered seven home runs over 30 1/3 innings. Santana won his third straight start by holding the White Sox to two runs over seven innings last time out, which followed a pair of dominating efforts in which he struck out 21 and yielded one run. He was pounded by Detroit for six runs in four innings on July 10.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe has hit into a major league-high 27 double plays, which is one shy of Harmon Killebrew's franchise record.

2. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera is hitless in his last 19 at-bats.

3. Twins 1B Joe Mauer has reached base safely in 35 consecutive games.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Tigers 3