Minnesota @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2013 ) Minnesota 1, Detroit 7

Justin Verlander is no longer the unquestioned ace of the Detroit Tigers, falling behind Max Scherzer and even Anibal Sanchez in a season marked by inconsistent performances. Still, the former American League Cy Young Award is capable of dominating any team on a given day and looks to lead the Tigers to victory Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series against the visiting Minnesota Twins. Verlander is 14-7 lifetime against the Twins, his third-highest win total against any opponent.

The absence of Joe Mauer due to a concussion further depletes a Minnesota lineup that already was offensively challenged. The starting unit trotted out by the Twins for Wednesday's game featured no player with a batting average above .267, although Justin Morneau is continuing his late-season surge and is 6-for-9 in the series. Wilkin Ramirez is riding a five-game hitting streak and had two hits, including an RBI double, off Verlander in April.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Andrew Albers (2-1, 1.85 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (12-9, 3.51)

Albers came back to earth following a pair of dazzling performances in his first two major-league starts, surrendering five runs on eight hits in seven innings of an 8-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox. He was masterful in his first career start, holding Kansas City to four hits over 8 1/3 innings and followed that up with a two-hit shutout of Cleveland. Albers is holding opposing hitters to a .169 batting average.

Verlander was a hard-luck loser last time out despite limiting Kansas City to two runs and seven hits over eight innings of a 2-1 defeat. He did not factor in the decision in his previous start against the New York Yankees, yielding a pair of homers and four runs in seven innings. Verlander has dominated the Twins this season, winning both starts and holding them to one run and nine hits while striking out 15 in 12 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Verlander won't have to deal with Twins C Joe Mauer (concussion), who is batting .371 with three homers and nine RBIs against him.

2. Twins rookie OF Oswaldo Arcia sat out the first two games of the series with a sore wrist.

3. Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera has eight RBIs in his last four games, hiking his major league-leading total to 123.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Twins 2