New York @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 3, 2011 ) NY Yankees 4, Detroit 5

THE STORY: Trying to stave off elimination, the New York Yankees will send enigmatic righthander A.J. Burnett to the mound in Tuesday’s Game 4 of the American League Division Series in Detroit. Burnett was not scheduled to get a start in the series, but Friday’s rain-forced suspension scrambled the pitching plans for both teams. The Tigers will counter with 22-year-old Rick Porcello. New York must win the next two against a team that hasn’t lost back-to-back games since Aug. 28-29.

TV: 8:37 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH A.J. Burnett (2011: 11-11, 5.15 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Rick Porcello (0-0, 9.00 ERA).

Burnett hasn’t won consecutive starts since winning his first three outings of the season. He had only three wins in the last three months of the season and two of them came in a two-week span in September, including an 11-strikeout effort in Seattle. Burnett has not fared well at Comerica Park, going 2-2 with a 7.17 ERA in four starts. He is 1-1 vs. the Tigers this year.

Porcello allowed more than three runs only once in his last seven starts, but also was winless in his last three outings. Certainly not overpowering, he doesn’t give up a lot of walks and home runs, which will be crucial against the Yankees. He limited New York to two runs in seven innings earlier this season at Comerica. Robinson Cano is 5-for-11 against Porcello.

ABOUT THE YANKEES: New York needs to find some production from the middle of its lineup after the Nos. 3-6 hitters went 0-for-14 Monday. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira are a combined 1-for-21 in the ALDS. No. 9 hitter Brett Gardner had a two-out, two-run double that tied Monday’s game and has four RBIs in the series. Closer Mariano Rivera has not pitched in two nights, so he’ll likely be available for two innings Tuesday.

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Detroit received unexpected offense from a couple of sources Monday. No. 9 hitter Brandon Inge led off a pair of innings with hits and scored both times on run-scoring hits by Ramon Santiago, who had 30 RBIs on the season. Delmon Young’s second homer of the series accounted for the winning run in Game 3. He clubbed eight homers in 40 games after he was acquired from Minnesota in mid-August.

FINAL PITCH: Tigers closer Jose Valverde jokingly guaranteed the series wouldn’t return to New York after Game 2. He has turned in a pair of high-wire acts, throwing 34 and 19 pitches the past two nights to keep Detroit unbeaten (85-0) when leading entering the ninth inning.