Cleveland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2011 ) Cleveland 0, Detroit 14

THE STORY: If Monday night was any indication, the Detroit Tigers could be the team to beat in the postseason. The Tigers, who surged way out in front of the rest of the American League Central earlier this month largely be beating up on its closest competition, went back to that tactic in a 14-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Monday. The Indians dropped back to .500 and will have to win the final two games of the series to secure themselves a winning season. It will be Max Scherzer’s turn to get a playoff tuneup when the Tigers host Cleveland on Tuesday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Jeanmar Gomez (5-2, 3.52 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (14-9, 4.37).

Gomez has made a strong case for inclusion in the 2012 rotation by winning each of his last five starts and posting a 1.80 ERA over that span. The 23-year-old Venezuelan has not surrendered a home run during his winning streak and is coming off a victory over the Chicago White Sox in which he yielded four hits in six innings. Gomez faced the Tigers in an early season call-up April 29 and was tagged for three runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings while not factoring in the decision. Scherzer may be the key to Detroit’s playoff future. While there is little doubt about the dominance of Justin Verlander or Doug Fister, Scherzer is more inconsistent. The 27-year-old has allowed two runs or less in five of his last seven starts but has been reached for a total of 12 in the other two turns. Scherzer has nine starts this season in which he has allowed at least five earned runs. He beat Cleveland with seven strong innings Aug. 19 and owns a 3-3 record with a 4.79 ERA in seven career starts against the division rivals.

ABOUT THE INDIANS (80-80): Cleveland finished 81-81 in 2008 but has not had a winning season since finishing 96-66 and advancing to the American League Championship Series in 2007. But after failing to break the 70-win barrier in either of the last two campaigns, 2011 can be seen as nothing but a success for the Indians - Monday’s 14-0 loss notwithstanding. Ubaldo Jimenez, whom the team acquired at the trade deadline in an effort to lift them above Detroit, was knocked around for six runs in five innings. The offense is also limping to the finish line, with Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo already ruled out for the final two games and Asdrubal Cabrera playing through an elbow bruise.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (93-67): Detroit had eight different players record at least two hits in Monday’s 18-hit attack, including a 3-for-5 night from Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera raised his average to .343 and appears to be in strong position to win the batting title. Alex Avila drove in three runs and Delmon Young hit a three-run homer. The performance of Avila and Young, who bookend Cabrera and Victor Martinez in the middle of the order, will be a key for the offense moving forward. Fister, who has not allowed more than one earned run in any of his last eight appearances, is peaking at the right time. He is 8-1 since joining Detroit at the trade deadline.

FINAL PITCH: Mike Maroth, who was on the Detroit staff the last time the team advanced to the World Series in 2006, will take over as pitching coach for the club’s Class A affiliate in Lakeland, Fla. Maroth had not pitched in the majors since 2007 and finally called it quits last winter after multiple arm injuries.