Minnesota @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2018 ) Minnesota 1, Detroit 3

The Minnesota Twins' long-shot hopes to inch back into the American League Central race were all but extinguished when they lost three of four at Cleveland, culminating with a pair of walk-off losses. Now 11 games back of the Indians, Minnesota resumes its seven-game road trip when it visits the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

The Twins erased a four-run deficit against reigning Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber on Thursday before enduring their 12th walk-off loss of the season. Jorge Polanco, who missed the first 80 games of the season while serving a drug suspension, hit his first home run and had his first three-RBI game of the year. The Tigers are coming off an ugly six-game road trip in which they failed to win, were shut out three times and scored a total of eight runs. "We've just got a lot of guys struggling at the same time," Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said. "You know what, we play better at home, so it'll be nice to get home."

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ervin Santana (0-0, 6.14 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-4, 4.31)

Santana, who started the season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery on his middle finger, will make his fourth start in search of his first win. He picked up his third straight no-decision after lasting 4 1/3 innings and giving up three runs on seven hits versus Kansas City. Nicholas Castellanos (7-for-16) and Victor Martinez (15-for-40, four homers) have each tormented Santana.

Zimmermann improved to 4-0 after winning his first two starts of July in impressive fashion, giving up two runs and nine hits over 15 innings, but it's been all downhill since. He has lost his last four starts due to an inability to keep the ball in the park, allowing two homers in each of the defeats. Joe Mauer is 6-for-17 against Zimmermann, who is 3-3 with a 6.87 ERA versus the Twins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins 2B Logan Forsythe is riding a seven-game hitting streak.

2. Castellanos has hit safely in four straight games.

3. Twins 3B Miguel Sano is 11-for-33 over the past 10 games.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Twins 4