Minnesota @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2018 ) Minnesota 3, Detroit 5

The Detroit Tigers ended a six-game losing streak in the series opener and look to put back-to-back wins together for just the second time in more than a month when they host the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night. Niko Goodrum and Jose Iglesias each belted two-run homers and the Tigers held on for a 5-3 victory on Friday after managing just eight runs during their winless six-game road trip.

Iglesias, who has hit safely in four straight and seven of his last eight games for Detroit, is batting .316 with four homers to go along with 22 RBIs in 53 career games against the Twins. Veteran left-hander Francisco Liriano will try to snap a long winless streak when he toes the rubber for the Tigers in the middle contest of a three-game set and opposes Kyle Gibson, who gave up three runs over six innings in a loss to Detroit on May 23. Minnesota made a run at first-place Cleveland in the American League Central but has dropped four of the last five contests and is only 9-12 since to All-Star break. Infielder Logan Forsythe has proved to be a solid acquisition for the Twins at the trade deadline, going 12-for-28 during an eight-game hitting streak after a 0-for-1 effort in his debut with the team.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (5-9, 3.60 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Francisco Liriano (3-6, 4.37)

Gibson has lost three of his past four starts, including the last two against Cleveland while allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 12 hits and six walks across 11 innings. The 30-year-old Indiana native, who is 10 strikeouts from his career high of 145 in 2015, is 3-4 with a 3.23 ERA in 12 road starts - limiting opponents to a .210 batting average. Nicholas Castellanos has two homers versus Gibson, who is 6-8 with a 5.52 ERA in 17 career games against Detroit.

Liriano is winless in his last 13 appearances after taking a tough-luck loss Sunday at Oakland when he permitted two runs on five hits and two walks over five innings to drop to 105-105 in his career. The 34-year-old Dominican was 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts during April but is 0-5 with a 4.84 mark since. Forsythe is 3-for-7 with a double against Liriano, who is 3-1 with a 5.61 ERA in five career outings versus Minnesota.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Twins traded RHP Fernando Rodney to Oakland for a prospect Thursday and recalled INF Tyler Austin and RHP Tyler Duffey.

2. Detroit signed free-agent RHP Zach McAllister, who went 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA with Cleveland, on Friday and added him to the roster.

3. Minnesota manager Paul Molitor needs one victory to move past Frank Quilici (280) for sole possession of fifth place on the club’s all-time list.

PREDICTION: Twins 6, Tigers 3