Detroit @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2018 ) Minnesota 2, Detroit 4

The Minnesota Twins were under .500 at home as late as the final week of June, but they have turned things around at Target Field over the past 7 1/2 weeks. Minnesota has won five in row and 16 of their last 20 at home as they prepare to host the Detroit Tigers on Thursday in the first of four games between American League Central rivals.

Trade-deadline acquisition Logan Forsythe, who had a 10-game hitting streak halted Tuesday, collected two hits and three RBIs in Wednesday's 6-4 win over Pittsburgh, including the go-ahead two-run single. "I don't know if he's taken many bad at-bats," Twins manager Paul Molitor told reporters of Forsythe, who is batting .386 with Minnesota. "I think he just has a calmness about situational hitting." The Tigers took two of three from the visiting Twins last week but followed that by dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox to fall to 3-9 in their last 12. Left-hander Francisco Liriano will start the series opener against his former team for Detroit, which owns the second-worst road record in the majors at 18-41.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Francisco Liriano (3-7, 4.42 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (0-1, 6.53)

Liriano lost his sixth straight decision on Saturday against the Twins when he gave up three runs and six hits while walking four over five innings. The 34-year-old Dominican is winless in his last 14 appearances and has not won since April 28. All three of Liriano's wins were in the first month of the season and came against the two teams with the worst records in baseball (Baltimore, Kansas City).

Santana is in search of his first victory of the season as he prepares to make his fifth start overall and second in a row against the Tigers. Finger surgery in February delayed his season debut until July 25 and he had three straight no-decisions before struggling in Detroit, giving up five runs and a pair of homers across six innings. Victor Martinez is 15-for-43 with four homers off Santana.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit is 17-6 in the last 23 meetings at Minnesota.

2. Twins RHP Trevor Hildenberger has converted three straight save chances.

3. Tigers RHP Artie Lewicki, originally scheduled to start Saturday's game, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an elbow injury Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Tigers 4