Tigers at Twins
Justin Verlander goes after his fourth consecutive victory when the Detroit Tigers close a three-game series against the host Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Verlander has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his five starts this season while displaying he’s fully recovered from offseason core muscle surgery. The teams split the first two games with Detroit prevailing 10-6 on Friday and Twins producing a 5-3 victory on Saturday.
Minnesota didn’t even record a hit until the fifth inning on Saturday and that first one was a two-run single by Trevor Plouffe that gave the Twins a 4-2 lead. Minnesota finished with only four hits but took advantage of eight walks and one Detroit error to move within one game of the first-place Tigers in the American League Central. Detroit outfielder Torii Hunter – a former Minnesota standout – is 6-for-9 in the series and Miguel Cabrera is 9-for-22 with eight RBIs over the last five contests.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (3-1, 2.18 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (3-1, 3.63)
Verlander has struck out 22 in 19 innings during his three-game winning streak. He defeated the Chicago White Sox in his last turn when he gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings. Verlander is 14-7 with a 3.12 ERA in 27 career starts against the Twins.
Gibson gave up only two runs while winning his first three starts before getting pounded in his most-recent turn. He was hammered for seven runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings against Tampa Bay in the second-worst start of his 14-game major-league career. Gibson has won both his home starts, allowing one run and nine hits in 14 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is batting .371 with three homers and nine RBIs in 62 career at-bats against Verlander.
2. Tigers OF Rajai Davis is 10-for-21 with four RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Plouffe (triceps) left Saturday’s game in the seventh inning and hopes to be in the lineup on Sunday.