Rangers at Tigers
The Texas Rangers are getting well at the expense of Detroit's pitching staff and look to compete a three-game sweep of the host Tigers in Sunday afternoon's series finale. The Rangers have bounced back from losing three straight in Toronto by belting six home runs, including five Saturday to send the Tigers to their fifth straight defeat.
Detroit right-hander Justin Verlander made headlines earlier in the week when his engagement to model/actress Kate Upton became public, but his immediate concern is quieting a lineup that has produced 20 hits in the past two games. Former Cy Young Award winner Verlander is off to a rocky start, owning the highest ERA (6.49) among starters in the American League entering the weekend. Rangers leadoff hitter Rougned Odor has homered in each of the last two games and is 5-for-10 with four RBIs and three runs scored in the series. Opposing Verlander is left-hander Martin Perez, who has an ERA of nearly 10.00 in three career starts against the Tigers.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (1-2, 3.60 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (2-3, 6.49)
Perez blanked Toronto on four hits over five innings Tuesday but did not factor in the decision after walking three batters and throwing 90 pitches. The 25-year-old Venezuelan notched his only win of the season in his previous start by limiting the New York Yankees to two runs on six hits over six innings. Tigers DH Victor Martinez is 3-for-6 with a home run and Miguel Cabrera is 2-for-3 with four walks versus Perez, who is 0-2 with a 4.24 in three road starts.
Verlander's up-and-down - mostly down - season continued in his last outing when he was shelled for seven runs on eight hits over five innings in a 7-3 setback at Cleveland. Verlander, who has alternated losses and wins over his last five turns, rode an offensive eruption to a 9-4 victory over Oakland on April 27, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings. He is 9-5 lifetime against the Rangers and went 1-1 against them last year with 13 strikeouts and two earned runs allowed in 13 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera collected four hits Saturday to boost his career batting average versus Texas to .389 in 74 games.
2. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre ended a 14-game homer drought by going deep twice Saturday.
3. Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler is 4-for-8 with a homer in the series and 25-for-64 lifetime against the Rangers.