Tigers at Twins
A road trip that started in promising fashion is turning ugly for the Detroit Tigers, who will look to snap a four-game losing streak in the middle contest of a three-game set at the Minnesota Twins on Saturday afternoon. A six-run inning in the series opener doomed the Tigers, who have surrendered 27 runs during the four-game skid.
The losing streak aside, Detroit also saw slugger Miguel Cabrera exit Friday's game with a right groin strain after going 3-for-3. The Tigers will hand the ball to left-hander Matthew Boyd, who dominated the Twins on April 11 to improve to 4-1 with a 3.28 ERA against them in six career starts. Eddie Rosario made his first home run of the season count, capping a six-run sixth inning with a three-run blast as Minnesota erased an early three-run deficit to halt a four-game slide. Rookie lefty Adalberto Mejia will make his third career start for the Twins, which dropped two of three in Detroit earlier this month.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (2-1, 3.77 ERA) vs. Twins LH Adalberto Mejia (0-1, 4.05)
After a ragged season debut in which he lasted only 2 1/3 innings and was tagged for five runs by the Chicago White Sox, Boyd has been sensational in his last two turns. The 26-year-old limited Minnesota to one hit over six scoreless innings and followed that up with six innings of one-run ball against Cleveland last time out. Miguel Sano is 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts against Boyd.
Mejia initially was scheduled to make his third start Wednesday but the rainout pushed the 23-year-old Dominican's start back three days. Both of the rookie's two career starts have come against the Chicago White Sox, who spoiled his first major-league start by scoring three runs (two earned) in a 1 2/3-inning stint. Mejia acquitted himself much better in the rematch six days later with five innings of one-run ball.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers C James McCann has hit eight road homers in his career and four have come at Target Field.
2. Twins CF Byron Buxton is 5-for-52 with 26 strikeouts on the season.
3. Tigers RHP Joe Jimenez coughed up a homer in his second major league appearance after allowing four in 131 minor league outings.