Minnesota @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( May 13, 2015 ) Minnesota 6, Detroit 2

The Minnesota Twins tripled their run total from the previous four games at the Detroit Tigers with a 6-2 win on Wednesday. The Twins will try to steal a series win when they visit the Tigers for the rubber match of the three-game set on Thursday afternoon.

Detroit won its first four home games between the American League Central rivals by a total of 24-2 before Minnesota finally broke out with 12 hits on Wednesday. The Twins also have a chance to tie the Tigers in the Central Division standings with a win on Thursday as both teams try to track down the Kansas City Royals. Detroit is trying to figure out where all of its offense went after totaling seven runs in the last four games. Former MVP Miguel Cabrera is 1-for-13 in those four contests.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Mike Pelfrey (3-0, 2.62 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (2-4, 5.44)

Pelfrey failed to notch a strikeout at Cleveland on Friday but scattered two runs and six hits over seven innings to pick up the win. The Wichita State product has surrendered two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts. One of those came on April 28, when Pelfrey struck out a season-high seven and was charged with two runs (one earned) and three hits in seven innings to beat Detroit.

Sanchez allowed at least five runs for the third time in seven starts when he was reached for six (five earned) and nine hits in six innings to suffer a loss against Kansas City on Saturday. The Venezuela native has already faced the Twins twice in 2015 and tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings against them to earn a win on April 8. Sanchez came out on the losing end against Pelfrey on April 28, yielding three runs and nine hits in seven frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers OF J.D. Martinez left Wednesday’s game with back tightness and is day-to-day.

2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer has hit safely in seven straight and delivered a three-run triple on Wednesday.

3. Detroit C Alex Avila, who went on the disabled list with a knee injury on Saturday, will attempt to rehab instead of surgery.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Twins 3