Detroit @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 28, 2015 ) St. Louis 3, Detroit 4

The Detroit Tigers look to build off their best offensive splurge of the season when they open a three-game series against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Detroit posted season bests for runs scored and hits (20) while producing a 13-1 trouncing of the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.

Manager Brad Ausmus could hardly believe his eyes as seven Detroit batters had two or more hits and racked up nine extra-bases hits with slugger Miguel Cabrera belting two of the four home runs. “We’ve been kind of waiting for this. I think everybody has,” Ausmus told reporters. “Players, coaching staff, fans, I think everyone was kind of waiting for the offense to kind of break out a little bit.” Tigers standout Victor Martinez will rest his ailing knee most of the series with the designated hitter not being used in National League parks. St. Louis won two of three road games from the Cleveland Indians earlier this week and play its only home games – where are 14-3 this season – in a stretch of 16 games.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Shane Greene (3-2, 4.71 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (3-1, 4.89)

Greene received a no-decision in his last turn despite holding Kansas City to one run and four hits over eight innings. The stellar outing followed a three-start stretch in which he gave up 20 runs and 23 hits in 11 innings. Greene has struggled on the road this season by going 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA in three outings.

Martinez had a 1.73 ERA when April ended but it has skyrocketed with the calendar changing to May 1. He has allowed seven runs in each of his last two outings and has given up 16 hits and walked eight in nine innings during the stretch. Martinez gave up five runs in a four-start span before running into rough times.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis placed OF Jon Jay (wrist, thumb) on the disabled list and recalled 1B/OF Xavier Scruggs from Triple-A Memphis.

2. Detroit CF Anthony Gose had a career-best four hits Thursday and is 16-for-37 over his last nine games.

3. LF Matt Holliday has reached base safely in 32 straight games, the third-longest streak to start a season in Cardinals’ history behind Albert Pujols (42 in 2008 and 33 in 2005).

PREDICTION: Cardinals 7, Tigers 6