Detroit @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2015 ) Detroit 7, Cleveland 3

The Detroit Tigers attempt to continue their season-long dominance of Cleveland when they visit the Indians in Wednesday's finale of the three-game series. Detroit scored 15 runs while winning the first two contests to improve to 9-2 against Cleveland this season, including 5-0 at Progressive Field.

Justin Verlander was slated to start the finale but was scratched late Tuesday night because of back stiffness and Buck Farmer will replace him. Red-hot Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis will be fine with the pitching change - he is 3-for-26 with 13 strikeouts against Verlander - and went 4-for-5 with an RBI in Cleveland's 7-3 loss on Tuesday, and is 6-for-10 in the series while extending his hitting streak to 18 games. Kipnis is batting a league-best .354 as he slid past Tigers star Miguel Cabrera (.351) with Tuesday's performance despite Cabrera posting his third consecutive two-hit outing. Cabrera is 26-for-42 with five homers and 16 RBIs against the Indians this season and is 9-for-24 with a homer in his career against scheduled Wednesday starter Carlos Carrasco.

TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Buck Farmer (0-1, 12.60 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (8-6, 4.35)

Farmer will be promoted from Triple-A Toledo and Detroit hopes he fares better than his previous major-league start this season. He was smacked around for seven runs and nine hits in five innings on May 28 while losing to the Los Angeles Angels. Farmer is 0-2 with an 11.93 ERA in five big-league appearances (three starts).

Carrasco lost his last turn when he gave up three runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay. He has walked two or fewer batters in nine consecutive starts and has five times as many strikeouts (90) as walks (18). Carrasco is 3-6 with a 6.93 ERA in 14 career appearances (nine starts) against Detroit and 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA this season but defeated the Tigers on June 13 when he allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit has won 20 of its last 25 road games against Cleveland.

2. Indians C Yan Gomes (neck) is expected to play Wednesday after missing four of the last five games.

3. Tigers DH Victor Martinez is 6-for-15 with a homer and seven RBIs over the past three contests.

PREDICTION: Tigers 10, Indians 7