Detroit @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( May 20, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 3, Detroit 4

Hot teams collide in Pittsburgh when the Pirates wrap up interleague play in a three-game series starting Friday against Detroit. Pittsburgh has won four of five following Thursday’s 9-1 win over Minnesota, and the Bucs are a sizzling 21-12 at home. Pittsburgh has won four consecutive home series and sits just two games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez is finally heating up; he went 4-for-9 against the Twins, hitting his 13th homer Thursday.

Detroit edged St. Louis 2-1 in 10 innings on Thursday, the Tigers’ eighth win in 11 games. The surge has moved Detroit within 2 1/2 games of division-leading Cleveland. The Tigers won two of three from the Pirates in Detroit last month.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT, FS-D

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Doug Fister (1-3, 2.68 ERA) vs. Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (7-2, 3.52)

Since the start of last season, Fister’s 2.81 ERA ranks fourth among AL starters. He’s gotten little run support this season while fanning 30 and walking nine in 40 1/3 innings. He’s gone at least six innings in five of his past six starts.

Burnett has won six straight decisions, and Pittsburgh has won his last eight starts. In that stretch, he’s allowed two or fewer runs seven times. Batters are hitting .244 against Burnett, who has fanned 58 batters in 69 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers C Alex Avila returned from a hamstring injury Thursday and went 1-for-4. He also threw out a would-be base stealer.

2. Detroit is 17-17 on the road this season.

3. Pirates C Rod Barajas snapped an 0-for-13 slump Thursday with his seventh homer.