Detroit @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 22, 2012 ) Detroit 1, Pittsburgh 4

As well as the Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing, they would probably rather not have to face Max Scherzer on Saturday. Scherzer looks to duplicate last month's sensational performance against the Pirates as he leads the Detroit Tigers into the middle game of a three-game set at PNC Park. The hard-throwing Scherzer torched Pittsburgh in their previous meeting May 20, striking out 15 hitters - the most by a Tigers pitcher in 40 years - on the way to a 4-3 win.

The Pirates, who had won seven of nine against American League Central teams, made it eight of 10 by shutting down the Tigers in Friday’s series opener, 4-1. A.J. Burnett pitched six shutout innings to lead the way as Pittsburgh moved within one game of Cincinnati in the National League Central. Detroit, meanwhile, fell 3 1/2 games back of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central after losing for just the third time in its last nine games.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports (Detroit), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Max Scherzer (6-4, 5.17 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Brad Lincoln (3-2, 3.82)

Scherzer has been maddeningly inconsistent, but he has been one of the most overpowering pitchers in the game at times, striking out 100 batters in just 78 1/3 innings of work. He was on top of his game June 17 against Colorado, collecting 12 strikeouts over eight shutout innings. Scherzer is 2-1 with a 3.62 ERA against the Pirates.

Lincoln had a string of six straight relief appearances without allowing a run, but he has sputtered since rejoining the rotation, going 0-2 in three starts while yielding 13 runs in just 11 2/3 innings of work. He has excelled at home, though, going 1-0 in six games (all in relief) and throwing 9 1/3 scoreless innings. Lincoln has faced Detroit twice in relief, recording four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The teams have split their last eight meetings, with each team winning two of four this year. The home team has won eight of the last 10 head-to-head matchups.

2. The Tigers have rebounded well from losses, going 36-16 in their last 52 games following a defeat.

3. Current Pittsburgh hitters are a combined 12-for-55 against Scherzer with a whopping 24 strikeouts.