Baltimore @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2015 ) Baltimore 3, Detroit 0

If the Detroit Tigers hope to make a real run at their fifth straight American League Central Division title, they are going to need Justin Verlander to pitch like a former Cy Young Award winner. Verlander will try to pick up his first win of the season when the Tigers host the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday.

Verlander sat out the first 2 1/2 months of the season with a right triceps strain following a down 2014 campaign and has yet to put together two straight quality starts. The former MVP on Sunday will try to pick his team up after a tough 3-0 loss in which David Price struck out 12 in seven innings but could not get any offensive support. Baltimore’s win on Saturday not only evened the series but brought both teams level on the season with identical 45-45 records. One will come out of the series above .500 when Verlander goes up against Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (7-6, 4.24 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (0-2, 5.34)

Gonzalez is looking for some consistency himself after trading off wins and losses in his four starts prior to the All-Star break. The Mexico native was ripped for six runs and nine hits – including two homers – over five innings in a loss to Washington on July 11. Gonzalez has never had much success against Detroit, posting an 0-2 record with an 8.47 ERA in four games – three starts.

Verlander thought he had his first win locked up at Minnesota on July 10, when he allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings, but the bullpen permitted seven runs in an 8-6 loss. That came on the heels of a loss against Toronto in which he was blasted for seven runs in five frames. Verlander is 9-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 15 career regular-season starts against Baltimore and did not factor in the decision in his lone start versus the Orioles in the 2014 ALDS.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler had the team’s lone hit on Saturday with a single leading off the first to push his hitting streak to six games.

2. Orioles CF Adam Jones is 6-for-13 in his last three contests.

3. Baltimore 2B Jonathan Schoop is 7-for-15 in his last four games and double in each of the first two contests of the series.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Orioles 3