Tampa Bay @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 3, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 1, Detroit 8

The Detroit Tigers, combining a mix of superb pitching and lethal hitting, seek their fifth consecutive victory when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in the second contest of a four-game series. Max Scherzer's dominant performance in Thursday's 8-1 rout was the 13th quality start in 15 games for Detroit, which is 12-2 in its last 14 contests. The Tigers have put up 17 runs over the last two games and have scored at least five in nine of their last 13 contests.

Tampa Bay is reliant on solid pitching when squaring off with Detroit, having scored four or fewer runs in 19 consecutive games against the Tigers - the longest stretch in the American League since a 23-game span by Toronto against the New York Yankees from 1996-98. The Rays had won five straight and seven of eight before mustering only two hits in the series opener. Alex Cobb will start Friday for Tampa Bay, which is 6-2 on its 11-game road trip.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, ESPN, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Cobb (3-6, 4.20 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Drew Smyly (4-7, 3.57)

Cobb's season has been marked by wild inconsistency - he is 2-5 over his last seven starts and has failed to pitch beyond five innings in four of them. The 26-year-old picked up the victory despite a shaky performance at Baltimore last time out, yielding four runs (three earned) and eight hits over five innings. Cobb has made three career starts against the Tigers, logging an 0-1 mark and 2.41 ERA over 18 2/3 innings.

Smyly had a nice run going until his last turn, when he lasted a career-low 2 1/3 innings as a starter and was knocked around for four runs and eight hits in a loss at Houston. In his previous four outings, the 25-year-old Smyly was 2-2 despite permitting a total of four earned runs. Smyly made two starts against Tampa Bay - both in 2012 - and gave up four runs and seven hits over nine innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera has 358 multi-game hits, one shy of matching Rudy York for the most in franchise history.

2. Rays 3B Evan Longoria is batting only .218 away from home this season.

3. Tigers LF J.D. Martinez and 2B Ian Kinsler have hit safely in 20-of-22 and 17-of-19 games, respectively.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Rays 3