Cleveland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2012 ) Cleveland 1, Detroit 6

Chris Seddon hopes his third go-round in the majors is more successful than his previous two. So do the Cleveland Indians, who give Seddon his first start of the season as they attempt to end an eight-game losing skid Sunday against the host Detroit Tigers. Seddon makes his first appearance in the majors since October 2010, and faces a tall task as he takes the mound for an Indians team that hasn't had a quality start in nearly a week and a half.

Detroit has rolled past Cleveland in the first two games of the series, outscoring their AL Central rivals 16-3 and looking like one of the most dangerous teams in baseball as the season rolls into August. The Tigers come into the series finale 1 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox, and hope to sweep the Indians before facing division leaders New York and Texas next week.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians LH Chris Seddon (NR) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (10-6, 4.62 ERA)

Seddon went three years between major-league appearances earlier in his career, and has only one victory on his resume. He earned a call-up after establishing himself as one of the Indians' most reliable pitchers at Triple-A Columbus, going 11-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 20 starts. More impressive is his 108-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio, easily the best of his pro career. Seddon has yet to face the Tigers.

Scherzer saw a personal four-game winning streak end last time out as he was tagged for five runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings in a loss to Boston. The 28-year-old has allowed a home run in five straight starts but has managed to avoid any significant damage, limiting opponents to two runs or fewer in three of those outings. Scherzer beat Cleveland on July 25, improving to 5-4 with a 5.09 ERA against the Indians over his career.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seddon has spent parts of 12 seasons in the minors, compiling a 104-92 record with a 4.55 ERA in 286 games.

2. Cleveland hasn't lost nine in a row since September 2009, when it dropped 11 straight.

3. The teams will meet six times in September. Cleveland leads the season series 7-4.