New York @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2012 ) NY Yankees 12, Detroit 8

Having swatted a major league-leading 170 home runs, the New York Yankees have been criticized for being too reliant on the long ball. That was not the case in one of New York's best offensive performances of the season, when it collected a season-high 18 hits - but only one homer - to snap the Detroit Tigers' six-game winning streak. It marked only the seventh win in 19 games for the Yankees, who can salvage a split of the four-game series when Hiroki Kuroda takes the mound Thursday.

Wednesday's loss ended Detroit's 10-game home winning streak, one shy of the franchise record established in 1949. The Tigers lost for only the second time in 18 games at Comerica Park but remained one-half game behind AL Central-leading Chicago. Detroit's offense has put up 47 runs in its last six games, scoring at least six in each contest. Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson is riding an 11-game hitting streak and catcher Alex Avila has hit safely in nine straight.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, YES, FSD

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (10-8, 3.19 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Doug Fister (6-7, 3.52)

Kuroda is winless in his last two starts despite giving up only three runs in 14 1/3 innings. Although he was a hard-luck loser in a 1-0 defeat to Felix Hernandez and Seattle last time out, Kuroda is 2-1 and has allowed only four runs in 28 1/3 innings over his last four starts. He pitched well at Comerica on June 2, giving up two runs in seven innings while taking a no-decision.

Fister is coming off his best effort of the year, giving up one run on four hits in his first complete game with the Tigers. Fister has won five of his last six starts and gone at least seven innings in each. He has yielded a single run in each of his last four wins and is starting to resemble the pitcher that went 8-1 down the stretch last year. He is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts vs. the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter had two hits Wednesday to raise his AL-leading total to 145.

2. Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera is 3-for-6 with a pair of homers against Kuroda.

3. New York 3B Eric Chavez has gone 7-for-12 with a homer and four RBIs in the series.