Texas @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2015 ) Texas 0, Detroit 4

The Detroit Tigers are putting a dent in the Texas Rangers’ American League wild card plans while resurrecting their own. The Tigers will go for their fourth straight win when they host the Rangers in the second of a four-game series on Friday.

Detroit seemed to wave the white flag a few weeks ago with the trades of David Price and Yoenis Cespedes, but a recent surge by the offense coinciding with Miguel Cabrera’s return has the team looking to make a run again. The big issue is the starting pitching staff, which lost Anibal Sanchez (shoulder) and Daniel Norris (oblique) to the disabled list on Thursday but got a big boost when Alfredo Simon overcame his recent struggles and twirled a one-hit shutout in Thursday’s 4-0, series-opening triumph. The loss dropped the Rangers (61-59) to two games ahead of the Tigers (59-61) as both teams chase after Baltimore and the Los Angeles Angels. Texas will try to even the series behind veteran Colby Lewis while Detroit counters with Justin Verlander, who is looking for his second win of the season.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Colby Lewis (13-5, 4.49 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (1-5, 4.11)

Lewis improved to 5-1 since the All-Star break by holding Tampa Bay to one run on five hits and a pair of walks in six innings on Saturday. The California native has recorded a quality start in six of his last seven outings. Lewis is seeing Detroit for the first time this season and is 3-3 with a 5.98 ERA in nine career games – eight starts – against the Tigers.

Verlander is 0-1 in his last two starts despite allowing a total of zero earned runs while striking out 14 in 13 innings. The former MVP yielded one or no earned runs in four of his last five starts and owns 32 strikeouts with five walks in that span. Verlander is 8-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 14 career starts against Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cabrera is 10-for-19 with eight runs scored and seven walks in the last five games.

2. Texas 1B Prince Fielder went 0-for-4 on Thursday and was booed in his first game since being traded by the Tigers prior to last season.

3. Detroit acquired veteran LHP Randy Wolf from the Toronto Blue Jays and will slot him into the rotation on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Rangers 3