Los Angeles @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2012 ) LA Angels 3, Detroit 5

The Detroit Tigers staged an important rally to end the four-game winning streak of the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday and now seek a series-ending victory on Sunday. Both teams are in the hunt for a wild card berth so Detroit’s three-run rally with two outs in the eighth for a 5-3 win could haunt the Angels. The Tigers are one game behind Baltimore and Oakland for the American League’s second wild-card spot. Los Angeles sits 3 1/2 games back.

Detroit has won four of five games and trails the Chicago White Sox by 2 1/2 games in the AL Central. The Angels are no longer a factor in the AL West race, sitting third in the division and trailing first-place Texas by 9 1/2 games. Albert Pujols (calf) won’t be in the Los Angeles starting lineup for the fourth straight game. Detroit will again use Miguel Cabrera (ankle) as a designated hitter in the finale. Max Scherzer starts for the Tigers and he leads the Detroit staff in victories – he has one more than reigning American League Cy Young winner Justin Verlander.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, TBS, Fox Sports West (Angels), Fox Sports Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Ervin Santana (7-10, 5.46 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (13-6, 4.27)

Santana has won back-to-back starts and three straight decisions as he attempts to salvage a poor campaign. He has given up 29 homers but allowed just one in his two consecutive victories. Santana defeated the Boston Red Sox in his last outing when he gave up two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He took a no-decision against Detroit in mid-July and is 6-2 with a 3.51 ERA in nine career starts against the Tigers.

Scherzer has already set a personal- best for strikeouts (186) and has won three straight decisions since losing to Boston on July 30. He is 12-3 since losing three of his first four decisions. Scherzer defeated the Angels on July 19 when he gave up one run and three hits in seven innings. He is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in two career starts against the Angels.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick has two hits in four consecutive games and is batting .362 during a 12-game hitting streak.

2. Tigers 1B Prince Fielder had three hits Saturday – the seventh time he has had three or more this season – and is 3-for-4 with a homer against Santana.

3. Angels OF Mark Trumbo struck out three times Saturday and has fanned nine times in his last four games.