New York @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 22, 2011 ) NY Mets 7, Detroit 4

THE STORY: The Detroit Tigers open a series against the New York Mets as interleague play continues Tuesday evening at Comerica Park. The teams met last season, with the Mets taking two of three at Citi Field. New York has won six of the last nine encounters overall.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SportsNet New York, Fox Sports Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH R.A. Dickey (3-7, 3.76 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Rick Porcello (6-5, 4.50 ERA).

Dickey had his strongest outing of the season last time out, but had to settle for a no-decision. He limited Oakland to a run on three hits through eight innings in a game the Mets went on to win 3-2. The veteran knuckleballer is 3-2 in 13 career appearances (six starts) against the Tigers with a 4.02 ERA. One of his two career shutouts has come versus Detroit.

Porcello has struggled of late, going 0-2 with an 8.59 ERA over his last three starts. He was tagged for five runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 frames in his previous encounter against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking the third time in six starts Porcello failed to make it past the fifth inning. Tuesday marks his first career start against the Mets.

ABOUT THE METS (39-39): New York approaches the midway point of the season treading water in the competitive National League East. The Mets find themselves fourth in the division, well back of the league-best Philadelphia Phillies. With the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals also ahead of New York, the Mets will need a major surge to remain in the postseason picture into the second half of the season. New York is coming off a solid series against the Texas Rangers, having taken two of three in Arlington. Jose Reyes sizzled in Texas, going 6-for-11 with five runs scored and a pair of stolen bases over the final two games of the series.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (43-36): Detroit has been the biggest benefactor of Cleveland's June collapse, leapfrogging the struggling Indians to surge to the top of the American League Central. The offense has been the catalyst, sitting among the major league leaders in batting average, runs scored, hits and home runs for the month. The Tigers improved to 3-1 on their current 10-game homestand following Monday's 4-2 triumph over Toronto in a game that was rescheduled from mid-May due to rain. Detroit's roster is hitting a collective .293 all-time against Dickey, with Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez and Brandon Inge having taken him deep.

FINAL PITCH: New York has achieved some rare symmetry as it comes into the series against the Tigers. The Mets are 15-15 against the East, 10-10 versus the NL Central, 8-8 against the West and 6-6 in interleague play.