Detroit @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2011 ) Detroit 1, Minnesota 4

THE STORY: The Minnesota Twins will not go away. The Twins have looked down and out at two different points this week, but have come back each time to keep their American League Central title hopes alive. Minnesota could have made a big statement this week with eight games against the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers. Instead, it needs to win Sunday to break even. The Tigers had a chance to bury the Twins on Saturday, but could not solve Scott Baker. Still in first place in the hotly contested AL Central, Detroit will look to maintain its grip on the top spot with a series win when it closes out a four-game set at Minnesota on Sunday.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Francisco Liriano (6-7, 4.56 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Rick Purcell (9-6, 4.76).

Liriano has allowed one earned run in each of his last two outings and has not lost since falling at Milwaukee on June 25. The Dominican lefthander struggled with his command against Cleveland on Tuesday, issuing four walks and hitting a batter, but struck out five in six innings to limit the damage to a single run. Liriano lasted only three innings in a loss to Detroit on May 10 and owns a 4-5 record with a 5.06 ERA in 17 career games - 13 starts - against the division rivals. Porcello has gotten the win in each of his last three turns, allowing seven earned runs in 18 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old righthander earned a win over Minnesota on June 1 with six strong innings and owns a 4-3 record with a 2.67 ERA against the Twins in nine career starts.

ABOUT THE TWINS (47-53): Minnesota started Monday five games out of first place in the AL Central and will finish the week in that same spot if it can find a way to topple the Tigers on Sunday. That would be a good result for the Twins, who looked as though they might drop out of the race completely after losing the first two of each series to Cleveland and Detroit. But Baker came off the disabled list Saturday and turned in five scoreless innings, giving the Minnesota offense enough time to grab a four-run cushion. The 4-1 victory snapped the Twins’ 11-game losing streak to the rival Tigers. With only a week left until the trade deadline, teams are looking over Minnesota’s roster in anticipation of a sell-off. Michael Cuddyer’s name has been the most prominent, though the Twins are still hoping to get back into the race and make another run at the playoffs.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (53-47): Detroit used Minnesota’s two wins over Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday and its own victories over the Twins on Thursday and Friday to grab a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL Central - it’s biggest lead this season. The Tigers have another key series at the Chicago White Sox starting Monday before a seven-game homestand against AL West powers Anaheim and Texas. Detroit is hoping it can survive this stretch behind Justin Verlander and the suddenly resurgent Max Scherzer, each of whom earned wins in the current series. The problem is the rest of the rotation, with Brad Penny and Porcello inconsistent at best. The Tigers are in the market for a frontline starter and should be active this week in the trade market.

FINAL PITCH: The corresponding move when Baker was activated for Minnesota was to option infielder Luke Hughes to the minors. The Twins elected to keep an extra pitcher available in case Baker struggled in the heat.