Detroit @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2011 ) Detroit 6, Minnesota 4

THE STORY: For an offense struggling as badly as the Minnesota Twins, seeing Justin Verlander on Saturday had no-hitter potential. The Twins not only managed to avoid that embarrassment but actually tacked more runs on the Cy Young candidate than they have any other pitcher over the last week. Of course, they still lost. Former Twin Delmon Young continued to terrorize his former team as the Detroit Tigers rolled to their eighth win in their last nine games. Minnesota has dropped seven in a row and will be looking to avoid a second straight series sweep when it hosts the Tigers in the finale of a three-game set on Sunday.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Brian Duensing (8-13, 5.12 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Brad Penny (9-9, 4.82).

Duensing got knocked around by the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, surrendering seven runs on nine hits in two-plus innings. The 28-year-old lefthander appears to be slowing down at the end of his first full season as a major league starter, dropping his last five decisions while posting an 8.65 ERA. Duensing was lit up for seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings against Detroit on July 22 and is 1-3 with a 4.83 ERA in 15 career appearances - six starts - against the division rivals. Penny is coming off one of his better outings, when he allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings to earn a win at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The burly veteran still is not striking many batters out, racking up seven in his last five starts. Penny surrendered a pair of home runs against Minnesota on August 17 but limited the damage to three runs over six innings in the no-decision. He is 2-1 with a 5.45 ERA against the Twins in six career starts.

ABOUT THE TWINS (55-77): Minnesota entered Saturday having scored a total of five runs in six straight losses. The Twins nearly matched that total against Verlander but still fell 6-4. Rookie Luke Hughes was the star for Minnesota, hitting a solo homer in the fifth and knotting the game at 4-4 in the sixth with a two-run double. But just as reliable as poor offense for the Twins has been poor starting pitching. Carl Pavano became the latest to get knocked around, allowing six runs - five earned - to suffer the loss. Injuries may have opened the door for Hughes but they are robbing Minnesota of much of its spark. Michael Cuddyer sat out Saturday will a sore left wrist, joining Joe Mauer (neck) and Tsuyoshi Nishioka (back) on the day-to-day list.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (73-59): Detroit has built a comfortable lead in the American League Central behind the brilliance of Verlander, who became the first pitcher in the majors to reach 20 wins. The righthander has won eight straight decisions, putting him in the discussion for AL MVP. He and the rest of the Detroit pitchers have been getting plenty of support from Young, who joined the Tigers in a trade from the Twins two weeks ago. Young is 5-for-9 in two games at Target Field and has settled in as the No. 3 hitter for Detroit.

FINAL PITCH: Miguel Cabrera took a day off on the paternity list, but has not missed a beat upon his return. The All-Star slugger went 3-for-4 Friday and homered among two hits Saturday.