Detroit @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2011 ) Detroit 2, Tampa Bay 1

THE STORY: The Detroit Tigers continue to find ways to win, especially against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tigers have won all five games against the Rays in 2011 and hope to keep that going with Max Scherzer on the mound Wednesday night. Detroit has won five straight and six of seven overall after its bullpen stranded seven on base in the final three innings Tuesday. The host Rays, who had won 10 of 12 coming into the series, scored only three runs in the first two games. Tampa Bay is 8½ games behind Boston and New York in the American League East.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, SunSports (Tampa Bay).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Max Scherzer (13-7, 4.23 ERA) vs. Rays RH Wade Davis (8-7, 4.43).

Scherzer has won two straight. He allowed one run in seven innings to beat Cleveland in his last start Friday. He has 136 strikeouts and 46 walks in 157 1/3 innings. Scherzer is 0-2 lifetime against the Rays, giving up four earned runs in 12 2/3 innings. Matt Joyce belted a grand slam against Scherzer last season, but the Rays are a combined 5-for-38 against him. Davis has not lost since July 22, but is only 1-0 in that stretch. He allowed only one run over seven innings in his last start Friday against Seattle, but did not get a decision. Davis is 0-0 and allowed five earned runs over 13 innings in his career against Detroit, although current Tigers’ hitters are batting .218 against him. Davis gave up four earned runs in six innings at Detroit May 24.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (70-58): Alex Avila has been one of the best players in baseball this month. The Tigers’ catcher has missed only one game in August and has hit in all but one that he has played, going 27-for-63 (.429) with five homers and 15 RBIs. Avila has knocked in three in the first two games of the series to match Jhonny Peralta, who is 11-for-24 in the last seven games. Victor Martinez, who missed Monday’s game with back spasms, was back in the lineup and had a double and a run scored. Delmon Young has hit safely in seven of eight games (11-for-35) since being acquired from Minnesota.

ABOUT THE RAYS (69-58): Tampa Bay produced enough hits Tuesday with 11, but it was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Ben Zobrist made the final out, but did have two hits for his fourth multi-hit game in his last seven (12-for-26). Desmond Jennings, who did not start Monday, came back to get three hits and is 6-for-13 in the last four games. Jennings played center field in place of B.J. Upton, who had an MRI on his sore right shoulder and it came up negative. Upton pinch hit Tuesday and struck out. Johnny Damon is two hits shy of 2,700 for his career.

FINAL PITCH: Ray closer Kyle Farnsworth had his streak of consecutive batters retired snapped at 26 Tuesday. Farnsworth had not allowed a hit since July 28 in Oakland.