Detroit @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2011 ) Detroit 10, Cleveland 1

THE STORY: The Detroit Tigers are taking all the suspense out of the final weeks of the regular season. With their fifth straight win over a potential American League Central contender Tuesday, the Tigers firmly established that they intend to run away with the division. After knocking the Chicago White Sox out of the race over the weekend, Detroit has set its aim on the Cleveland Indians. The visiting Tigers took the first two games from the Indians behind stellar performances from Doug Fister and Rick Porcello, and will attempt the three-game sweep behind Cy Young and MVP candidate Justin Verlander on Wednesday.

TV: 12:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Justin Masterson (11-8, 2.92 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (21-5, 2.34).

Masterson has been the undisputed ace of the Cleveland staff all season, posting 21 quality starts in 29 turns. The lanky sinkerball specialist earned a win at Kansas City on Friday with seven strong innings despite yielding his seventh homer of the season. Masterson has had some trouble with Detroit in his career, going 0-3 with a 5.00 ERA in nine games - six starts. Verlander has earned the win in nine straight starts and is coming off another gem against the White Sox in which he allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings. The righthander leads the majors in wins, WHIP, innings pitched and strikeouts, and is first in the AL in ERA as he has probably already wrapped up the Cy Young award. Verlander pitched one of his two shutouts this season against the Indians on June 14 and is 12-11 with a 4.77 ERA in 26 career starts against the division rivals.

ABOUT THE INDIANS (70-69): Cleveland’s last chance to make a move may have been during this series, where they had the benefit of playing at home with their top three starters lined up. Unfortunately Ubaldo Jimenez made one bad pitch - yielding a three-run homer to Victor Martinez - in a 4-2 loss Monday and Fausto Carmona could not make it out of the second inning Tuesday. The two losses have pushed the Indians 8½ games back in the division and only one game above .500. Since being within 1½ games on August 19, Cleveland has steadily lost ground. The Indians have dropped a chunk in September while posting a 2-4 record in six games.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (80-62): Detroit had an opportunity to make a statement this week and they have taken full advantage. After an emphatic sweep of Chicago that included an 18-2 drubbing Sunday night, the Tigers got their big hit Monday and put the offense back in gear for a 10-1 triumph Tuesday. The key at-bat came in the first inning, when Delmon Young managed to draw his first walk in 22 games since joining the team. The Tigers followed with six straight singles for a five-run inning. Most important for its postseason chances, Detroit has begun to get strong performances from starters other than Verlander. Max Scherzer, Fister and Porcello have combined to allow two earned runs in 21 1/3 innings over the last three games.

FINAL PITCH: The Indians took another blow Tuesday when it was announced righthander Carlos Carrasco would undergo reconstructive elbow surgery, likely sidelining him for the entire 2012 season. The 24-year-old Carrasco went 8-9 with a 4.61 ERA in 21 starts this season.