Detroit @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 24, 2015 ) Detroit 5, Cincinnati 12

The Detroit Tigers were not expected to do much this season, and the outlook didn't get any better last week with Miguel Cabrera going down for the season, but the team is still finding ways to win. The Tigers will try to earn their sixth consecutive victory and climb back to the .500 mark when they visit the National League-worst Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a two-game interleague series on Tuesday.

Detroit finished off a three-game sweep at the Chicago White Sox over the weekend and sits in second place in the AL Central, 2 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Indians at the start of the week. "Any team wants to be over .500," left-hander Blaine Hardy, who earned the win on Sunday, told reporters. "It's kind of that mark that lets you know you're playing good baseball. When we're within 2 1/2 games of the Indians at this point, that's a good sign, especially since we go (to Cleveland for three games next weekend). We can go in there and say we have full control over what the standings will be." First the Tigers will have to get by Cincinnati, which already owns series wins over AL Central foes Minnesota and Kansas City. The Reds, who finished up a 3-2 road trip with a win at Pittsburgh on Sunday, will send right-hander Sal Romano to the mound on Tuesday opposite Detroit lefty Matthew Boyd.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (4-4, 3.23 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sal Romano (3-7, 5.67)

Boyd allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts and held Minnesota to two runs and three hits over five innings on Wednesday without factoring in the decision. The 27-year-old is limiting opponents to a .202 batting average but could not complete six innings in three of his last five turns. Boyd is facing Cincinnati for the first time and is just 1-3 with a 7.40 ERA in six career interleague games - four starts.

Romano posted his best start of the season at Kansas City last Tuesday, when he scattered one run and four hits over eight innings while striking out a pair. The Reds managed to win the game 5-1 but Romano was held out of the decision, leaving him 1-4 over his last seven outings. The 24-year-old is slightly better at home, where he owns a 2-3 record with a 5.26 ERA in seven starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 3B Eugenio Suarez homered in each of the last two games and hit safely in eight straight.

2. Detroit RF Nick Castellanos went 4-for-8 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the last two contests.

3. Cincinnati RHP Jared Hughes allowed a run on Sunday, snapping a string of 15 straight scoreless appearances.

PREDICTION: Tigers 9, Reds 6