Detroit Vs. Minnesota 8-15-11
One reason the Detroit Tigers are atop the AL Central is because they've done an excellent job of winning within their division.
Much of that success has come at the expense of the Minnesota Twins.
The Tigers look to continue their dominance over the reeling Twins in a three-game series beginning Monday night at Comerica Park.
Detroit (64-56) owns a 2 1/2-game lead over second-place Cleveland in the Central and is four games up on third-place Chicago. While both the Indians and White Sox have been mediocre within the division, going 20-19 and 20-21, respectively, the Tigers are 26-16.
The Twins (52-67) have been Detroit's favorite Central opponent, averaging 6.3 runs in going 8-1. The Tigers have won 12 of 13 in the series dating back to last year, including six straight at home. Minnesota has dropped 10 of 11 at Comerica Park.
Jhonny Peralta is leading the way in the nine games this year, batting .485 with four homers, five doubles and 14 RBIs, while Victor Martinez has hit .410 with two home runs, four doubles and 11 RBIs.
Martinez is batting .476 with five doubles in 21 career at-bats against scheduled starter Francisco Liriano (7-9, 5.00 ERA), while Peralta is hitting .321 with two homers in 28 at-bats against the left-hander.
The Tigers counter with Rick Porcello (11-7, 4.93), who looks to bounce back after being ripped for eight runs and 11 hits in 3 2-3 innings of a 10-3 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday. The right-hander was 5-0 with a 3.26 ERA in his previous six outings.
One of those starts came at Target Field on July 24, when he allowed two runs and five hits in six innings of a 5-2 victory. Porcello has a 2.10 ERA in winning four consecutive starts against the Twins - including three this year.
Liriano has seen opposite results in this series.
In losing his two starts against the Tigers this season, Liriano yielded eight runs, nine hits and seven walks over 5 1-3 innings. He didn't make it out of the third in either outing, and he's 0-5 with a 9.00 ERA in his last six starts against them.
Liriano issued a career-high seven walks in six innings Tuesday but allowed only four hits to limit the damage, holding Boston to three runs. The Twins lost 4-3 and he didn't get a decision.
Walks have been an ongoing problem for Liriano, who has issued 66 on the season, tied for third-most in the majors. That could be trouble against a Detroit team that ranks fourth in the AL in walks with 388.
While the Tigers had a three-game win streak snapped with an 8-5 loss to Baltimore on Sunday, the Twins - losers of 11 of 13 - avoided a three-game sweep when their finale against the Indians was postponed by rain.
"In a strange way it helped us because some guys got a day off," manager Ron Gardenhire said of catcher Joe Mauer, right fielder Michael Cuddyer and center fielder Denard Span, who have been dealing with assorted injuries.
Mauer has been battling general soreness all season. Cuddyer, who injured his neck taking early batting practice Friday, could return for this series. Span, who missed two months with a concussion, is batting .032 (1 for 31) since returning from the disabled list Aug. 2 and has said he doesn't feel 100 percent. Gardenhire isn't sure if Span will be in the lineup Monday.
Jason Kubel, who missed 46 games this season with a sprained left foot, is batting .440 with a homer and three doubles in 25 career at-bats against Porcello.
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