Scherzer Goes For His 14th Win
TIME: 07:10 P.M. EST
VENUE: Tropicana Field
The Detroit Tigers have built a sizable lead in the AL Central mainly by beating teams from their own division. However, they've also collected plenty of wins against the Tampa Bay Rays this season.
The Tigers will try to extend their win streak to six with a seventh consecutive victory over the Rays on Wednesday night.
Detroit (70-58) is 30-18 against AL Central opponents this season and 33-29 against the other two divisions, but they haven't lost in five games with Tampa Bay.
Red-hot Alex Avila and Jhonny Peralta each drove in a run in the seventh inning Tuesday at Tropicana Field, and Phil Coke helped his team hold on for a 2-1 win while throwing 51 pitches over two innings.
Coke was serving as a substitute for set-up man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde, who were both given the night off.
"You know you're running into a buzz saw with that (Tampa Bay) pitching staff, but we pitched pretty good, too," manager Jim Leyland said.
Avila is batting .429 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 19 games this month and has made 17 consecutive starts behind the plate with Victor Martinez hampered by a sore left knee. If Max Scherzer can duplicate his most recent outing, he might not need much help from Avila and the rest of his teammates.
Scherzer (13-7, 4.23 ERA) gave up one run and five hits over seven innings Friday in a 4-1 win over Cleveland after allowing four or more runs in each of his previous two starts.
"We know we all want to make the playoffs, and we all know that, as a staff, we've got to pitch well," Scherzer told the team's official website. "One through five, it doesn't matter. Obviously (Justin) Verlander is having one of the best seasons anybody's going to have, but we have to pitch well. We just can't rely on him.
"Everybody on the pitching staff, everybody in this clubhouse has to play to their potential, has to do their job and go out there and play their best. Otherwise, we don't win."
Scherzer lost both of his starts last season against the Rays (69-58) despite posting a 2.84 ERA. He received zero runs of support over 12 2-3 innings.
Tampa Bay right-hander Wade Davis, meanwhile, will also seek his first win over the Tigers and first in four overall starts Wednesday. He gave up two runs over seven innings and struck out a season-high eight in a 3-2 win Friday against Seattle.
Davis (8-7, 4.43) has no record and a 3.46 ERA in two career starts against Detroit and surrendered five runs over six innings during a 7-6 loss at Comerica Park on May 24.
Avila had a pair of home runs in that game, including a solo shot off Davis, and Miguel Cabrera helped his team rally with a three-run homer in the fifth inning.
Davis is hoping to get some help from B.J. Upton, who might return to the starting lineup Wednesday. The outfielder strained his right shoulder while attempting to make a catch in the eighth inning of Monday's 5-2 loss. He struck out in a pinch-hit appearance Tuesday.
"I have some stiffness," he told the team's official website before the game. "I think the biggest thing, right now, is seeing exactly what I can do."
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