(Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers hope to put an end to their seven-game losing streak and salvage the finale of a three-game series tonight versus the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park.
The Tigers, who were swept in four games at Cleveland before losing the first two portions of this series with Texas, are now tied with Minnesota at 3 1/2 games behind Chicago for AL Central supremacy. After losing 8-6 in 14 innings on Monday, Detroit suffered an 8-0 loss last night as Armando Galarraga absorbed the defeat for allowing four runs and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings.
"Galarraga gave us a chance to win the game, we just didn't muster any offense," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.
Miguel Cabrera had two of Detroit's four hits and was the only hitter to reach second base. Detroit will host Toronto for four games after this set with Texas.
Taking the hill for the Tigers tonight will be Max Scherzer, who is 6-7 with a 4.74 ERA in 17 starts this season. Scherzer was 4-0 in five starts before losing at Cleveland last Thursday, when he gave up four runs in five innings of an 8-2 loss.
Scherzer, a right-hander, has fared well at home this season, going 5-2 in eight starts. He has also faced the Rangers twice in his career and is 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA. Scherzer allowed four runs -- three earned -- in seven innings of a 5-4 loss at Texas back on April 23 for the no-decision.
Texas leads the American League West by five games over the LA Angels of Anaheim and has won three straight and five of its last six games. Tommy Hunter hurled seven shutout innings for the win last night, while Darren Oliver and Doug Mathis both threw a scoreless inning of relief.
"It's always a good accomplishment, but you definitely want to go out there and win every game you can," Hunter said after improving to 7-0 this season. "I'm not a strikeout guy, I'm a pitcher who just goes after the hitters and hopes that they hit to somebody."
Ian Kinsler homered and finished with three RBI, while Josh Hamilton belted his 23rd homer and David Murphy added a solo shot. Hamilton went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. The Rangers will try for their first sweep of the Tigers since taking all three meetings from August 3-5, 2004.
Colby Lewis gets the nod for Texas tonight and he has won two straight and five of his last seven starts. Lewis beat Boston the last time out in Thursday's 8-4 victory, as he gave up three runs in five innings and struck out seven to improve to 9-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 18 starts this season.
Lewis, who is 4-4 in 10 road starts this season, will face Detroit for the third time in his career Wednesday. He beat the Tigers back on April 25 in an 8-4 win despite permitting four runs in 6 1/3 innings. The righty is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two career games (1 start) against the Tigers.
Texas has won four of its six matchups with the Tigers this season after losing seven of the nine meetings a year ago.