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Tigers go after a win in Minnesota

Aug 22, 2014 - 2:28 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Sometimes you just have to accept the loss and move on.

The Detroit Tigers will try to do just that on Friday evening when they begin an extended four-game series with the Minnesota Twins.

The Tigers were looking to secure a three-game sweep over Tampa Bay on Thursday and had former Rays ace David Price on the mound. Price was his dominant self in the outing, allowing just one unearned run and one hit while striking out nine, but took a 1-0 complete-game loss.

Price, who did not walk a batter, saw Ben Zobrist reach on an error in the first inning and then saw Brandon Guyer knock in the lone run of the contest with a triple. Price retired the next 23 batters in order to keep the hosts from expanding their edge, but the Tiger bats were silent and went down in order in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

"I just wish we would have scored some runs. At least one run," Torii Hunter lamented of wasting Price's start. "It's really frustrating, you know? Of course it was a good game both ways, but -- at least one run? Can't we get one?"

The setback dropped Detroit 1 1/2 games behind idle Kansas City for first place in the AL Central and the club is just a half-game up on Seattle for the league's second wild card spot.

The Tigers may need to get the offense going rather quickly if young left- hander Robbie Ray can't end his recent struggles tonight.

Ray has made two starts since returning to the major league rotation in mid- August and allowed seven earned runs and 13 hits over a total of 10 innings in losses to Pittsburgh and Seattle.

The 23-year-old is 1-3 with a 5.33 earned run average in six games (5 starts) this year, but that does include a solid effort versus the Twins back on May 11. Ray did not get a decision, but hurled six scoreless innings of four-hit ball.

Tommy Milone goes for the Twins and it will be his third start with the club since being acquired from the Oakland Athletics.

Milone's debut with Minnesota was solid and resulted in a no-decision at Houston on Aug. 11 as he allowed two runs over six innings. However, he struggled mightily last time out on Sunday versus Kansas City in a rain-soaked loss, touched for seven runs -- six earned -- on four hits and two walks while recording just four outs to log the shortest outing of his career.

"I couldn't really get a good feel," said Milone on Minnesota's website. "I was trying not to walk guys, so I just kept leaving it over the plate. It was pretty tough. It seemed like every time I got a new ball it was just soaked. But it's just one of those where you try to forget about it."

The 27-year-old lefty was 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 16 starts with Oakland before the trade and is unbeaten in his career when facing Detroit, going 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four starts. That includes a victory on May 26, when he hurled 6 2/3 scoreless frames.

The Twins snapped a four-game slide with a 4-1 decision over Cleveland on Thursday to wrap a three-game set. Kennys Vargas had three hits, including a solo homer, while Phil Hughes fanned eight over seven innings of one-run ball.

"When you get in good stretches, everything is working for you," said Hughes, who won his fourth straight start. "Fortunately right now I am throwing the ball pretty well."

The Tigers and Twins have split eight meetings this season and are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday after having an April 27 contest postponed.