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Rogers shoots for seventh straight win

Sep 28, 2006 - 1:26 PM Toronto (84-74) at Detroit (95-63) 1:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) - At age 41, Kenny Rogers is on the verge of matching the winningest season of his career.

With the Detroit Tigers trying to preserve sole possession of first place in the American League Central Division, Rogers seeks a seventh consecutive win in Thursday's finale of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Rogers (17-6, 3.63 ERA) allowed one run and five hits in eight innings of a 15-4 win at Kansas City on Saturday, improving to 6-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his last eight starts. With another win Thursday, Rogers would match his career high of 18 wins, established while with Texas in 2004.

In addition to a lengthy winning streak overall, Rogers has not experienced a personal defeat here since May 28. The lefthander has gone 7-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 15 home starts this year, improving his career mark at Comerica Park to 11-2.

Despite having a four-game winning streak snapped by Wednesday's 7-4 loss, Detroit maintained a one-game lead over Minnesota in the division. The Tigers did fall one game behind the New York Yankees in the race for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, however.

While the Tigers are gunning for a first division title since 1987, the Blue Jays are attempting to finish higher than third in the AL East for the first time 1993. With Wednesday's triumph here, Toronto moved one-half game ahead of Boston in the chase for second place.

The Blue Jays give the ball to A.J. Burnett (9-8, 3.83), who allowed two runs - one earned - and six hits in seven innings of a 5-3 win against the Red Sox on Saturday. Burnett has gone 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA in his last 10 starts.