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Diamondbacks-Tigers Preview

Jun 20, 2010 - 4:13 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Arizona (26-42) at Detroit (37-29), 1:05 p.m. EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks haven't won a series on the road in nearly nine weeks. They'll get a chance Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Tigers.

Facing right-hander Max Scherzer for the first time since dealing him to Detroit in the offseason, Arizona will look to end its trip with back-to-back wins.

With former Tiger Edwin Jackson giving them 7 2/3 strong innings, the Diamondbacks (27-42) won 6-5 on Saturday to snap a four-game slide and a franchise-record 14-game road losing streak. It was also the Tigers' first loss in eight games.

"It has been a long time since we've won a game in gray uniforms," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said following his team's first road win since May 17. "We really needed this."

Arizona, which is 10-26 on the road, hasn't won a series away from Chase Field since May 3-6 against Houston.

Scherzer (3-6, 6.14 ERA) will try to prevent his former teammates from accomplishing that goal. Scherzer was 9-15 with a 3.99 ERA in 37 starts for Arizona over the last two seasons before being traded to the Tigers in the seven-player deal that sent Jackson to the Diamondbacks.

Scherzer had a rough start with Detroit - going 1-4 with a 7.29 and getting sent to Triple-A Toledo - but he is 2-2 with a 4.13 ERA since being called up May 30.

Scherzer will try to win consecutive starts for the first time this season as the Tigers (37-30) look to rebound from a difficult night at the plate. Detroit was 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position Saturday, plating just one run in the first inning when they had the bases loaded with no outs.

"Everyone will want to talk about (having the tying run at second base with Miguel Cabrera up in) the ninth, but it was the first inning that really hurt us," said manager Jim Leyland.

The Diamondbacks will counter with Ian Kennedy (3-4, 3.57), who was acquired from the New York Yankees in the three-team deal that brought Scherzer to Detroit.

Kennedy, who matched career highs with six runs and nine hits allowed in Tuesday's 6-3 loss at Boston, is looking forward to bouncing back from that outing and pitching opposite of Scherzer, his teammate on Team USA during the summer of 2005.

"It's fun to compete against your friends," Kennedy told the Diamondbacks' official website. "I haven't seen him in forever. ...Once I'm out there and he's out there, it's just like anything else. It would be different if we were playing at our park because we would have to hit against each other."

Kennedy might have preferred that the game was in Arizona. He is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his last four road starts, allowing four homers and walking 10 during this stretch.

Kennedy has no record with a 7.71 ERA in one career start versus Detroit.

Tigers right fielder Magglio Ordonez, who is 2 for 3 lifetime against Kennedy, is batting .462 with two homers and 13 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.

Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds made a pair of errors Saturday, but went 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the second inning to snap an 0-for-15 slide.

Arizona's Miguel Montero has homered in two straight games and is batting .360 since being removed from the disabled list June 12.

Detroit is 24-11 at Comerica Park and 7-1 on a homestand that ends Sunday.