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Aug 11, 2010 - 3:48 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Tampa Bay (68-44) at Detroit (54-58), 1:05 p.m. EDT

When Matt Garza faced the Detroit Tigers three weeks ago, he threw the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay history.

He has not won since that outing.

Garza looks to change that while trying to help the wild card-leading Rays to a seventh straight victory over the reeling Tigers and a series sweep Wednesday at Comerica Park.

Winless in his previous six starts against Detroit, Garza (11-6, 3.88 ERA) faced the minimum 27 batters, allowing only a second-inning walk, in a 5-0 home win over the Tigers on July 26.

"It was one of those days where everything lined up," said Garza, 1-4 with a 4.57 ERA against Detroit.

The Tigers were no-hit for the first time since Randy Johnson shut them down at Seattle on June 2, 1990.

"(Garza's) always had a good fastball," Johnny Damon told the Tigers' official website. "He came right after us. We had some pitches to hit and we couldn't get anything going."

The right-hander's last two opponents have not had that problem.

Garza allowed four runs and five hits in seven innings of a 5-4 loss to the Yankees in his first start after the no-hitter. Though he didn't factor in the decision of that contest, Garza made a late throwing error and took the loss after he gave up two runs and four hits in eight innings of a 2-1 defeat at Toronto on Friday.

He has a chance to rebound as the Rays (69-44) look to improve to 7-0 this season against the Tigers, losers of 22 of 28 after an 8-0 defeat Tuesday. Tampa Bay has outscored Detroit 33-11 in 2010.

Jason Bartlett had three hits and Evan Longoria added two with an RBI as Tampa Bay won its second straight following a season-high five-game skid. The Rays are within one-half game of the AL East-leading Yankees.

Though Longoria is 7 for 17 with four RBIs in his last four games versus Detroit (54-59), he is 3 for 12 with a double and home run against scheduled starter Justin Verlander (12-7, 3.81).

The Detroit ace is 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA in three starts since beating Toronto on July 22. Verlander allowed four runs in seven innings of a 4-2 loss to the Angels on Friday. His other defeat during that stretch came after he gave up three runs and struck out six in eight innings of a 3-2 loss at Tampa Bay on July 27.

The right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.52 ERA in seven starts versus Tampa Bay, including 2-0 in four at home.

Rookie Austin Jackson had two of the four hits Tuesday for the Tigers, who have averaged 3.1 runs since the All-Star break.

"We're pressing offensively ... hard to believe," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said sarcastically. "It's more like an over-effort. We've just got to get some offense going."

Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera is 0 for 6 with three strikeouts in the series, and 4 for 26 in his last nine games. He's 3 for 18 with seven strikeouts against the Rays this season, and 1 for 9 versus Garza.