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Tigers, Indians resume three-game set

Jun 6, 2012 - 2:56 PM (Sports Network) - Max Scherzer goes after his fifth straight winning decision this evening when the Detroit Tigers continue a three-game set with the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park.

Scherzer won his third consecutive start on Thursday in Boston, as he allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings to run his record to 5-3, while lowering his earned run average to a still lofty 5.55.

In eight starts against the Indians, Scherzer is 4-3 with a 4.98 ERA.

Cleveland, meanwhile, will counter with righty Jeanmar Gomez, who is 3-4 with a 4.42 ERA. Gomez has been awful his last two times out and on Wednesday against Kansas City suffered the loss, as he allowed five runs and 10 hits in five innings. He had given up six runs in 5 2/3 frames his previous start.

"I don't know," he said. "I felt good today. I got two outs quickly, but I was unable to get the third one. I made quality pitches, and they hit them."

His problems could continue tonight, as Gomez is 1-2 in four starts versus the Tigers with a 7.08 ERA.

The Indians beat the Tigers for the fourth straight time in Tuesday's opener, as Ubaldo Jimenez fired 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball to help Cleveland take a 4-2 victory.

Jimenez (6-4) scattered five hits and walked one while striking out four to earn his first victory in five career starts at Comerica Park. Chris Perez recorded his 18th save of the season despite allowing a run in the ninth.

Asdrubal Cabrera, Lou Marson and Michael Brantley each stroked RBI triples, while Shin-Soo Choo added an RBI and a run scored for the Indians, who swept the Tigers in a three-game set from May 22-24 in Cleveland.

"It's a big outfield and there's a lot of room out there," said Brantley about the team's trio of triples. "With the speed that we have on the base paths, hopefully we get a few more before we get out of here."

Drew Smyly (2-2) absorbed the loss, yielding four runs on six hits and two walks over six frames. Miguel Cabrera clubbed two hits, including an RBI double, but the Tigers dropped their sixth game in their last eight tries.

"When you get two strikes on these hitters, you have to be able to make a good pitch," lamented Smyly. "I let a couple of them go today."

Detroit had won its last seven at home against the Indians. Last season, the Tigers went 8-1 versus the Tribe at Comerica and have only dropped five of their last 28 at home in the series.