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A's try to avoid the brooms in Detroit

Sep 20, 2012 - 12:50 PM (Sports Network) - Tommy Milone tries to win his third straight start on Thursday when the Oakland Athletics attempt to salvage the finale of a three- game series with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Milone won for the fourth time in five starts on Friday against Baltimore and set an Oakland record for most victories by a rookie in the process, as he allowed just an earned run in 6 1/3 frames to run his record to 13-10 on the year to go along with a 3.81 ERA.

He had shared the mark with Chris Codiroli (1983) and Joe Blanton (2005).

"That's really impressive," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Milone's record. "Doesn't get lost on us. I congratulated him on tying it (Sunday). The next thing he said was, 'It's time to break it.'"

Milone beat the Tigers earlier in the year in his only other start against them.

Detroit, meanwhile, will rely on righty Anibal Sanchez, who flirted with a no- hitter his last time out. Sanchez did not allow a hit until the seventh inning of a win over Cleveland on Saturday and ended the game by surrendering three hits and two runs in 6 2/3 frames. He is 3-5 with a 4.19 ERA since being acquired from Miami.

"I thought I would do it," Sanchez said of throwing his second career no- hitter. "I was trying to be aggressive, not be afraid and all my pitches were working."

He has never faced the A's.

Detroit continued its quest for the playoffs on Wednesday, as Justin Verlander struck out five over six scoreless innings to help the Tigers to a 6-2 win.

Verlander (15-8) scattered five hits and walked three en route to his third win over his last four starts.

Omar Infante clubbed a two-run double and knocked in three overall, while Miguel Cabrera added a solo shot for the Tigers, who have won six of their last eight to move within two games of Chicago atop the AL Central.

"We have to take care of business here first and try and win games," Cabrera said of his club trailing the White Sox in the standings. "Hopefully we can catch them."

Brett Anderson (4-2) surrendered three runs on three hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings before leaving with an oblique injury.

Cliff Pennington and Stephen Drew recorded an RBI apiece for Oakland, which still occupies one of the two wild-card spots in the AL despite dropping three in a row.

"We had quality at-bats to get there, we just didn't get a big hit when we needed to," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of his team.

Detroit and Oakland split a four-game series from May 10-13 at the Coliseum.