Detroit's Miguel Cabrera could be on his way to another Triple Crown. The American League's reigning MVP tries to stay hot on Thursday when the Tigers open a four-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park.
Detroit moved within a half-game of Cleveland in the American League Central on Wednesday, as Cabrera drove in three runs and Victor Martinez had two RBI, as the Tigers outlasted two rain delays to beat the Indians, 11-7.
Brayan Pena supplied three of Detroit's 14 hits and knocked in a run. Cabrera, Torii Hunter, Jhonny Peralta and Andy Dirks each had two hits for the Tigers, who took Tuesday's opener.
"It was one of those freaky nights," said Detroit manager Jim Leyland. "We finally got through (the game) and on the right side of it."
Cabrera, who has hit safely in his last eight games, leads the league with a .387 average and 52 RBI and his 13 home runs are one behind Baltimore's Chris Davis.
Detroit starter Justin Verlander (5-4) allowed five runs on 10 hits and struck out nine in five innings.
Getting the call for the Tigers on Thursday will be righty Rick Porcello, who is unbeaten in his last four starts. Porcello was terrific against the Texas Rangers on Friday, as he held them to just a run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He also struck out six and walked a batter to improve to 2-2 on the year, while lowering his ERA to 5.92.
Porcello lost to Minnesota back on April 4 ane is 6-5 with a 3.35 ERA in 16 starts against them.
The Twins, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Scott Diamond, who is 3-4 with a 4.99 ERA. Diamond lost his second straight start on Saturday in Boston and looked bad in doing so, as he gave up six runs and eight hits with three walks in just 4 1/3 innings.
"I tried to muscle up too many pitches, and it made the ball stay up in the zone -- and I paid the price for it," said Diamond, who has allowed 12 runs in 10 innings of his last two starts. "I struggled to find my control and my rhythm and ended up throwing way too many pitches."
Diamond beat the Detroit earlier in the year and is 2-2 with a 2.72 in six starts against them.
Minnesota comes into Thursday's opener, riding an eight-game losing streak following an 8-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
Justin Morneau drove in one run and Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia each hit solo homers in the ninth for the Twins, losers in nine of their last 10. Starter Vance Worley (1-5) allowed all eight runs on 10 hits over just 3 2/3 innings to absorb the loss.
"It is what it is," added Worley, who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester following the game. "I went out there and I left the ball up a little bit. ERA is killing me. It's hard to win a game if you're behind. Just work on being myself, get back to what I was doing and I'll be back."
Minnesota has split six games with the Tigers this season.
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