Tigers shoot for fourth straight win versus Yanks

(SportsNetwork.com) - Having snapped a lengthy winning streak by New York, the Detroit Tigers will try to extend their own recent run of success on Wednesday night in the second contest of a three-game set with the Yankees.

The Tigers picked up a third victory in a row with Tuesday night's 5-2 win, a victory that kept them a half-game behind Seattle for the second wild card spot in the American League and 1 1/2 games back of Kansas City for first place in the AL Central.

Rick Porcello hurled eight innings to win his 15th game of the season, scattering nine hits and allowing two runs -- both on Jacoby Ellsbury homers.

"He did a really good job," said Tigers manager Brad Ausmus about Porcello. "He had a great sinker right from the get-go. He pitched outstanding."

J.D. Martinez had three hits and drove in a run, while Torii Hunter also had an RBI.

Ellsbury went 3-for-4 for New York, which had a season high-tying five-game win streak halted as starter Brandon McCarthy yielded five earned runs over 6 1/3 innings.

"I just never felt settled in, wasn't sharp from the get-go," said McCarthy. "It was kind of battle right from the start. There are some days when the ball doesn't go where you want it to."

The Tigers will try to seal up the series victory tonight behind David Price, who will make his fifth start since coming over in a trade with Tampa Bay.

Price has allowed only one earned run in his past two, beating Seattle 4-2 on Aug. 16 with eight innings of work before suffering a tough-luck setback versus his former Rays club on Thursday. The left-hander gave up one unearned run over another eight frames of a 1-0 loss, striking out nine and retiring the final 23 batters faced.

Still, Price fell to 12-9 with a 3.00 earned run average in 27 total starts this season.

Price, who turned 29 on Tuesday, is 10-5 with a 3.63 ERA in his career versus the Yankees. He faced them in his Detroit debut on Aug. 5, charged with three runs over 8 2/3 innings of a no-decision.

New York turns to right-hander Shane Greene, who has not lost in five straight starts.

Greene does own just one victory over that unbeaten streak and it came against Detroit on Aug. 7, when he hurled eight-plus scoreless innings of five-hit ball.

The 25-year-old has pitched a total of 11 innings in two starts since, giving up a total of five runs and 16 hits while striking out 17. Greene is 3-1 with a 3.17 ERA in nine games (8 starts) on the year.

The Yankees have won six of their last nine versus the Tigers, winning three of four at home from Aug. 4-7.