Detroit Tigers vs Toronto Blue Jays Game Preview: 6/4/14

Jun 3, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher

Joe Nathan

(36) walks off the field after being relieved in the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park. Toronto won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers (31-23) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (35-24) — 7:08 PM EDT

Comerica Park, Detroit, MI

TV: Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for radio affiliates)

Weather: 61 degrees, 60 percent chance of showers

The Detroit Tigers will look to snap another three-game losing streak on Wednesday against the surging Toronto Blue Jays. Tuesday night’s horror show will be fresh in everyone’s minds as the team will look for ways to score runs, the highly paid closer to record outs, and defenders to do what they are supposed to do.

When We Last Met

Stop me if you’ve heard this before–the Tigers’ listless offense ruined another sparkling gem from Anibal Sanchez, who is quickly becoming the team’s ace pitcher–or at least their most consistent starter. Yet the Tigers went nearly two games (and part of a third) without scoring any runs. Joe Nathan came in trying to preserve a 0-0 game in the ninth and looked as lost as he has all season long. It didn’t help that Andrew Romine couldn’t come up with a ball in the hole and the first run score. Four more runs would cascade in, and despite a J.D. Martinez three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers lost yet another gut-wrenching affair, 5-3.

Pitching Matchup

Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Rick Porcello (8-2, 3.68) picked up the win in his last outing, but will need a better all around effort against the hot-hitting Blue Jays for success. Porcello went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits. While that is not a bad line score, he walked six batters, which was the same amount of walks that he had issued in six previous starts. Porcello started strong and hopefully the last couple outings are a blip in the road of his potential break-out year. He did not fare well in one start against Toronto in 2013, allowing four runs on eight hits in a no-decision.

Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

R.A. Dickey (5-4. 4.30) has had his share of struggles this season, including his last outing when he allowed five runs on 10 hits last Thursday. As is the case with many of the Jays pitchers this year, Dickey had plenty of run support and received a no-decision despite the lousy outing as his team won 8-6 against Kansas City. The right-hander was great in his one start against the Tigers last year, going seven innings of two-run, six hit ball.