Detroit Tigers vs Boston Red Sox Game Preview & Lineup: 6/7/14

Jun 6, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers designated hitter

Victor Martinez

(41) runs the bases after he hits a home run off Boston Red Sox relief pitcher

Chris Capuano

(55) in the eighth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers (31-25) vs. Boston Red Sox (27-32) — 7:15 PM EDT

Comerica Park — Detroit, MI

TV: Fox Network

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for radio affiliates)

Weather: 79 degrees, mostly cloudy

Looks like playing the Boston Red Sox brings out the best in the Detroit Tigers. After looking utterly lost in their three-game series with the Red Sox AL East brethren, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Tigers snapped their five-game losing streak last night to run their season series record to 4-0 against the team that ousted them from the playoffs a season ago.

Two more games remain in the season series between the rivals as the Tigers look for a two-game winning streak for just the second time in the last three weeks.

Alex Avila suffered a “mild” concussion in last night’s game and, though manager Brad Ausmus said he could play, he won’t play tonight.

When We Last Met

Fans were no doubt expecting more of the same from their favorite team when just two batters into last night’s game, Drew Smyly and the Tigers were down 1-0. Smyly settled down and pitched his best game in a month and picked up his first victory since May 3 by going six innings, allowing five hits, two runs (only one earned) with four strikeouts and a walk. The Tigers used the long ball to account for the bulk of their offense in the 6-2 victory and Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless, one-hit, ninth inning.

Pitching Matchup

Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Max Scherzer (6-2, 3.20) will be enlisted to start a winning streak for Detroit and everyone hopes to see vintage Max out there Saturday night. Max wasn’t terrible in his last outing, allowing four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-0 loss to Seattle on Sunday, but he’s allowed 16 runs in his last three games and hasn’t won since May 16. Coincidentally, that last win came against these Red Sox. Scherzer was locked in a pitchers’ duel with tonight’s Boston starter, Jon Lester, in that contest, and Max was a little better, allowing just three hits and fanning seven in six innings of the 1-0 victory.

Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Lester (6-6, 3.15) was the hard-luck loser in that game between the Tigers and Red Sox at Fenway Park. He allowed a run on four hits in five innings, striking out seven batters. The left-hander has been a stabilizing force for a shaky Boston starting staff this season, though his record may not reflect it. In his last outing, Lester was brilliant, limiting Tampa Bay to four hits of scoreless ball over seven innings. He struck out 12 Rays, which is not even a season high. Lester struck out 15 Oakland Athletics back on May 3.

Tigers Lineup