Tigers at Pirates
The Detroit Tigers figure to have no issues with getting away from home for a few days after losing 17 of their last 19 at Comerica Park, while the Pittsburgh Pirates probably couldn't be happier to face another American League opponent. The Pirates attempt to move to 8-2 in interleague play on Tuesday when they kick off a two-game set against the visiting Tigers.
Pittsburgh returns home after a 2-8 road trip that began with the team one game away from .500 and ended with it falling a season-high eight games under the break-even mark until it pulled out a 5-4 victory in Miami on Sunday in the rubber match of the series. Josh Bell ran his major-league leading RBI total to 65 in the win with a seventh-inning double to break a tie for the Pirates, who are 22-7 in interleague play since the start of last season - the best such mark in the majors. Two of those wins came earlier this season at the expense of Detroit, which dropped a pair of 10-inning affairs at home to Pittsburgh in mid-April. The Tigers suffered their fourth straight defeat and fell to 7-23 over their last 30 games overall Sunday after getting shut out by Cleveland.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Daniel Norris (2-5, 4.52 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Mitch Keller (0-1, 15.43)
Norris avoided a fourth defeat in as many starts but remained without a victory over his last six outings following a no-decision Wednesday in Kansas City after permitting two runs while striking out six across five innings. The former second-round pick has posted only one quality start during his winless streak, although he managed to hold the opposition to two earned runs or fewer in three of his last five turns. Starling Marte is responsible for the only hit in 17 at-bats the Pirates' current roster has against Norris.
Keller was fortunate to avoid a second straight loss to begin his big-league career Wednesday, surrendering six runs on 10 hits and two walks in three frames. The 23-year-old Iowa native wasn't much better in his debut at Cincinnati on May 27, giving up six more runs on seven hits despite striking out seven over four innings. Keller earned his promotion after going 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 11 outings with Triple-A Indianapolis and boasts a 34-18 record with a 3.03 ERA in 98 minor-league games (97 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Pirates have won 10 of the 12 meetings since the start of the 2017 campaign.
2. Detroit OF Nicholas Castellanos is tied for first in the AL with 21 doubles entering Monday. Bell leads the majors with 27.
3. Pittsburgh rookie INF Kevin Newman is batting .375 during a nine-game hitting streak.