When David Price last faced the Cleveland Indians less than two weeks ago, Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann called it one of his most memorable games.
Now Price will try to help Detroit continue its dominance of the slumping Indians in a rematch Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
The ace left-hander takes on Cleveland for the second time in three starts after scattering seven hits and fanning eight while throwing just 93 pitches in a complete-game 4-0 home win June 12.
"When you look up at the board going into the ninth inning and he hasn't thrown 90 pitches, that's unbelievable," McCann told MLB's official website after the performance.
Price (6-2, 2.50 ERA) had his last outing shortened by rain Wednesday when he allowed two runs and four hits with six strikeouts over five innings in an 8-4, 13-inning loss at Cincinnati.
The four-time All-Star has gone 8-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 11 career meetings with Cleveland. He's 3-0 with an 0.61 ERA in his last four matchups and is 3-0 with a 2.32 mark in five outings at Progressive Field.
Yan Gomes is 0 for 12 with six strikeouts when facing Price, while Brandon Moss has gone 1 for 6 with four strikeouts. Michael Brantley, however, is 5 for 11 with a double.
Jason Kipnis is only 4 for 16 against Price, but brings a career-high 17-game hitting streak into this contest. He's batting .490 during a 26-game home hitting streak - one shy of Miguel Dilone's club-record 27-game run from July 6-Aug. 31, 1980. Kipnis is batting .346, trailing only Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (.350) for the league lead.
The Tigers (36-34) continued their mastery in Cleveland with Monday's 8-5 victory, their 19th in 24 games there over the past three seasons. Detroit has won eight of 10 overall this season against the Indians and nine of its last 10 at Progressive Field.
Yoenis Cespedes went 3 for 3 with a home run and a double, while Cabrera had two hits and reached base four times in five plate appearances. Cabrera is 24 for 37 (.649) with five homers and 16 RBIs in the season series and has reached base in 27 straight games at Progressive Field.
"We know we're not going to go 162-0, but mentally, maybe, we feel more comfortable in this park," former Indian Victor Martinez said.
Danny Salazar carried a shutout into the sixth inning when he opposed Price earlier this month before Cabrera hit a three-run homer. Cabrera is 7 for 19 with two homers lifetime off him.
"I like to attack him," Salazar said after allowing three runs over seven innings. "If he's going to do damage to you, he'll do it anyways."
Salazar (6-2, 3.56) also had his latest outing cut short by rain Thursday when he gave up two earned runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 4-3 home win over the Chicago Cubs.
The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last four starts versus Detroit. He tossed an eight-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 7-0 win in his most recent home meeting last September.
The Indians (32-37) are hoping to avoid their 11th loss in 16 games at home. They've hit .234 with just five home runs while averaging 2.5 runs over their last 12 there.
Moss is hitless through six games on this homestand and 0 for 23 over his last seven overall.
