Major League Baseball

Tigers, Porcello on verge of clinching division title

Published Sep. 26, 2014 11:04 a.m. ET

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Though the Detroit Tigers are on the verge of clinching their fourth straight AL Central title, they hope Rick Porcello can get back on track in time to be a solid contributor for the postseason.

Looking for a fourth consecutive victory, the Tigers can secure the division crown as early as Friday night against the visiting Minnesota Twins (6 p.m. pregame, 7:08 first pitch on FOX Sports Detroit).

After clinching its last three Central titles on the road, Detroit (89-70) can do so at home for the first time since 1987 with a victory Friday and a Kansas City loss to the Chicago White Sox.

"I've said the whole time I'm not worried about what Kansas City does, and I'm focused only on what we do, but this is the first time this season, I actually want Kansas City to lose," Max Scherzer said after earning the win in Detroit's 4-2 victory Thursday. "That way we can come to the park (Friday) and win, and clinch it."

Winners in 21 of 33, the Tigers are playing well when it counts the most but would like to see Porcello (15-12, 3.31 ERA) break of out his rut with another solid effort versus Minnesota.

Porcello is 0-4 with a 4.88 ERA in his last five starts, but his best outing over that span came at Minnesota (68-91) when he allowed two runs in eight innings while not factoring in the decision of a 4-3 defeat Sept. 16.

However, the right-hander followed by yielding four runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings of a 5-2 loss to the Royals on Sunday.

Though Porcello topped the 200-inning mark for the first time in his six-year career, he won't use fatigue as an excuse for his recent struggles.

"I know what I'm capable of doing, so I'm disappointed," said Porcello, who has a 4.05 ERA while going 1-0 in three starts against the Twins this season.

Victor Martinez had a homer among his three hits Thursday, and is 21 for 40 with three home runs, five doubles and 11 RBIs in his last 10 games versus Minnesota.

Miguel Cabrera also homered in the series opener and is batting .381 with three home runs and 12 RBIs while hitting safely in all 15 games he's faced the Twins this season.

Cabrera and Ian Kinsler, meanwhile, are a combined 15 for 41 with three home runs and four doubles against Anthony Swarzak (3-2, 4.52), who will make a third straight start in place of the injured Tommy Milone.

Swarzak gave up six runs and 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings but escaped without a decision in an 8-6 defeat to Detroit on Sept. 15. The right-hander wasn't much better Sunday against Cleveland, allowing five runs and eight hits over another 4 1-3 innings of a 7-2 loss.

Joe Mauer is batting .333 with 15 RBIs in his last nine games against the Tigers. He went 1 for 4 with two of those RBIs on Thursday in his return from missing a game with an elbow contusion.

"I think he's OK," manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB's official website. "We wanted to give him an extra day (Wednesday)."