CLEVELAND vs DETROIT
When: 12/26/2020 7:00 PM
Where:

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: -2.5
PREDICTION: DETROIT , CLEVELAND

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as -2.5 point favorites versus the CLEVELAND, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.5.

Lottery picks Collin Sexton and Darius Garland led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a season-opening victory.

With Kevin Love nursing a calf injury, the young backcourt may need to replicate that production when Cleveland visits Detroit on Saturday.

Sexton, the eighth pick of the 2018 draft, had 27 points and Garland, the fifth pick of the 2019 draft, added 22 as the Cavaliers defeated Charlotte 121-114 on Wednesday.

“You look at the combination and how they can play with one another and the pressure they can put on the defenses,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “But not only did they have 49 points, they had 11 assists between them and they took care of the basketball. They’re both extremely gifted but they also competed on the defensive end of the floor.”

Cleveland’s offense was humming against the Hornets, as it shot 52.9 percent from the field and assisted on 34 of 46 made field goals.

“We’re trying to play to each other’s strengths,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re still learning one another chemistry-wise. But we’re passing the ball to the open man as much as we possibly can.”

Bickerstaff wasn’t thrilled with his team’s second-half performance. Charlotte scored 70 points after halftime and shot 50 percent for the game.

“I think we were unselfish the majority of the night,” Bickerstaff said. “Defensively, I think we were really good in spots. The second half, I felt it got away from us a little bit. We played into their hands and allowed them to take uncontested threes.”

Love’s status for Saturday’s game is in doubt, but Larry Nance Jr. filled in very well at power forward. Nance had 13 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocks against Charlotte.

The Pistons, who will be playing their home opener on Saturday, lost their opener to Minnesota 111-101 on Wednesday after leading most of the way. The Timberwolves scored the last 11 points and outscored visiting Detroit 31-16 in the fourth quarter.

“We had a lot of bad turnovers in that last portion of it and then defensively, we had some huge breakdowns,” coach Dwane Casey said.

Killian Hayes, the No. 7 pick of this year’s draft, was thrown into the fire. He committed four turnovers in 21 minutes, including back-to-back giveaways in the final quarter that led to a momentum shift.

“That’s also the mark of a young point guard. How do you close an NBA game?” Casey said. “The intensity level goes up, the ‘want-to’ goes up. Everything gets a little bit harder in those situations. It was a great learning experience for us as a group.”

Detroit had the biggest roster turnover of any team in the league and it showed in the late going. A pair of free agent acquisitions, Josh Jackson (team-high 19 points, six rebounds) and Mason Plumlee (14 points, eight rebounds, six assists) made auspicious debuts with the club.

“We’ve been together two weeks, 11 new faces,” Casey said. “There’s a lot of nuances we’re going to miss until we get to know each other.”

The teams split their four meetings last season. Cleveland big man Andre Drummond will be playing against his former team for the first time. The Pistons dealt him to the Cavaliers just prior to last February’s trade deadline.

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MINNESOTA vs DETROIT
When: 1/3/2021 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 3.5
PREDICTION: DETROIT , MINNESOTA

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 3.5 point favorites versus the MINNESOTA, while the game’s total is sitting at 53.5.

The season finale between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will not only lack drama, it will be played without the biggest star for either team.

Vikings All-Pro running back Dalvin Cook won’t travel to Detroit due to the death of his father James. Cook has rushed for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

Minnesota (6-9) was officially eliminated from playoff contention last week with a 52-33 loss to New Orleans on Christmas Day. The Vikings will try to avoid finishing the season on a four-game slide.

Detroit (5-10) has dropped seven of its last nine, including a 47-7 thrashing by Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins, who needs 140 passing yards on Sunday to reach the 4,000-yard mark this season, sees some value in collecting a Week 17 victory.

“We want to finish strong,” he said. “I heard this morning that it’s important we don’t use this as the last game of this year but as the first game of 2021. That will kind of help us to focus on where we’re headed and what we’re trying to build, trying to get 2021 started off on the right foot.”

Cousins has turned his season around after a slow start, throwing 21 touchdown passes compared to three interceptions over the last nine games. He was picked off 12 times during the first six games when Minnesota won just one game.

“I do look at it and see there was an improvement after the bye week in terms of turnovers but if you don’t have those turnovers earlier in the year, maybe you don’t start 1-5,” he said.

Cook will be replaced by a combination of Ameer Abdullah, Mike Boone and Alexander Mattison.

The Vikings’ run defense has fallen apart the last two games, allowing Chicago’s David Montgomery to rush for 146 yards and two touchdowns and New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara to pile up 155 yards and six touchdowns.

Detroit’s injury-riddled defense has allowed 30 or more points in the last five games. The Buccaneers could have easily scored more than 47 points last weekend if they hadn’t eased up and used backups most of the second half.

At least the Lions will have some semblance of a coaching staff for the finale. Due to COVID-19 protocols, a majority of the staff was forced to miss the Bucs game, including interim head coach Darrell Bevell.

“Very strange experience,” Bevell said. “I would probably use the word helpless, as you’re sitting there just watching it on TV. I really felt like I needed to be there. I wanted to be there.”

The Lions’ offense looked helpless as well after quarterback Matthew Stafford hobbled off during the first quarter with an ankle injury.

Bevell hasn’t completely ruled out Stafford for Sunday’s game, though it seems unlikely he’ll play. He’s also battling a rib injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday. If he can’t go, Chase Daniel or Daniel Blough would get the call.

“With Matthew, I think the best thing for him is he’s got the best feel and read for his body,” Bevell said. “So we’ll continue to progress like we normally do with him. Some of the other injuries are resolving, so we’ll see how this injury on his ankle resolves by the end of the week.”

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TAMPA BAY vs DETROIT
When: 12/26/2020 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 10
PREDICTION: DETROIT , TAMPA BAY

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 10 point favorites versus the TAMPA BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 54.

Tom Brady’s arrival led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to believe their long playoff drought might end this season.

That dream could come to fruition as early as Saturday, when the Bucs visit Detroit.

A victory would clinch a playoff berth with one more game to go. So would a Chicago loss or tie to Jacksonville.

The Bucs (9-5) are also still in the running for an NFC South Division title. While the Bucs trail the Saints (10-4) by a game, if the teams finished tied, the Saints would win the tiebreaker since they beat Tampa Bay twice in the regular season.

The last time the Bucs reached the postseason was 2007, when they lost to the New York Giants in the wild-card round.

“I call them a hat and T-shirt games,” coach Bruce Arians said. “This is a hat and T-shirt game. You get a hat and a T-shirt when you’re in the playoffs. It’s a great feeling for these guys. That was the goal this year — it was to get in The Dance and anything can happen once you’re in there. But get ourselves in The Dance and we have that opportunity on (Saturday).”

A Brady-fueled comeback on Sunday put the Bucs on the brink of a postseason berth. Tampa Bay trailed Atlanta 17-0 at halftime but roared back for a 31-27 triumph. Brady threw for 390 yards and two touchdowns.

He needs 114 passing yards on Saturday to reach the 4,000-yard mark for the season. Brady will be making his 300th career regular-season appearance.

With Ronald Jones placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and also recovering from finger surgery, Leonard Fournette served as the main running back against the Falcons. He rushed for 49 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.

“I thought it was fine,” Arians said of the running game. “When we wanted to run, we were successful. We pounded it in twice at the goal line and ran out the clock at the end of the game. In between, it was hit or miss. Just enough to keep the play action really good.”

The pass defense was subpar, as it allowed 332 yards. The Bucs also failed to force a turnover.

“Our defense needs to reevaluate themselves a little bit and get back to what we’re supposed to be doing and what we’re capable of doing,” Arians said.

The Lions (5-9) have allowed 30 or more points in each of their last four games. Their decimated defense was gouged for 463 yards in a 46-25 loss to Tennessee on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford played despite a rib injury and threw for 252 yards and a touchdown before he was replaced late in the game by Chase Daniel.

“He was sore coming out of the game. He did take a couple of hits in that game,” interim coach Darrell Bevell said. “He’s as tough as they come, tough as nails.”

The Lions are out of the playoff picture, but Stafford isn’t interested in sitting out the last two games if he feels he can play.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think he’ll let that happen,” Bevell said. “These guys are true competitors. There’s a sense of pride that you need to be there, you want to be there for your teammates.”

Detroit was forced to close its practice facility on Tuesday after two members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus. Bevell isn’t sure how much the team will be allowed to practice this week.

“Just got to play that by ear,” he said.

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CHICAGO vs DETROIT
When: 9/13/2020 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: -2.5
PREDICTION: DETROIT , CHICAGO

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as -2.5 point favorites versus the CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 43.5.

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DETROIT vs MIAMI
When: 7:30 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Sun (Miami)
LINE: -8
PREDICTION: Heat 97, Pistons 92

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as -8 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 217.5.

Power forward Blake Griffin made his season debut Monday and figures to again be in the lineup when the Detroit Pistons visit the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Griffin missed the first 10 games of the season but looked spry with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes during Monday’s 120-114 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Griffin was sidelined with hamstring and knee injuries and was on a minutes restriction that will continue Tuesday. “I would’ve loved to have played 36 tonight, but I have to listen to our trainers,” Griffin said after the loss. “I felt as good as I probably could’ve felt for not playing basketball for a long time.” Miami is home after going 1-2 on a three-game road trip that ended with a subpar 95-80 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. “Even in the first half, we were playing this game in the mud,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said after his team was 4-of-19 shooting in the final stanza. “… It just got away from us in the fourth quarter.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (4-7): Point guard Derrick Rose (hamstring) returned from a four-game absence but struggled with six points on 3-of-13 shooting in 20 minutes and was unhappy with his and the team’s performance against the Timberwolves. “Do we want to win? Do we want to come out and work hard or do we want to get spanked like this every night?” Rose told reporters. Reserve guard Langston Galloway provided a boost by scoring 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

ABOUT THE HEAT (6-3): Miami’s point total against the Lakers was a season low and it occurred one day after guard Dion Waiters reportedly needed medical care due to having a panic attack on the plane after eating a THC-infused edible. Players who violate the NBA marijuana policy typically enter a program but the Heat suspended Waiters for 10 games for a slew of offenses, including what the club termed “conduct detrimental to the team.” Team captain Udonis Haslem said, “I don’t feel like it’s a distraction. Obviously the situation has been handled, so we move on. A distraction is something that continues to transpire or continues to be an issue. … The only concern I have is for my brother Dion and that he’s healthy.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The teams split last season’s four meetings.

2. Detroit SG Luke Kennard scored 25 points against Minnesota and is averaging 22.8 points over the past five games.

3. Miami F Justise Winslow (concussion) will miss his third straight game.

PREDICTION: Heat 97, Pistons 92

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LA CHARGERS vs DETROIT
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 15, 2019
Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chargers -2.5.
O/U: 47.5
PREDICTION: Chargers 31, Lions 27

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the LA CHARGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 47.

The Detroit Lions didn’t lose their season opener, but they are in the position where they need to rebound from a highly disappointing result when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Detroit squandered an 18-point, fourth-quarter lead in its initial contest before kicking a field goal to salvage a 27-27 tie with Arizona.

Matthew Stafford says the blown lead is now in the past as the club needs to make sure it focuses on the Chargers. “You can’t dwell on it, whether it was a great win and great performance, or a blowout loss and a terrible performance,” Detroit’s quarterback told reporters. “If you do this a long time, you understand that. If you don’t understand that, you probably don’t do this for a long time. It’s part of what is ingrained in us. We move forward.” Los Angeles blew a 15-point, third-quarter advantage in its season opener before eventually posting a 30-24 overtime victory over Indianapolis. Philip Rivers will make his 210th consecutive regular-season start for the Chargers as he trails only Brett Favre (297) and Eli Manning (set for No. 211) on the all-time list among quarterbacks.

ABOUT THE CHARGERS (1-0): No one within the franchise has been concerned about the holdout of running back Melvin Gordon, and that became more evident when Austin Ekeler recorded 154 scrimmage yards (58 rushing, 96 receiving) and scored three touchdowns (including the game-winning 7-yard run in OT) in the opener. “In the past, I still made plays on the field,” Ekeler told reporters after his big performance. “People are acting like I came out of nowhere. I made plays, but it was more limited because Melvin was here.” Defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram both had sacks in the opener while veteran linebacker Thomas Davis racked up a team-best 14 sacks in his club debut.

ABOUT THE LIONS (0-0-1): Stafford passed for 385 yards and three touchdowns against the Cardinals, with Danny Amendola (seven receptions, 124 yards, one touchdown) and rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson (six, 131, one) making huge contributions. “He’s a beast,” Amendola told reporters of Hockenson, who accumulated the most yardage by a rookie tight end in his debut in NFL history, surpassing Monty Stickles of San Francisco in 1960. “He’s been working really hard. He got a taste of what the NFL is all about and he’s a great player, great teammate, and I’m excited to see what he does.” Linebacker Devon Kennard posted a career-best three sacks while safety Tracy Walker had an interception and a career-high nine tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Chargers have won seven of the last eight meetings.

2. Amendola’s 100-yard outing in the opener was the ninth of his career.

3. Los Angeles TE Hunter Henry (knee) is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks.

PREDICTION: Chargers 31, Lions 27

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DETROIT vs ARIZONA
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, September 8, 2019
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Lions -2.5
O/U: 46.5
PREDICTION: Lions 24, Cardinals 21

Oddsmakers currently have the ARIZONA listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 47.

The much-anticipated Kyler Murray era begins Sunday when the Arizona Cardinals host the Detroit Lions, but the first overall pick in the 2019 draft boasts a sense of calmness as the moment nears. “I’m chillin’,” Murray, the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, told reporters. “I’m excited for Sunday obviously knowing it’s a big day for everybody – the start of the season. But we want to start it off the right way and that’s with a win. So, I’m preparing like any other season for me.”

Cardinals first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury wants his quarterback, who is listed at 5 feet 10, 207 pounds, to “play his game, cut it loose” as he takes the keys to the Air Raid offense that Kingsbury brought with him from Texas Tech. Detroit on Wednesday bought a look inside Kingsbury’s playbook when it signed quarterback Chad Kanoff, who was cut by Arizona last weekend, to the practice squad. Kingsbury said that Kanoff knows “pretty much everything. Whatever he says is exactly what we’re going to run in the game. That’s tough for us.” The Lions – like the Cardinals – finished last in their division in 2018 and hope that quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has played every game over the last eight years, can lead them back to the postseason.

ABOUT THE LIONS (2018: 6-10, LAST IN NFC NORTH): Stafford owns a franchise-record eight straight seasons with 3,500 or more passing yards and needs 1,474 to become the 21st quarterback in NFL history with 40,000. Second-year coach Matt Patricia, who was defensive coordinator in New England from 2012-17, has a pair of ex-Super Bowl champions making their club debuts in defensive end Trey Flowers (7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles in 2018 with the Patriots) and wide receiver Danny Amendola, who spent last season with Miami after five years in Foxborough. Running back C.J. Anderson, who also makes his team debut, rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown against Arizona last season while with the Los Angeles Rams.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (2018: 3-13, LAST IN NFC WEST): Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (1,303 catches, 16,279 yards) is second all-time in receiving yards to Jerry Rice (22,895) and needs 23 receptions to move past Tony Gonzalez and into second behind Rice (1,549). Running back David Johnson recorded 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing and 80 receptions for 879 yards and four scores during his breakout season of 2016 but didn’t approach those numbers last year (940 yards, seven TDs rushing; 50 catches, 446 yards, three TDs) after missing the final 15 games of 2017 with a wrist injury. Arizona boasts a formidable pass rush in linebacker Chandler Jones, whose 53.5 sacks since 2015 lead the NFL, and linebacker Terrell Suggs, who joins the team while leading all active players with 132.5.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Detroit CB Darius Slay tied for third in the league with 17 passes defended last season and his 86 PDs since 2014 lead the NFL.

2. Fitzgerald carries a 227-game reception streak into the season – second-longest in NFL history behind Rice (274).

3. The Lions lead the series 33-28-5 and snapped a seven-game slide by winning the last two meetings, including 17-3 last season in Arizona with Slay returning an interception 67 yards for a touchdown.

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DETROIT vs BALTIMORE
GAME: Detroit Tigers (19-32) at Baltimore Orioles (17-37)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, May 28 – 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, MASN 2 (Baltimore)
LINE: -110
PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Orioles 3

Oddsmakers currently have the BALTIMORE listed as -110 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.

Not even a visit from the major league-worst Baltimore Orioles could snap the Detroit Tigers out of their funk. The Tigers, who dropped 12 of their last 13 games, will try to avoid another setback when they visit the Orioles in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Detroit has managed three or fewer runs in nine of its last 12 setbacks and was held to three runs on eight hits in a 5-3 loss in Monday’s series opener, with a pair of errors leading to two unearned runs against left-hander Daniel Norris. The Tigers, who planned on a rebuilding year, fell to 19-32 with Monday’s loss despite a soft part of the schedule that included three games at home against the National League-worst Miami Marlins – all losses – and a trip to the struggling New York Mets before the visit to Baltimore. The Orioles are winners of two of their last three games after dropping 14 of their previous 16 contests. Baltimore will send right-hander Dylan Bundy to the mound on Tuesday, while Detroit left-hander Matthew Boyd tries to turn his team’s fortunes.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (4-4, 3.11 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (2-5, 4.67)

Boyd has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 11 starts and is coming off six scoreless innings against Miami on Thursday. The 28-year-old scattered five hits and issued one walk while striking out seven but was not a part of the decision in a game Detroit went onto lose 5-2. Boyd was held out of the decision in his lone start against Baltimore last season when he yielded one run and two hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Bundy has failed to complete six innings in any of his last three starts and was reached for three runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the New York Yankees on Thursday. The Oklahoma native owns 52 strikeouts in 52 innings but has surrendered 12 home runs. Bundy is facing Detroit for the first time since 2017 and is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in two career games – one start – against the Tigers.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Orioles traded RHP Yefry Ramirez to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for a player to be named or cash on Monday.

2. Detroit RF Nicholas Castellanos is 10-for-23 with five extra-base hits in the last five games.

3. Baltimore DH Mark Trumbo (knee surgery) is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie this week.

PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Orioles 3

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DETROIT vs BALTIMORE
GAME: Detroit Tigers (19-31) at Baltimore Orioles (16-37)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 27 – 1:05 PM EST
WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, MASN2 (Baltimore)
LINE: -110
PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Orioles 4

Oddsmakers currently have the BALTIMORE listed as -110 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.5.

The two coldest teams in the major leagues meet Monday when the Detroit Tigers visit Baltimore for the first of three games against the Orioles. The Tigers fell to 1-11 over their last 12 games with a 4-3 loss at the New York Mets on Sunday.

Nicholas Castellanos had a solo homer and a two-run single to provide all the offense for Detroit, which is last in the American League in runs and has been held to four or fewer in each defeat during the 1-11 slide. The Orioles dropped eight of their last nine and the past four setbacks have come by a total of six runs as the bullpen continues to falter. The Colorado Rockies rallied for two runs against three Baltimore pitchers in the bottom of the ninth Sunday afternoon to steal an 8-7 win. Gabriel Ynoa makes his first start of the year for the Orioles on Monday opposite Daniel Norris for the Tigers.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Daniel Norris (2-2, 4.30 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Gabriel Ynoa (0-1, 5.60)

Norris allowed two runs over six innings with five strikeouts and no walks in a no-decision against Miami on Wednesday. The Tennessee native is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career games (two starts) against the Orioles, all taking place in Baltimore. Sluggers Chris Davis and Trey Mancini are a combined 2-for-3 with two home runs and two walks against Norris.

Ynoa has made nine relief appearances since he was called up from Triple-A Norfolk on April 21, posting three outings of at least three innings. He has struggled of late, giving up 10 earned runs over 6 1/3 frames through his last four appearances. The Dominican Republic native, who turned 26 on Sunday, is 1-3 with a 4.02 ERA in seven career starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Orioles 2B Jonathan Villar went 6-for-14 with a home run, three doubles and five RBIs in the three-game series at Colorado.

2. Castellanos is 11-for-30 during his seven-game hitting streak.

3. Detroit has lost four of its last five at Camden Yards.

PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Orioles 4

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DETROIT vs NY METS
GAME: Detroit Tigers (19-30) at New York Mets (25-26)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, May 26 – 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Citi Field, New York City, New York

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, WPIX (New York)
LINE: -170
PREDICTION: Mets 5, Tigers 3

Oddsmakers currently have the NY METS listed as -170 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.

The New York Mets limped into their current homestand having lost five in a row, but they have been rejuvenated by familiar surroundings while showing a flair for the dramatic on a near daily basis. New York looks to make it six wins in their last seven when it squares off with the visiting Detroit Tigers in the rubber match of a three-game set on Sunday afternoon.

The Mets got all their runs from the catcher position as Wilson Ramos homered twice and had four RBIs before Tomás Nido clubbed a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 13th in Saturday’s 5-4 victory. “Felt like (Hall of Fame catcher) Mike Piazza was back there,” New York manager Mickey Callaway told reporters after his team won for the fourth time in its final at-bat over the past five games. One day after ending a nine-game losing streak, the Tigers stranded 14 runners and squandered a career-best four-hit day game by Dawel Lugo. Detroit also was 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position, getting a tying RBI single from JaCoby Jones, who is 4-for-10 with five RBIs in the series.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Spencer Turnbull (2-3, 2.68 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (3-3, 4.74)

Turnbull did not factor in the decision against Miami on Tuesday after allowing three runs on seven hits over five innings, which followed a rocky outing in which he was reached for six runs – one earned – in a season low-tying four innings versus Oakland. Prior to that defeat, the 26-year-old rookie was unbeaten in five consecutive starts while permitting a total of five runs. Turnbull is 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA in four road starts while holding opposing batters to a meager .184 average.

Wheeler worked seven innings for the fifth time in seven starts last time out against Washington, but he wound up with a no-decision after giving up three runs on four hits, including a pair of home runs. He was rocked by the Nationals for six runs and 11 hits in his previous turn, which followed a four-start stretch in which he recorded double-digit strikeouts on three occasions. Josh Harrison is 1-for-6 with a double and two strikeouts against Wheeler, who will be facing Detroit for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Ramos is 7-for-11 with three homers, seven RBIs and five runs scored during a three-game hitting streak.

2. Tigers 1B-OF Brandon Dixon had a pinch-hit two-run homer Saturday after delivering a pinch-hit RBI single in the series opener.

3. Mets RHP Edwin Diaz blew his first save chance of the season after converting his first 12.

PREDICTION: Mets 5, Tigers 3

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