OAKLAND -- It's only July, but this weekend's series could have a late-season feel to it.

The Tigers finish their final road trip before the All-Star break with a three-day stay in Minnesota. They'll then host Kansas City and Cleveland to put the wraps on the first half.

Detroit first has a day off on Thursday, and it couldn't come at a better time.

"We look a little sluggish," manager Jim Leyland said following the Tigers' 5-1 loss to the A's on Wednesday. "We look a little tired, to be honest with you. Maybe we are. ... We didn't get it done."

Detroit holds a three-game lead on Minnesota in the American League Central race heading into Friday's series opener. The Tigers are 1-4 against the Twins this year, and were swept in their last visit to Minnesota (May 12-14).

Miguel Cabrera will try to help the Tigers reverse their fortune. The slugging first baseman has hit safely in 11 of his past 14 games through Tuesday, batting .382 with five home runs and 12 runs scored over that stretch.

He's improved his average to .332, good for second in the American League.

The rest of the lineup, Leyland said, has been pretty inconsistent. The Tigers will need to turn things around quickly if they want to get past the Twins.

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Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Lucas French (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
The Tigers called up the 23-year-old French from Triple-A Toledo Sunday to work out of the bullpen before he makes his first Major League start on Friday at Minnesota, replacing fellow Tigers prospect Alfredo Figaro. There's more than a little bit of strategy involved in putting French up against a Twins lineup centered around left-handed hitters Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, but there's also a very good case to be made that he's been the best pitcher in the Tigers' farm system over the last month. He has given up four earned runs on 16 hits with 26 strikeouts over 23 innings in his last three starts, though he hasn't won any of them. Further back he has lasted at least 6 2/3 innings with two earned runs or fewer in five of his past six starts.

MIN: RHP Kevin Slowey (10-3, 4.41 ERA)
The heat and humidity in St. Louis seemed to take a toll on Slowey as he lasted just three innings and allowed five runs on six hits in a start against the Cardinals. The right-hander struggled to find a way to get Albert Pujols out and that was what cost him a chance at picking up a Major League leading 11th win in the contest. The right-hander will get another chance at that number when he faces the Tigers at home in the series opener. Slowey is 3-0 with a 4.57 ERA in four career starts vs. Detroit.

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Tidbits

... Ramon Santiago, who was away from the Tigers attending to a family matter while the club was in Oakland, will rejoin the team in Minnesota.
... Leyland thinks designated hitters should be used in the All-Star Game, even though it'll be played in a National League park. "Why would you not use the DH?" Leyland asked. "Overall, the fans ... would rather see another hitter than see the pitcher have to hit in an All-Star Game."
... Detroit has won seven consecutive games and has a 24-2 record when collecting 10 or more hits.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Tigers (Lucas French, LHP (0-0, 0.00 ERA)) at Twins (Kevin Slowey, RHP (10-3, 4.41 ERA)), 8:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 6-4, 2.49 ERA) at Twins (Francisco Liriano, 4-8, 5.62 ERA), 4:10 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 8-5, 3.90 ERA) at Twins (Nick Blackburn, 6-4, 3.10 ERA), 2:10 p.m. ET
• Monday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, RHP (5-7, 5.34 ERA)) vs. Royals (TBD), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .257
Polanco, 2B .255
Cabrera, M, 1B .331
Thames, DH .247
Kelly, LF .289
Inge, 3B .275
:anderson: Anderson, J, RF .255
Laird, C .236
Santiago, SS .291

Minnesota AVG
Span, LF .282
Harris, B, SS .285
Mauer, C .392
Morneau, 1B .309
Cuddyer, RF .277
Crede, 3B .233
Young, D, DH .256
Gomez, C, CF .229
Punto, 2B .212

This is it!! Sink or swim, guys!

Nice avatar lap!

Gooo Tigers!

Have to go an hour away to lose today.

I hate my team.

thx, g!

Inning 1
Top Half

B:3 S:3 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson swinging.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Placido Polanco called out on .

quick inning dat

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera swinging.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Denard Span lines out to pitcher Lucas French.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Brendan Harris swinging.

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Joe Mauer flies out to left fielder Don Kelly.

0-0 after 1 inning

good job :french:

Inning 2
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Marcus Thames pops out to first baseman Justin Morneau in foul territory.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Don Kelly singles on a ground ball to shortstop Brendan Harris.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Brandon Inge hit by pitch. Don Kelly to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Josh Anderson triples (4) on a line drive to right fielder Michael Cuddyer. Don Kelly scores. Brandon Inge scores.
DET 2, MIN 0

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Gerald Laird out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Carlos Gomez. Josh Anderson scores.
DET 3, MIN 0

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Ramon Santiago grounds out, shortstop Brendan Harris to first baseman Justin Morneau.

DET 3, MIN 0 after 1.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Justin Morneau swinging.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Michael Cuddyer doubles (18) on a line drive to right fielder Josh Anderson.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Joe Crede flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Delmon Young walks.

I love to cross-stitch. I am re-formatting my older laptop while doing the gdt.

B:0 S:2 O:3 -
Carlos Gomez lines out to third baseman Brandon Inge.

DET 3, MIN 0 after 2 innings

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a soft line drive to center fielder Carlos Gomez.