Brayan Pena News

Detroit Tigers' Brayan Pena finishes a talk with Jose Valverde in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians on May 12, 2013.

The Indians start a short five game road trip with their first meeting with the division leading rival Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers' first visit to Nationals Park will officially start Wednesday night, and it's going to last a bit longer than expected.

Not in the starting lineup, anyway, as the Tigers move to Nationals Park for Tuesday-Wednesday games against a National League team that, because it is playing at home and observes league rules, won't be using the designated hitter.

Justin Verlander struck out nine over seven stellar innings of two-hit ball, as the Detroit Tigers pounded the Houston Astros, 9-0, to complete a four-game sweep Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

The Detroit Tigers closed the first month of the season with a 15-10 record and a half game lead over the resurgent Kansas City Royals in the American League Central.

Anibal Sanchez was brilliant on the mound with a franchise-record 17 strikeouts; Matt Tuiasosopo supplied all the offensive support Sanchez would need in dismantling the Atlanta Braves.

Catcher Alex Avila, who went 0-for-6 in two games against the Royals, gets the night off tonight as the Tigers open a three-game series against the Braves at Comerica Park.

Last week didn't go so well, so this new feature is a bit ill-timed. Anyway, here's a look back at the last week in Tigers baseball.

It's hard to pitch better than Max Scherzer has his last two times out. Wade Davis has come awfully close.