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(Sports Network) - Like the Tigers, Miguel Cabrera would like to put the first half of the season behind him. However, that doesn't mean he can't get on a roll before the break. Detroit, one game above .500, wraps up a two-game set with the Cleveland Indians tonight at Comerica Park.

Detroit acquired Cabrera this past offseason, along with starter Dontrelle Willis, from Florida in a move that made the club the favorites to represernt the American League in the World Series.

However, the Tigers struggled out of the gate and were 12 games under .500 after a loss to Cleveland on June 4. Detroit then started to catch fire and ended the month with a 19-8 mark to get two games above the even mark.

Cabrera himself mirrored those early season struggles for Detroit, but has been steadily regaining his outstanding form. The right-handed slugger belted a pair of homers in Tuesday's 9-2 victory over the Indians as part of a 4- for-4 day. Cabrera has now hit safely in five straight games, hitting .435 (10-for-23) with four homers and five RBI.

Justin Verlander's (6-9) performance was just as impressive, as the right- hander gave up two first-inning runs but retired the final 14 hitters he faced in his seven-inning start. He was also backed by homers from Marcus Thames and Ivan Rodriguez in last night's win.

For Cleveland, Jeremy Sowers' (0-5) struggles continued. On a day that CC Sabathia was supposed to pitch for the Indians, but instead made his Milwaukee debut after getting dealt to the Brewers for prospects, Sowers got lit up for seven runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.

Jhonny Peralta provided Cleveland's only spark with a two-run homer, but it was hardly enough in the team's season-high ninth straight setback. It marks the team's longest skid since also losing nine straight from August 15-24, 2004. The club hasn't lost 10 in a row since June 17-27, 1979 and is getting close to the franchise record of 12 straight setbacks, set from May 7-21, 1931.

Cleveland has also lost eight straight on the road and is 0-7 on its current eight-game road trip. Overall, the Indians are just 15-30 as the visiting club this season.

Grady Sizemore recorded a steal in the third inning, joining Joe Carter as the only Indians players to record 100 steals and 100 home runs in a career with the club.

Paul Byrd starts for the Indians and has lost his last five starts since a win in Detroit on June 6. He held the Tigers to two runs on four hits in that one, giving up two homers. Byrd has been tortured by the long ball this season, as he is tops in the AL with 23 home runs allowed on the season. He has been taken deep at least once in each of his last nine starts.

That includes Friday versus the Twins, when the right-hander allowed six runs on eights hits and two homers in 5 1/3 innings of a loss that dropped him to 3-10 on the season with a 5.53 earned run average.

Byrd, 38, has pitched well against Detroit in his career, though After his June victory over them, Byrd is 9-2 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 starts and one relief outing versus the Tigers and 5-2 with a pair of complete games and a 2.84 ERA in nine starts at Comerica Park.

Eddie Bonine makes his fifth career start for Detroit tonight. The 27-year-old had allowed just three runs over his previous two starts before yielding five runs (2 earned) on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings of a loss to the Twins on Wednesday, the first defeat of his major league career.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA on the season and faces Cleveland for the first time in his career tonight.

Detroit has won four of seven versus the Indians this year, taking three of five so far in Motown.