(Sports Network) - Detroit Tigers surprise Armando Galarraga goes for a sixth straight victory and tries to stay perfect for his career against the Cleveland Indians tonight, when the two American League Central disappointments begin a three-game series at Comerica Park.

The Tigers, who were chosen by many to breeze to a division title this season, are instead mired in mediocrity in third place, 10 1/2 games off the lead of the Chicago White Sox. Meanwhile, the Indians have fallen hard from last season's playoff perch and are now fourth in the five-team group, 12 1/2 games behind the White Sox.

Galarraga, a 26-year-old in his first full season in the majors, has been among the few bright spots in the Motor City, going 7-4 in his initial 11 decisions before reeling off five wins and a no-decision in his six starts since July 23.

He topped the Kansas City Royals in Missouri to begin that terrific stretch, and has since beaten the Indians, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers to run his season mark to 12-4 and lower his earned run average to 3.17 over 139 1/3 innings of work.

Additionally, he is 3-0 in three career starts against Cleveland, posting a 3.57 ERA in 17 2/3 innings while allowing 10 hits, walking four and striking out 13.

The right-hander made three appearances, including one start, with the Rangers in 2007, allowing six earned runs and eight hits in 8 2/3 innings.

Pennsylvania-born lefty Zach Jackson makes his third start for the Indians since coming over from Milwaukee in the deal that sent ace pitcher CC Sabathia to the Brewers in early July.

Jackson, who made two relief appearances for the Brewers before the trade and allowed five hits and two runs in 3 1/3 innings, debuted with the Indians on August 14 and pitched five innings en route to a no-decision in the team's 11-6 loss to Baltimore.

He came back on Wednesday and allowed four earned runs in seven innings, getting another no-decision in Cleveland's 8-5 defeat of the Royals.

In 54 career major-league innings over 12 appearances (9 starts), Jackson has surrendered 68 hits and 32 earned runs while walking 18 batters and striking out 28. He has never faced the Tigers.

Jackson will be attempting to extend Cleveland's season-high seven-game win streak that was extended with Sunday's road 4-3 victory over Texas. Franklin Gutierrez drove in the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning as the Indians completed a three-game sweep of the Rangers.

After blowing a two-run edge in the eighth, Cleveland took the lead back in the ninth.

With Eddie Guardado (3-3) starting the inning for Texas, Ryan Garko led off with a single before a Kelly Shoppach sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Andy Gonzalez to second. Gutierrez then roped a single to center to score Gonzalez for a 4-3 lead.

Rafael Betancourt (3-4), who got the final out of the eighth, worked a 1-2-3 ninth to finish the game.

Gutierrez finished 2-for-4 with a run scored while Shin-Soo Choo had an RBI triple and scored for the surging Indians. Anthony Reyes started on the mound for Cleveland and gave up just one run on four hits in seven innings of work.

Detroit won its first two games in its weekend series at Kansas City before the Royals salvaged Sunday's series finale. Jose Guillen homered and Mark Teahen drove in three runs as the Royals topped the Tigers, 7-3, to halt a seven-game losing streak.

Placido Polanco had three hits and two RBI for the Tigers, while Carlos Guillen and Marcus Thames both went 2-for-4.

Kenny Rogers (9-11) suffered the loss after being tagged for seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits over six innings. The veteran left-hander walked four and struck out four.

Detroit holds a 7-5 edge in this year's season series with the Tribe and has won four of the six meetings between the divisional foes in the Motor City.