(Sports Network) - The AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers will shoot for a sweep of a brief two-game series with the Texas Rangers this evening at Comerica Park.

Detroit leads the division by 1 1/2 games over the Minnesota Twins and won in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, as Carlos Guillen sent his second home run of the game over the wall in left to lead off the bottom of the ninth and give the Tigers a 3-2 win.

Guillen fouled off a 3-1 pitch from Ron Mahay before crushing the next offering to give Detroit a much-needed victory. Craig Monroe played a huge part in the win with three outfield assists, including two to cut down runners at the plate, as the Tigers ended a three-game losing streak and won for just the third time in 10 games.

Marcus Thames tied it for Detroit with a homer in the seventh and relief pitcher Fernando Rodney hurled two perfect innings for the win. Tigers starter Kenny Rogers allowed 10 hits and two runs over seven innings.

The Tigers will send Justin Verlander to the hill on Wednesday and the rookie is 16-7 with a 3.19 ERA in 27 starts this season. Verlander is 2-1 in his last four starts and beat Minnesota on September 7, when he yielded just one run on eight hits through seven innings.

Verlander was dominant in his first-ever start against Texas back on April 8, hurling seven shutout innings of two-hit ball with seven strikeouts and a pair of walks.

The Rangers will counter with Kevin Millwood, who is 14-10 with a 4.49 earned run average this season. Millwood is 4-2 in his last six starts, but had a personal two-game winning streak halted his last time out on September 8 versus Seattle.

Against the Mariners, Millwood was reached for three runs and four hits over six innings of work. He also struck out seven and issued one walk.

Millwood was saddled with the loss versus Detroit in that April 8 game after giving up five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits over six frames. The righty is 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA in six career starts against the Tigers.

Texas is 9 1/2 games off Oakland's lead in the AL West and has lost four of its last five games. Michael Young homered for the Rangers on Tuesday, while Carlos Lee had three hits in a losing cause.

Starter Vicente Padilla was charged with five hits and two runs in seven frames. Mahay was the loser after permitting Guillen's blast in the ninth.

Detroit is 5-4 against the Rangers this season.