(Sports Network) - Two of the American League's best will square off tonight when the Boston Red Sox begin a three-game set with the host Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

The Red Sox come into tonight's matchup on a four-game winning streak, just one shy of their season high that they have set twice this year. The club won five straight contests from April 18-22 and May 25-29.

This latest winning run has stretched Boston's lead for first place in the AL East to 12 games over Toronto and the New York Yankees.

The Red Sox are coming off a blowout win on Thursday that saw it plate 13 runs in the first three innings en route to a 15-4 rout over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The victory completed a three-game sweep for Boston.

Coco Crisp had a grand slam in the win and totaled five RBI on the night, while Mike Lowell ended 5-for-6 with a homer, five RBI and three runs scored.

Josh Beckett (12-2) allowed three runs and nine hits with nine strikeouts over six innings to join Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia as the only 12-game winners in the majors this season.

Boston did play without first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who missed the game due to a sore left quadriceps and is questionable for tonight's matchup.

In All-Star news, Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that Sox reliever Hideki Okajima won the Final Vote competition for the remaining spot on the AL roster. He will join a slew of Boston players already on the team, including Beckett, Lowell, Jonathan Papelbon, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

Julian Tavarez will toe the rubber for Boston tonight hoping to snap a personal two-game losing streak. Tavarez allowed six runs in a setback at Seattle on June 25 before taking a tough-luck loss on Sunday against Texas.

The right-hander lasted 5 2/3 frames versus the Rangers and gave up just two runs (one earned) on seven hits in a 2-1 loss that dropped him to 5-6 with a 4.39 earned run average on the year.

The 34-year-old started against the Tigers on May 17 and earned the win behind seven innings of one-run ball. Tavarez is 3-0 with a 3.72 ERA in 10 lifetime appearances (two starts) against Detroit.

The Tigers, meanwhile, have won two straight games and trail Cleveland by one game for first place in the AL Central. The club is also coming off a decisive win, as it pounded the Indians 12-3 on Thursday.

Justin Verlander (10-3) struck out seven batters and gave up just two earned runs in the win. He allowed six hits without walking a batter.

Gary Sheffield homered in the fourth inning for the Tigers, who improved to just 4-5 on a 12-game homestand. Placido Polanco and Carlos Guillen also homered in the win.

Young Andrew Miller will make his sixth start of the season tonight for Detroit. Miller is coming off his worst outing of the year, as he was tagged for six runs (five earned) on six hits in five innings of an 8-5 defeat to Minnesota. The loss dropped the left-hander to 3-2 with a 3.81 ERA on the year.

The 22-year-old has never faced Boston before.

The Red Sox have won three of four meetings against the Tigers this season, with all of those games taking place in Boston. The clubs split six games in 2006.