SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (DETROIT-CLEVELAND) CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Fresh off scoring 13 runs in each of their last three games, the Cleveland Indians open a nine-game homestand tonight when they host the Detroit Tigers to begin a weekend series. The Indians, winners of nine of their last 10, will attempt to become the first team to score 13 runs in four straight games since the 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates. Dave Burba (4-1, 4.30 ERA) starts for the Indians. During a two-game winning streak, he has 12 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings and has given up eight runs and 11 hits. Cleveland is 6-2 in games started by Burba. Burba struck out eight against Detroit over 6 2/3 innings last Saturday while surrendering four runs and five hits. The win improved Burba's career mark against the Tigers to 3-0. One cog in the Indians machine that will be missing is catcher Sandy Alomar, who will have to undergo surgery to repair two bone chips in his left knee. The surgery will sideline Alomar for four to five weeks, an Indians spokesman said. Willie Blair (1-4, 8.21) has not pitched since May 8 due to off days in the Tigers schedule. He notched his only win that day, allowing six runs and as many hits over five innings in a 7-6 triumph over Baltimore. Blair is 0-4 on the road this season with a 15.07 ERA, but is 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA in four games against the Indians in his career. Richie Sexson hit his second career grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs as the Indians pounded the Chicago White Sox, 13-7, on Wednesday. Detroit was shut out by Roy Halladay in a 7-0 loss against Toronto on Thursday, its seventh defeat in nine games. There have been three complete-game shutouts in the American League this season and the Tigers have been the victims each time. Cleveland took two of three meetings from Detroit last weekend.  