Struggling Mariners and Tigers to meet up

The Mariners, who have the AL's worst record at 20-34, can only hope for a better showing than they had last week at Detroit.

The Tigers, with the league's third worst record at 22-31, swept all three games and outscored Seattle by a combined score of 30-14.

So in an attempt to change things around for the Mariners, Manager John McLaren -- who recently received a vote of support from team management -- will skip left-handed Jarrod Washburn's turn in the pitching rotation to start three right-handers against Detroit.

That's because the Tigers are an AL-worst 15-28 against right-handed pitching, and 7-3 against left-handers this season.

Seattle's Carlos Silva, who has a 3-4 record with a 5.14 earned run average, is expected to start tonight against Detroit left-hander Nate Roberson, who has a 2-5 record and a 5.88 era.

Pro basketball

The Detroit Pistons are listed as six-point favorites over the Boston Celtics for tonight's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Pistons, who trail, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series and need a victory to keep their season alive, are 7-3 against the point spread in their last 10 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to six points.

Boston will enter the game with a 5-1 record against the point spread in its last six games as a road underdog of 3.5 to six points, and the Celtics are 5-1 against the point spread in their last six games at Detroit.

But Boston is 1-7 against the point spread in its last eight road games overall and 2-8 against the point spread in its last 10 playoff games.

The over/under combined points total for tonight's game is 176. The under is 4-0 in the Celtics' last four road games and 4-1 in Detroit's last five home games.

This story is not intended as a tip sheet, but is an account of significant betting taking place in the sports world.

lonnie.white@latimes.com