Alex Avila is nursing a minor knee injury, but expects to be in the starting lineup for Game 5 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Thursday night. Calling the injury a sore patella, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said it was likely caused by "crashing down to block balls and stuff." Avila aggravated the injury Monday when he stepped on Robinson Cano's foot during a bunt attempt in the sixth inning. "Minor injuries happen to everybody," said Avila. "Whether I was injured badly or not, I'm not really coming out of the game anyway, so it doesn't matter." The 24-year-old backstop went 0-for-3 in Tuesday's loss and is hitless over 12 at-bats during the series.