Detroit @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2016 ) Detroit 3, Kansas City 10

After suffering through an eight-game slide, the Kansas City Royals have begun resembling the team that has played in back-to-back World Series. The streaking Royals aim for their seventh win in eight games when they host the Detroit Tigers on Saturday in the third contest of a four-game series.

The teams split the first two games and Kansas City received three RBIs apiece from Eric Hosmer, Kendrys Morales and Salvador Perez in Friday's 10-3 romp. Morales and Perez each homered, with the latter's blast ending a franchise rookie-record 33 1/3-inning scoreless streak by Detroit's Michael Fulmer. Kansas City scored nine of its runs against the Tigers' bullpen while winning at home for the 10th time in 11 tries. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera has homered in back-to-back games after failing to go deep in his first 14 contests of the month.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matt Boyd (0-1, 4.91 ERA) vs. Royals RH Edinson Volquez (6-6, 3.90)

Boyd is looking to bounce back from a rough outing in which he allowed six runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings of a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox. He was staked to a 7-0 lead in that start - Detroit lost 10-9 - and squandered the opportunity to pick up his second career victory. Boyd's lone career win in 18 appearances (16 starts) came against the Royals last season in his major-league debut, and he is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in four starts against Kansas City.

Volquez was superb in his last outing as he gave up just two hits in seven scoreless innings while defeating Cleveland. He has been very sharp at home, going 4-2 with a 2.06 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in eight outings. Volquez is 2-4 with a 5.24 ERA in eight career starts versus the Tigers and has struggled with Cabrera (5-for-11), Ian Kinsler (8-for-20) and Justin Upton (8-for-20, four doubles).

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City LF Alex Gordon (wrist) is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Sunday.

2. Detroit OF J.D. Martinez (fractured elbow) will miss 4-6 weeks due to the injury he suffered during Thursday's contest.

3. Morales, who reached base five times on two hits and three walks Friday, is 6-for-9 with a homer against Boyd.

PREDICTION: Royals 7, Tigers 4