Detroit @ Kansas City preview
Kauffman Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2013 ) Detroit 3, Kansas City 2
The Kansas City Royals wrap up their nine-game homestand Wednesday afternoon as they take on the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers in the rubber match of their three-game series. Kansas City posted a 3-2 victory in the opener on Monday, but Detroit returned the favor the following night. Max Scherzer improved to 9-0 by tossing seven strong innings and Jose Valverde escaped a jam in the ninth as the Tigers notched their fifth win in six contests.
Tuesday's loss ended six-game home and overall winning streaks for the Royals. Kansas City has not captured seven in a row overall since Sept. 10-17, 2011. It fell to 6-2 on its homestand and 6 1/2 games behind Detroit in the division.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (8-4, 3.71 ERA) vs. Royals RH James Shields (2-6, 2.81)
Verlander is riding a four-start winning streak during which he has allowed three runs over seven innings in his last three turns. The former AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner went through a rough patch prior to those three outings, surrendering a total of 12 runs (11 earned) over 7 2/3 frames in a pair of losses and yielding five runs in five innings in the victory that began the streak. Verlander has been dominant against Kansas City during his career, going 15-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 24 career starts.
Shields is seeking his first victory since defeating the Tampa Bay Rays on April 30. The 31-year-old is 0-4 over his last seven starts despite allowing more than two earned runs only once in that span. Shields, who is 5-1 in 10 career starts against the Tigers, is coming off a pair of no-decisions in which he yielded a total of three runs over 14 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Verlander settled for a no-decision against the Royals on April 25 despite allowing only two runs (one earned) over seven innings. Shields also did not figure in the decision in that game after giving up three runs in eight frames.
2. Kansas City DH Billy Butler is 23-for-55 (.418) with two homers and 10 RBIs against Verlander.
3. Tigers CF Austin Jackson, who is on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, went 1-for-3 in a rehab game with Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday.
PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Royals 2