Kansas City @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2015 ) Kansas City 5, Detroit 6

The Kansas City Royals are destined to claim the American League Central -- perhaps in a matter of days -- but they are not playing their best baseball, especially late in games. The suddenly-struggling Royals look to bounce back from another extra-inning loss and salvage the finale of a three-game series against the host Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

A 6-5 setback in 11 innings on Saturday was the second straight extra-inning defeat for Kansas City and its third during the club's current 4-11 slide. Despite the loss, the Royals saw their magic number for clinching the division trimmed to just four when second-place Minnesota dropped both ends of a doubleheader. Eric Hosmer kept Kansas City in Saturday's game with three hits - including a game-tying solo homer in the eighth - and is 3-for-6 with a home run and two doubles against Alfredo Simon, who starts Sunday for the Tigers. Kris Medlen goes for the Royals, who are looking to win the season series for the second straight time, something they haven't accomplished since 2003-04.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Kris Medlen (4-1, 3.92 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Alfredo Simon (13-9, 4.91)

Medlen has rebounded from a rough start to begin the month by posting back-to-back quality starts, including 6 1/3 scoreless innings to defeat Cleveland on Tuesday. He failed to record a strikeout in the outing and has just five punchouts in 18 innings this month. Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera is 3-for-6 with an RBI against Medlen.

Simon has worked into the seventh in three straight starts, allowing eight runs in 20 innings along the way. He won his second consecutive decision after allowing three runs in 6 1/3 frames at Minnesota on Tuesday. The 34-year-old was reached for six runs in 4 1/3 innings at Kansas City on April 30 and owns a 5.74 ERA in six games (two starts) in his career against the Royals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler, whose walk-off homer in the 11th ended Saturday's game, owns a major league-leading 58 multi-hit games.

2. Kansas City has allowed at least five runs in seven of its last nine games.

3. Detroit DH Victor Martinez is batting .391 with six RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Royals 5