Kansas City @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2013 ) Kansas City 3, Detroit 6

Miguel Cabrera has carried the Detroit Tigers for much of the season, but as he struggles with injuries, cleanup hitter Prince Fielder is picking up the slack. Fielder is batting .404 with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last 12 games to help first-place Detroit open a six-game lead over Cleveland in the American League Central. Fielder homered and had three RBIs in Friday's 6-3 win over the visiting Kansas City Royals, who look to even the series on Saturday.

Friday's defeat all but snuffed out Kansas City's hopes for a division title, dropping the Royals eight games back of Detroit and 3 1/2 behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card. The Royals also are trailing three other three teams in the tightly packed wild-card race with 15 games to play and have little margin for error. Salvador Perez had a pair of hits and drove in two runs Friday, giving him five multi-hit performances and nine RBIs in his last nine contests.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN (Detroit)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Ervin Santana (8-9, 3.35 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Doug Fister (12-8, 3.77)

Santana remained winless in seven starts after he lost at Cleveland in his last turn, giving up four runs on four hits in seven innings. It was the second time in four outings he has permitted three homers, boosting his season total to 25. Santana has enjoyed success against the Tigers, posting a 7-3 record and 3.26 ERA in 12 starts and holding them to a .219 batting average.

Fister lost in Kansas City last time out, giving up five runs in 6 1/3 innings, and has surrendered 18 hits in 12 2/3 frames against the Royals since mid-August. Fister has struggled with consistency and has not put together back-to-back solid outings since going 4-0 in a five-start stretch from July 12-Aug. 7. He is 3-5 with a 4.00 ERA and two complete games in 12 career appearances versus the Royals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Fielder, who reached 100 RBIs for the sixth time in seven years, is 6-for-13 with three homers against Santana.

2. Royals DH Billy Butler, batting .381 in his last 11 games, is 11-for-33 versus Fister.

3. Tigers CF Austin Jackson is 9-for-21 during a five-game hitting streak against the Royals.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Tigers 3