Detroit @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2014 ) Detroit 3, Kansas City 2

The Detroit Tigers can take another huge step toward their fourth consecutive American League Central title when they try for a three-game sweep of the host Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Detroit improved to 13-5 against Kansas City this season - 8-1 at Kauffman Stadium - with a 3-2 victory Saturday to increase its division lead to 2 1/2 games over the the slumping Royals. It was a total team effort Saturday as little-used infielder Hernan Perez noticed that Kansas City's Salvador Perez did not tag up at third before scoring on a throwing error following a line-drive out, taking a run away from the Royals and changing the momentum.

The Royals are 4-8 in their last 12 games and remained one-half game ahead of Seattle for the second wild card and one-half game behind Oakland for the top spot. Alex Gordon, who leads Kansas City with 19 home runs and 70 RBIs, went 0-for-4 on Saturday and is 9-for-59 with a homer and seven RBIs in 18 September games. Detroit's Rick Porcello is winless in his last four starts, with a loss to the Royals during that span, as he opposes Jeremy Guthrie, who snapped a three-game winless streak - which included a setback to Detroit - in his last turn and pitches on two days' extra rest.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, TBS, FSN Detroit, FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Rick Porcello (15-11, 3.19 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (11-11, 4.35)

Porcello received a no-decision after yielding two runs and seven hits in eight innings of Detroit's 4-3 loss in Minnesota on Tuesday. The 25-year-old New Jersey native fell to 8-4 with a 4.10 ERA against Kansas City with a 3-0 loss to the Royals on Sept. 10, when he permitted two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 frames. Porcello has trouble with Billy Butler (.340 in 47 at-bats, home run, eight RBIs), while Eric Hosmer has taken him deep twice in 22 at-bats.

Guthrie allowed an unearned run and three hits in eight innings of a 7-1 victory over Boston on Sept. 13 after going 0-1 with a 6.90 ERA in his previous three starts. One of those was a 9-5 loss in Detroit on Sept. 8, when he yielded eight runs (six earned) and 10 hits in 2 2/3 frames - his shortest outing this season - to fall to 8-7 with a 4.77 ERA in 21 games against the Tigers. The 35-year-old Oregon native has struggled with Detroit's top hitters - Miguel Cabrera (.340 in 47 at-bats, three homers, 12 RBIs) and Victor Martinez (.344 in 32 at-bats) - while J.D. Martinez has gone deep twice against Guthrie in 15 at-bats.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit C Alex Avila has missed five straight games because of concussion-like symptoms.

2. Royals RF Norichika Aoki, who is 0-for-8 against Porcello, went 0-for-3 with two sacrifices Saturday after going 13-for-16 in his previous four games.

3. RF Torii Hunter homered Saturday and has recorded two hits in each of his last six games for the Tigers, who are 8-3 in their stretch of 19 straight contests against AL Central opponents to finish the regular season.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Tigers 2