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Tigers try to stay on the prowl versus Royals

Jul 8, 2011 - 2:57 PM (Sports Network) - While Cleveland is winning games in walk-off fashion, Detroit is still trying to keep pace in the American league Central Division.

The Tigers are 1 1/2 games behind the Indians for division bragging rights and will resume a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals tonight at Kauffman Stadium.

Detroit posted its second straight win and third in five tries with Thursday's 3-1 victory over KC in the series opener. Max Scherzer joined the 10-win club by holding the AL Central-foe Royals to one run and six hits with no walks in 6 2/3 innings, while demoted starter Phil Coke, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde kept Kansas City off of the board the rest of the way. Valverde posted his 22nd save with a scoreless ninth inning.

"I didn't walk anybody," Scherzer said. "I didn't put myself in dangerous positions. I was able to keep the ball on the ground and was able to have a good outing."

Ryan Raburn hit a two-run homer in the second inning and Don Kelly added a solo shot in the ninth for the Tigers. Outfielder Austin Jackson left the game with left wrist soreness and is day-to-day, while outfielder Brennan Boesch could return to the lineup after fouling a ball off his right knee on Tuesday. Boesch is batting .392 with eight homers, 15 RBI and 47 hits over his last 31 games.

Victor Martinez went 0-for-4 last night and entered the game hitting .355 with two homers and 23 RBI dating back to May 27.

Rick Porcello draws the start tonight for Detroit and ended a four-game winless (0-3) drought his last time out in a 6-3 win over San Francisco on Sunday at Comerica Park. Porcello allowed three runs in seven innings of work and struck out six batters to improve to 7-6 in 16 starts with a 4.96 ERA.

The right-hander, who is 4-2 in nine road assignments this season, lost to Kansas City on April 10 this season and allowed five runs in five innings of a 9-5 loss. Porcello is 3-2 with a 5.03 ERA in eight starts against the Royals.

Kansas City had won two straight and three of four games before losing Thursday's series opener with the Tigers. KC starter Danny Duffy pitched well in defeat and yielded a pair of runs and four hits in six innings with six K's and just one walk. Duffy was then sent to the minors afterwards.

"It's what's best for the team," said Duffy. "We've got another arm in the bullpen. I don't fret over that. I'll go down to Omaha and do what I've got to do. Get a start and work on getting back here on the 18th (of July) and do it against the White Sox on 19th."

Aaron Crow allowed the other run in relief.

Eric Hosmer knocked in the only run for the Royals in the fifth inning and both Jeff Francoeur and Brayan Pena ended with two hits for Kansas City, which is last in the AL Central at 12 games off the lead.

Kyle Davies could be counting down the days he spends in the rotation and will toe the rubber for the Royals Friday. Davies is only 1-7 with a 7.77 earned run average in 10 starts and has dropped six straight trips to the hill. The Royals have lost seven in row in Davies' last seven outings and suffered a 9-6 loss his last time out on Saturday at Colorado.

Davies gave up seven runs to the Rockies -- four of which were earned -- and eight hits in just three innings of work. The right-hander, who is 0-2 in four home starts this season, lost at Detroit on April 8, allowing five runs through 3 2/3 frames of a 5-2 defeat. He is 3-9 with a 5.85 ERA in 13 career starts against the Tigers.

Detroit is 4-2 against the Royals this season and has won nine of the last 14 matchups between the two clubs.